Is Michelle Boag advising Derek Handley?

Written By: - Date published: 11:58 am, September 28th, 2018 - 79 comments
Categories: jacinda ardern, labour, Media, national, Simon Bridges, spin - Tags: ,

This is the interesting question being posed by Richard Harman at Politik (paid access).

The basis of his claim is that on Monday night Boag texted him seeking Politik’s email address. He then received an email from Auckland PR consultant, Julie Landry, who is the PR representative for Derek Handley as well as a file of Handley’s email and text exchanges with Clare Curran and Ardern.  Derek Handley has refused to deny that Boag is helping him.

This adds an interesting complication to the matter although I am still full of a sense of Meh.

As I am by the revelations in this morning’s Herald. Lucy Bennett reported as follows:

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern took a close interest in the government’s chief technology officer recruitment, receiving updates on the process from then Digital Services Minister Clare Curran, documents show.

The Government has today released a large tranche of documents related to the botched recruitment of entrepreneur Derek Handley for the role of government chief technology officer.

Handley will receive $107,000 in compensation after being offered the CTO role, only for the position to be scrapped before he started.

The files also show that Handley met with a senior Labour Party official, and had contact with the Prime Minister’s office, last year.

The Whatsapp exchange shows the Prime Minister took an active interest in the appointment and was across the detail.

The document dump also shows that as far back as November last year, Handley was in touch with Ardern and offering his services.

What revelations, someone with IT industry experience offered to help the Government, Ardern was across the detail and receiving updates on what one of her Ministers was doing and Nigel Haworth met with the person offering to help the Government.  And Ardern knew Handley.  It is New Zealand.  Everyone knows everyone.

Meanwhile Simon Bridges thinks that heaven is shining its favour on National and took joy at the number of supposed scandals facing the Government.  I take it that if the economy crashed he would wet his pants.  I bet he is deeply disappointed that business confidence has recently rebounded.

And what is it with National using biblical references and shoring up its country boy shooter support this week?

79 comments on “Is Michelle Boag advising Derek Handley? ”

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  1. Patricia Bremner 1
    28 September 2018 at 12:10 pm

    Michelle Boag would have salivated at any opportunity to embarrass Jacinda.
    So she made herself “useful?”…

    Given Handley’s behaviour in this, I think we dodged a bullet.

    • Louis 1.1
      28 September 2018 at 12:29 pm

      We did.

    • AB 1.2
      28 September 2018 at 12:58 pm

      Seems so. Handley appears to have posthumously (as it were) failed the sort of good character test you would want your future employees to pass.
      To date I have seen nothing that indicates he isn’t one of a plentiful supply of techno-narcissists with hugely inflated sense of his own expertise. (Or ‘skulls’ as we call them in NZ)

      • Chuck 1.2.1
        28 September 2018 at 1:51 pm

        “Handley sat on the sidelines and says he was waiting for the Government to clear things up.”

        “Asked how the situation had affected him personally, a visibly upset Handley said: “It’s unsettling and it’s been hard and I wouldn’t wish it on anybody.”

        https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12130986

        Hiring a PR consultant and releasing communications seems reasonable in the circumstances.

        From comments here, the “left” have turned on Handley…it seems he did not go away quietly as a nice boy should.

        Clare Curran is like a tornado leaving utter devastation in her former portfolios.

        • shadrach 1.2.1.1
          28 September 2018 at 2:01 pm

          Hi Chuck

          I am not from ‘the left’. If I was Handley the last person on God’s earth I would be hiring would be Michele Boag. It is my view the government have handled this entire matter appallingly, but Handley has done himself far more reputational damage in recent days than anything the government had or has done.

          • Chuck 1.2.1.1.1
            28 September 2018 at 2:14 pm

            Boag is a very polarising figure and not my first choice as a consultant! (mind you not based on her ability, rather her toxic profile in some quarters).

