How stupid can you get?

Written By: - Date published: 12:48 pm, May 15th, 2014 - 24 comments
Categories: national, same old national - Tags:

On May 1, 2014 the New Zealand Herald reported on a complaint that Denis O’Rourke had through Parliamentary Services employed his live in partner to be his assistant.  He denied the allegation and at this time no further action is being taken about the complaint.

Today the Dominion Post has reported that National MP Claudette Hauiti has employed her partner to work for her as an issues assistant in her Electorate Office.  From the article:

List MP Claudette Hauiti’s wife, Nadine Mau, was employed as an issues assistant in Hauiti’s electorate office in Auckland from April 7 until last Wednesday when she was sacked.

Under direction from Speaker David Carter, MPs are not allowed to employ their spouse or partner, either in or outside Parliament.

Hauiti said she was unaware of the prohibition on employing spouses when she contracted her wife to work in her office.

“I’m really disappointed that I didn’t know the rules, I’ve only been here a year and I should have kept up to speed with that and I didn’t.

“I made a really big mistake.”

I note that the intervention happened only after a Parliamentary Services Staff Member alerted speaker David Carter.  Hauiti’s wife was fired on May 7 and the speaker advised on May 5.  How she missed Denis O’Rourke’s very public difficulties has not been explained.

Crosby Textor will not be pleased.   If you wanted a further example of how National is out of touch and only looking after themselves at the expense of ordinary Kiwis this is it.

24 comments on “How stupid can you get? ”

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  1. shorts 1
    15 May 2014 at 1:01 pm

    I’m so sick, (understatement), of our elected officials not knowing the rules that govern themselves, one would almost think this is intentional – these muppets determine and make our laws and enact pressure on govt agencies on how to enforce those laws, except when it comes to themselves

    This woman needs to stand down or preferably be sacked

    And the sacking of her partner should be looked at as I doubt that is a legal way to terminate an employment contract – why should the employee be the only victim here?

    • BLiP 1.1
      15 May 2014 at 3:06 pm

      ‘

      National MP Claudette Hauiti is neither elected nor an official. She was next on the list after Unhappy Gilmour got pissed and made an arse of himself. Thus far, National MP Claudette Hauiti’s performance as a Member of Parliament would indicate a certain lack of depth, if you ask me. Not sure how Nadine Mau can be framed as a victim, though.

      • shorts 1.1.1
        15 May 2014 at 3:34 pm

        elected from the party list then – regardless of whom she replaced, apologies for splitting those hairs

        Her partner is a victim – employed by Hauiti… and sacked by Hauiti through no wrong doing of her own, ie a victim… of her partners rule breaking and overt stupidity, not to mention potential violation of current employment contract

        • BLiP 1.1.1.1
          15 May 2014 at 4:02 pm

          ‘

          Well, okay, if you say so. Tough situation. The National Party has stripped most of New Zealand’s worker protection legislation from the statute books and replaced it with a jack-boot. Actually, when it comes to victims, you should see what senior National Party MPs think about them when it comes to domestic violence. Fingers crossed Nadine Mau has a union to help her out.

      • The Lone Haranguer 1.1.2
        15 May 2014 at 6:33 pm

        When you only get the job in the first place because you are the MPs wife, then shes no victim for losing it for being the MPs wife.

  2. Clemgeopin 2
    15 May 2014 at 1:06 pm

    This National Government has become a very discredited outfit. Shame on them!

  3. captain hook 3
    15 May 2014 at 1:56 pm

    so what is the lickspittle speaker of the house going to do about it?
    and furthermore every night on the teavee you see john key surrounded by a squadron of journalists (sic) but you only ever see one story per night.
    who employs these people and what do they do for their money if they cant report a proper story of corruption.
    has the whole country gone gaga?

  4. Tracey 4
    15 May 2014 at 2:13 pm

    its okay cos hauiti didnt personally benefit, just her wife, just like the minister for dairies husband in oravida

  5. Tiger Mountain 5
    15 May 2014 at 2:27 pm

    Heh, after this situation Hauiti won’t have to ask people “do you know who I am” unlike the boofhead she replaced.

  6. The Lone Haranguer 6
    15 May 2014 at 2:29 pm

    Dayum. I didnt even realise that there was a Claudette Hauiti in Parliament.

    I figured she must be a Nat because you lot were bleating, but lets get real here. The real story isnt that Hauiti employed her wife, its that Hauiti herself has collected a salary for the past year while playing “The Invisible Lady”. As the replacement for Aaron Gilmore, shes proven to be as good as him.

    The backbench List MPs (on both sides) really are the troughing royalty of New Zealand politics

    • Tracey 6.1
      15 May 2014 at 4:45 pm

      she put a question last week in question time. i wondered who she was then.

      kind of makes a joke of the person yesterday crowing about post rofernomics nz and that you dont need to know someone in a union to get a job…. you just have to know a national mp.

      perata
      collins

    • Visubversaviper 6.2
      15 May 2014 at 10:22 pm

      She does not say much ‘cos the Nats won’t like what she says. Patsy questions is all she gets.

  7. BLiP 7
    15 May 2014 at 2:45 pm

    ‘

    HOW STUPID ENTITLED CAN YOU GET ?

    FIFY 🙂

    I dunno if its a matter of being stupid as much as its a matter of taking advantage without even thinking about it; the very idea that it might be against the rules is of no consequence as it never enters consciousness. Basically, if you’re a National Ltd™ MP, “the rules” don’t really apply, especially if you happen to be the Minister of Justice on a junket ostensibly to lecture the Chinese on corruption. Kinda ironic.

  8. Populuxe1 8
    15 May 2014 at 3:37 pm

    Pretty sure that Denis O’Rourke’s “live in partner” is a bit of an assumption – otherwise I’m going after half my flatmate’s stuff.

  9. Tanz 9
    15 May 2014 at 3:38 pm

    the wheels have really fallen off now…or is it a fizzer?

  10. GMM 10
    15 May 2014 at 4:22 pm

    Hopefully she’ll “announce her retirement” following the election immenently. What a waste of space.
    In a way she’s probably fortunate this came out in budget week, where most of us are looking in the other direction.

  11. One Anonymous Bloke 11
    15 May 2014 at 4:37 pm

    Memo to National MPs: committing petty crimes will not take the heat off Judith Collins.

  12. Foreign Waka 12
    15 May 2014 at 6:07 pm

    Even if she did not know about the rule, common sense should have indicated that a taxpayer funded position is not meant for friends and family members. How dare she thinks that the taxpayer is so stupid to belief her excuse.

  13. Tiger Mountain 13
    16 May 2014 at 6:22 am

    Please correct me if I am wrong but apart from the Dominion Post the Hauiti story appears to be otherwise missing in action in the msm.

  14. the right fear me 14
    16 May 2014 at 6:45 am

    reminds me of someone who did,nt know the rules and made DC look stupid….ring amy bells Greg??

  15. Paul Campbell 15
    16 May 2014 at 12:16 pm

    but, well yay for the normalisation of gay relationships, marriage etc even on the right

    boo on the other hand for another Nat caught with their snout in the trough

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