            As is evident with this post, MS and others are using the Boag factor to beat Handley around the head…for no other reason than they detest Boag. Which is I guess what you are saying shadrach…

            • shadrach 1.2.1.1.1.1
              28 September 2018 at 6:59 pm

              Using the Boag factor to beat Handley around the head would be ok, if that’s where it stopped, simply because anyone who goes near Boag deserves anything they get IMHO. But if your point is that the Boag factor is being used to deflect from the governments inept handling of the entire matter, then I agree with you.

    • Anne 1.3
      28 September 2018 at 1:11 pm

      I think we dodged a bullet.

      Sure looks like it. Thanks Megan. 🙂

      • tc 1.3.1
        28 September 2018 at 5:37 pm

        Clearly dodged a bullet as this is a common occurrence at this level for such a public facing role.

        A decent IT pro sucks it up and carries on to the next opportunity especially with what many would consider undeserved cash in hand.

        NZ is a small village and he’s effectively shit in the square after seemingly taking advice from the last village wrecking crews mates….not the wisest of moves IMO.

  2. Draco T Bastard 2
    28 September 2018 at 12:13 pm

    Handley will receive $107,000 in compensation after being offered the CTO role, only for the position to be scrapped before he started.

    One wonders how that is even remotely justifiable.

    And what is it with National using biblical references

    Conservatives around the world are Christian and go to church regularly and so this would be catering to that bias despite the fact that it appears to be nothing more than camouflage the same way that Mafia dons give to charity.

    • Louis 2.1
      28 September 2018 at 12:29 pm

      Yes wondered that myself, it was verbal there was no signed contract.

      • Dukeofurl 2.1.1
        28 September 2018 at 1:07 pm

        A contract doesnt need to be signed for it to be valid. They offered a job and he accepted. However a verbal contract wouldnt have all the bells and whistles of a full employment contract.

        • Draco T Bastard 2.1.1.1
          28 September 2018 at 1:40 pm

          Ten or twenty thousand maybe without a signed contract but more than 95% of the population get for a year? And he didn’t even do anything and the position hadn’t even started.

          • Dukeofurl 2.1.1.1.1
            28 September 2018 at 3:57 pm

            A signed contract doesnt make any difference to the amount he would get when they went back on an agreement.
            What would having started the job make it different? Just because it a lot of money for most people doesnt matter either, it has to be proportionate for the salary they were offering.

    • srylands 2.2
      28 September 2018 at 12:30 pm

      It was a 400k job. 3 months salary for unilateral termination without cause is pretty standard. Derek certainly deserves this compensation. I wish him good luck.

    • shadrach 2.3
      28 September 2018 at 1:48 pm

      Hi Draco

      In light of your final paragraph, I had to laugh when looking up Mickey’s link (https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/the-country/audio/simon-bridges-heaven-is-shining-its-favour-on-the-national-party/) and at the bottom of the article saw this:

      https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/the-country/audio/winston-peters-i-would-pick-religion-over-science/.

      BTW I consider myself a conservative, and I am a Christian and go to Church regularly, and for the record I also find Bridges dog whistling irritating. There are far better ways of criticizing the government than he seems to be able to muster.

    • JohnSelway 2.4
      28 September 2018 at 2:26 pm

      “Conservatives around the world are Christian”

      Very broad generalisation there. One glaring example is the philosophy of Ayn Rand – conservatives love her economic “rugged individualism” and she was an avowed atheist.
      Then you have people like P.J. O’Rouke and Roger Stone who are conservative anti-heroes and neither are Christian.

      Also very country specific – conservatives in the Middle East are Muslim for example.

      • Draco T Bastard 2.4.1
        29 September 2018 at 12:15 am

        What, you don’t think all those Evangelicals that vote Republican are Christians?

        Well, neither do I which is why I called it camouflage.

    • SHG 2.5
      28 September 2018 at 5:53 pm

      And what is it with National using biblical references

      We speak English. The most important work in that language is the King James Bible. You’d be amazed at how many everyday phrases and sayings are lifted from it.

      That said, I think to be accurate to the KJV Bridges should have said “grace”, not “favour”.

      • shadrach 2.5.1
        28 September 2018 at 7:18 pm

        “You’d be amazed at how many everyday phrases and sayings are lifted from it. ”

        Yes indeed. There is nothing new under the sun, eh.

      • Sacha 2.5.2
        28 September 2018 at 11:32 pm

        “Bridges should have said ‘grace’, not ‘favour’.”

        He is probably more familiar with the latter.

      • Draco T Bastard 2.5.3
        29 September 2018 at 11:24 am

        The most important work in that language is the King James Bible.

        Personally, I think The Hobbit is more important. Got more morality in it for sure.

        That said, I think to be accurate to the KJV Bridges should have said “grace”, not “favour”.

        National, like all corrupt organisations, work on favours.

  3. Tiger Mountain 3
    28 September 2018 at 12:58 pm

    $100,000 or so, to swerve this tool obtaining a position of influence looks well worth it

    the government really needs to get a handle on their political management–“they”, as in the Nat dirty tricks dept.–are totally, definitely, out to get you

  4. Delia 4
    28 September 2018 at 1:05 pm

    Sounds like the usual dirty politics.

  5. SaveNZ 5
    28 September 2018 at 1:54 pm

    The whole thing is strange and weird and keeps getting stranger and weirder.

    Firstly Handley was the driver in cc his CV and conversations about jobs to Jacinda Ardern, with his CV not the other way around.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/107341529/jilted-cto-candidate-derek-handley-disappointed-by-lack-of-explanation-from-government

    To my mind this is pretty inappropriate from Handley and falls into the strange category. Maybe fine in US or Hong Kong, but nepotism is supposedly still frowned on here.

    It then raises the point, is it a good idea to have the government role with a person who has difficulty understanding complexity of appropriateness? Are they going to be firing off txts and tweets inappropriate networking opportunities while officially representing the government?

    Then he had citizenship issues, that the government solved for him.

    Then, Handley is far from being “superbly qualified for a job” has no real qualifications for the job. He has never been a CTO before, nor does he have any technical qualifications in IT or certifications in that area. His degrees are in Bachelor of building science, architecture, design and environmental science, with post grad is commerce, finance, management and entrepreneurship.

    If the job was for some sort of entrepreneurship then he would be a fit, but it is confusing and pretty much an insult and sends the wrong message to NZ business to hire a government CTO and make him fit the role, suggesting that anyone who can start a successful company and be on multiple boards and networking opportunities and can then somehow morph by magic into a government CTO. Probably explains why government IT is so appalling when the tech guy is the money guy, actually.

    The NZ public sector management folly is perfectly described in this:

    https://www.pundit.co.nz/content/is-there-public-service-in-our-public-service

    When it comes to real tech, Handley being on boards like Sky TV for 5 years clearly did not pay off for them because Sky TV are about to be obsolete by better technology.

    Or sustainability advisory board of Air NZ, again more of a ‘touchy feely’ mock role, than actually making the airline more sustainable.

    In typical NZ style, those neoliberals at public service management and our own big corporations have zero idea what’s going on, and just get excited about anybody who makes money from tech, flits in an out of exciting sounding opportunities overseas, or says they work with Richard Branson on their CV.

    This describes the sad state of management in NZ as well as the sad state of government IT when business in NZ can’t even understand the basics, and they feel they can just have some tech gloss instead of tech substance and a name alone or a few ideas is going to work out.

    The Warehouse recently had to part ways with one of it’s recent executive hires, also low on technical qualifications fit but high on self hype, who reportedly went about arrogantly insulting people and now reportedly 4 lawsuits ensues..

    It was right they did not proceed with the CTO role with Handley as it was never going to be a good fit. They needed to employ him into a different networking/entrepreneurship type role, not a technical role.

    It has not worked out well for anybody and shows glaring problems with government recruitment and public service appointments, their lack of understanding of technology, and their neoliberal approach as pointed out by the Brian Eastern link problems stemming from the 1980’s .

    • SaveNZ 5.1
      28 September 2018 at 3:08 pm

      It’s like Susan Devoy is a great sports person but eye roll when she starts heading the human rights commission. Putting people into roles just because they have had some success previously in other areas, is a very neoliberal folly, partly because they systems don’t value people with tangible and deep expertise in areas but think anyone who made a buck, can be on the board or executive team or senior role and you make the role ‘fit them’.

      Putting in a person like Susan Devoy also shows the government of the time (Natz) had little interest in human rights and did not value human rights people in NZ at the time who were looked over, just like the appearance of Handley in the role sends the same message that deep skills in tech are less important in technology than who you know.

      So many NZ companies have all their management and governance devoted to accountants, lawyers, political appointments and networkers and nobodies with big name CV’s, than value having diverse deep skills and collaboration with other with deep varied practical skills across companies and government.

  6. ianmac 6
    28 September 2018 at 2:04 pm

    A few hundred years ago Michelle Boag would have been burnt at the stake as a Wicked Witch.

  7. Kat 7
    28 September 2018 at 2:14 pm

    It comes down to trust. Who would you trust, Jacinda Ardern or any one connected with the National opposition.

    • JohnSelway 7.1
      28 September 2018 at 2:28 pm

      “Who would you trust, Jacinda Ardern or any one connected with the National opposition.”

      Remember Handley is very well connected with Ardern

      • Muttonbird 7.1.1
        28 September 2018 at 2:31 pm

        I don’t think that is true. She knows him, but “very well connected”? I don’t think so.

        • JohnSelway 7.1.1.1
          28 September 2018 at 2:41 pm

          Well – his connection with National seems to be only with Boag so pretty tenuous to say he is “connected” with National when he also has Arderns personal email and phone number.

          This whole thing is just guilt by association.

          (BTW – just for the record…I think Boag is an awful awful person.)

      • Kat 7.1.2
        28 September 2018 at 2:37 pm

        “very well connected” really; first cousin, second cousin, kissing cousins, old school friend, pen pals, ex boyfriend, old flat mate, past colleague, business acquaintance…………… or just connected in a friendly way that Jacinda Ardern is with literally hundreds of people.

    • Ngungukai 7.2
      28 September 2018 at 11:49 pm

      Likewise who would you trust Michelle Boag or Jacinda Adern ?

  8. Michelle 8
    28 September 2018 at 2:58 pm

    connected via cellphone more like it

  9. SPC 9
    28 September 2018 at 4:01 pm

    100,000 to charity and saving $300,000 for the rest of the year on a job that is for what exactly?

    Not exactly a bad outcome, apart from the poor process to get there.

    It appears to be like the chief science officer, but outside the PM’s department and reporting to a Minister – thus extra office costs. And the person would hire consultants, organise gatherings of those in this area to get expert feedback – just be a conduit anyhow. The Minister can do that themselves. Her ministry can hire an administrator for much less to do the facilitating groundwork involved.

    • SaveNZ 9.1
      28 September 2018 at 4:24 pm

      @ SPC, exactly, like many in the public service they hired or this case sort of hired then changed their mind, a person who is an intermediary.

      No deep skills in tech, no real understanding of NZ having been out for so long and really just a cushy job to be able to fly around on the tax payers dollar attending conferences and self promoting, and having something on the CV, while getting private consultants to offer the deeper IT expertise.

      Jacinda has become known as being a more thrifty operator of the public purse, maybe this is another one of her decisions to simplify?

      Saying that you have to feel for the Handley, he went through a lot to get this role, and then it’s turned into a disaster. I don’t think he was working for the Natz, but now seems to be used by them. Of course you would be upset to be treated the way he was by a complicated, time consuming and flawed recruitment process that ultimately failed to deliver or even notice that the job title and skills match were slim or that an applicant txting and/or meeting government ministers and the PM was not a good look.

      NZ though is too small to continue to have so many go betweens and management layers. They are better to have someone who actually could give the government deep technical advice in the role, than make a mockery of the role.

      • tc 9.1.1
        28 September 2018 at 5:50 pm

        +100 yeah I reckon he’s being played. This shit happens all the time and taking the PR route is a double edged sword he will probably be cut more than anyone else.

        Employment lawyers sure that happens often and it’s all sorted with disclosure deals but PR consultants……throw petrol here please.

  10. Graeme 10
    28 September 2018 at 9:17 pm

    Reading through the timeline in this piece https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/107341529/jilted-cto-candidate-derek-handley-disappointed-by-lack-of-explanation-from-government h/t shadrak

    On 7/9/18 “DIA advise DH that Conflict of Interest Management plan agreed on 22nd August will need to be updated”

    Then on 10/9/18 “DIA advise DH Minister Chris Hipkins (CH) would like to speak CH calls DH at 3pm to discuss role and ask DH’s views on “‘headwinds” the role is facing – DH reiterates full commitment to role and need to follow through ASAP given long silence CH advises decision will be made within 48 hours on how to proceed”

    Something not quite right about Mr Handley appears to have come to light very late in the recruitment process. The timeline, which appears to be based on the information he provided, shows that he pursued this position vigorously. For what ends, and what where the “headwinds”? Did these refer to Mr Handley personally?

  11. mosa 11
    28 September 2018 at 9:28 pm

    Can Handley do the country a favour and put Boag back in her coffin and return to Manhattan where he will be appreciated.
    Oh and take Horrible Hosking with him because he is miserable with life here living under a Labour coalition government.
    Jacinda on a bad day is much better than John Key on a good day… any day in Aotearoa.

  12. Incognito 12
    28 September 2018 at 10:26 pm

    What on Earth does Handley need ‘PR advice’ for!? Does he need help with writing & formatting his CV? Does he need advice on what to wear to job interviews? Is the Boag Collective a careers advisor? Is Derek after Simon’s job??

    • Anne 12.1
      28 September 2018 at 10:35 pm

      What on Earth does Handley need ‘PR advice’ for!?

      Oh, I expect it’s the in-thing among the beautiful people to have their own PR guy or gal.

      • Incognito 12.1.1
        28 September 2018 at 10:55 pm

        Oh, just like a personal trainer, interior designer/decorator or a colour consultant then? And please don’t get me started on grooming services (e.g. waxing, massaging, botoxing, suctioning, acupuncturing, etc.) or mindfulness gurus and lifestyle coaches. Then again, we live in the epoch of the Self so it’s all good.

        • Anne 12.1.1.1
          29 September 2018 at 9:00 am

          And don’t forget the personal psychotherapist, group therapy sessions, self awareness classes and ‘learning to be a leader not a follower’.

          I know someone who has been through all of the above and after spending many thousands of dollars… she’s exactly the same as she was before she started.

          • Incognito 12.1.1.1.1
            29 September 2018 at 10:54 am

            So true, sadly. Many of us look for ways to grow & develop but often go about it in ways that don’t really challenge us or take us out of comfort zones. Rather, our ‘experiences’ confirm our (biased) views of the world and of ourselves. It’s a little bit like going on a tour bus somewhere new, getting off the bus, taking photos, getting back on the bus, going home and then somehow feeling ‘changed’ and ‘enriched’ by the whole ‘experience’, metaphorically speaking. [NB this an important qualifier, which is why I emphasised it]

        • Patricia Bremner 12.1.1.2
          29 September 2018 at 11:29 am

          Thanks Incognito. I had this sense of it, but you nailed it!!

  13. newsense 13
    28 September 2018 at 11:16 pm

    Hang on, basically the entire tech sector said he was a prat right?

    Herald deep in PR dollars, running meaningless dirty politics bs.

    Guy wasnt suitable for job complains. End of story.

    • Ross 13.1
      29 September 2018 at 6:29 am

      Guy wasnt suitable for job complains. End of story.

      But Curran thought he was eminently suitable and the PM apparently agreed. What does that say about their judgment if we can see what they can’t?

      • Graeme 13.1.1
        29 September 2018 at 8:11 am

        Going by the timeline in this https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/107341529/jilted-cto-candidate-derek-handley-disappointed-by-lack-of-explanation-from-government a conflict of interest came to light very late in the process, as in after the appointment had been made. This looks to have been the reason the appointment was terminated.

        The minister and PM, up to this point would have had to respect the appointment process. It also appears that Handley pursued the position, rather than being “headhunted” by the minister or PM.

        But really, the job description for this position should have required cat herding as a key capability. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12132193

        • Ross 13.1.1.1
          29 September 2018 at 9:04 am

          I doubt that conflicts of interest were a problem. Curran’s secret squirrel behaviour simply gave the Government a convenient excuse to can the position. But the SSC says the process was robust so the appointment could’ve proceeded. Why didn’t it? The Government likely had concerns about Handley’s fit for the role and or whether the role was actually necessary.

          As Handley says, the way he’s been treated could discourage others from applying for senior roles in the public sector. That’s the most disappointinging thing from this fiasco.

          • Graeme 13.1.1.1.1
            29 September 2018 at 10:28 am

            From the timeline in the first link,

            On 7/9/18 “DIA advise DH that Conflict of Interest Management plan agreed on 22nd August will need to be updated”

            Then on 10/9/18 “DIA advise DH Minister Chris Hipkins (CH) would like to speak CH calls DH at 3pm to discuss role and ask DH’s views on “‘headwinds” the role is facing – DH reiterates full commitment to role and need to follow through ASAP given long silence CH advises decision will be made within 48 hours on how to proceed”

            Something came up.

            Reality is that it was going to be very difficult to find someone suitable for the position who wasn’t conflicted in reality and perception, and who could have the confidence of industry and government.

          • Anne 13.1.1.1.2
            29 September 2018 at 11:15 am

            Curran’s secret squirrel behaviour simply gave the Government a convenient excuse to can the position.

            Agree it is as simple as that.

            Megan Woods identified the problem… she canned the whole shemozzle so they could go back to the start and and reappraise exactly what they wanted. When this was ascertained, they could start looking for suitable persons for the position which might or might not include this Handley fellow.

            Mind you, I think he’s probably done his chips in by releasing the emails.

            • veutoviper 13.1.1.1.2.1
              29 September 2018 at 11:25 am

              Well summarised.

              The draft job description was totally nebulous – and, in addition. apparently crossed over and/or conflicted with several other IT high level positions already existing within government.

              So good on Megan Woods for her decisiveness and urgency in dealing with the situation. She is one Minister who is impressing me (along with Tracey Martin), but I am concerned at the heavy load some of the better ones are currently carrying.

  14. Ngungukai 14
    28 September 2018 at 11:53 pm

    Jacinda has definitely dodged a bullet with her name written on it ?

    • shadrach 14.1
      29 September 2018 at 10:33 am

      …fired by one of her own ministers!

    • Wayne 14.2
      29 September 2018 at 10:38 am

      If Derek has got the actual job, he would have been a great enthusiast for the role and the government. Apart from the politics around Curran (which became all consuming) the issue seems to have come down to what the role entailed. Was it as a “futurist”, which if you ever have heard Derek speak, he is very good at, or more of a technical role.
      The former aspect of Derek no doubt impressed the PM, but it seeems various people in the sector wanted a more technical person.
      Anyway whatever you think, it is pretty obvious that Derek is seriously pissed off at his treatment.
      Whatever you think, he is a New Zealander and wanted to come back, with his family (who are also New Zealanders – born and bred). This whole business has made that really hard, which I imagine is why he has reacted the way he has. After all politicians and governments come and go, but your identity with your country goes much longer.
      I think people should be a little less critical, don’t just look at this issue solely through politics, and understand that peoples lives (the way they live them) are involved.

      • SPC 14.2.1
        29 September 2018 at 11:33 pm

        I’m sure he will be a useful addition to the National caucus (sarc) after choosing a leader whose values were formed a few generations before his birth.

        But as you say being competent as a “futurist” (for mine his education is that which prepares him for work in the modern economy) is not synonomous with being at the cutting edge in technology. He is an all rounder for whom the job would have kept him up to date with technology developments – by being a conduit to assist in providing such information to those in government (looking at the wider economic future).

        If the government wants someone to actually look over their technology, adminster improvement and plan for future upgrade they needed to look elsewhere.

  15. alwyn 15
    29 September 2018 at 9:20 am

    I feel rather sorry for the guy. He is the 2018 equivalent of Owen Glenn.

    Remember how he gave $500,000 to the Labour Party and he was considered to be Mr Wonderful.
    Then he had the cheek to confirm that he had given Winston a great deal of money, $100,000 plus if I remember correctly and Winston denied ever asking for it. As usual Winston was lying. Glenn had done it because the Head of the New Zealand Labour Party had asked him to. And he could and did prove it.
    Now we had an embarrassing situation for the Labour Party and their crooked little partner Winston and Glenn had to go. He was denigrated by every man and his dog on the left of politics.
    Then when he donated a huge amount to the Business School at AU Helen Clark, who turned up to bask in the limelight, refused to even greet him and Mallard was delegated to intercept Glenn if he got within about 10 metres of her.
    Poor guy. He learned the hard way that you should never expect friendship or loyalty from a politician. Any politician. The have never ever heard of you if it doesn’t suit them.
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10529658

    Now Handley is getting the same lesson. Who? says the PM. Never heard of him. Never spoke to him. Smear him as he is turning into an embarrassment for me.
    And all the little camp followers on sites like this join in the sh*t throwing.
    Why? Because he told the truth and demonstrated that politicians, from every side, will lie if they think it is advantageous. Loyalty is demanded upwards but it is never reciprocated down.
    I have no opinion on his ability. I don’t know him. What I do know is that Curran and Ardern are lying about what went on and until Handley vanishes from public view they are going to continue to lie about the matter.
    Handley is road kill.

    • Muttonbird 15.1
      29 September 2018 at 9:44 am

      Dry your eyes.

      Handley is used to looking after number one. He will be fine.

    • shadrach 15.2
      29 September 2018 at 10:16 am

      Hi Alwyn

      Yes, I agree that the government are rinsing Handley, and that the PM’s assertions about her relationship to Handley seem disingenuous. However Handley has made his own bed.

      1. He tried to use his past connections with the PM for his own benefit. It is a matter of record he wanted to return to NZ permanently, and he seems to have been trying to use the PM’s influence to secure a cushy little earner back home.
      2. When the appointment process went south, he chose to go public. That is his right, of course, but at the time he went public, I’m not aware of anything that was damaging to him.
      3. As the public became more aware of the debacle of the governments handling of the process, Handley went to a public relations guru with known National party links, and someone who has, lets just say, ‘history’. That smells of something more than just protecting his good name.

      The government have screwed this up monumentally, and it isn’t only Curran. But Handley is, in my view, close to his own worst enemy. My sympathy for him is limited.

  16. SaveNZ 16
    29 September 2018 at 9:40 am

    It’s even weirder, more info comes to light. Clare Curren rejected 60 applicants, had a secret meeting with Handley and then rejected another 79 international applicants to somehow end up with a guy who isn’t technical at all, and questionable what level of advice he would be giving, based on being on the board of Sky TV, which is losing both customers and revenue apparently due to having missed shift to internet streaming.. Are the government tech morons or are they just morons? Def good idea to get rid of Clare Curren she clearly she didn’t learn from radio NZ, but Megan Woods isn’t going to ease the situation. Note to tech industry (and media) avoid government ministers approaching you for private meetings… likely to later cost you your job and public humiliation.

    • December 19, 2017: The Government first advertises the $500,000-a-year chief technology officer role.

    • February 12, 2018: Then-Digital Services Minister Clare Curran shocks the tech industry when she announces that none of the 60 applicants was successful.

    • February 22: Curran meets with entrepreneur and Sky TV director Derek Handley. The pair discuss the CTO role. The meeting is not disclosed.

    • May 13: The CTO role is readvertised internationally, following consultation with Curran’s digital advisory panel, formed in April. A key change is that it is now a 12-month contract, with a possible extension.

    • June 3: Handley submits an application. Around 80 people apply in all.

    • August 8: Handley informed he is the successful applicant.

  17. millsy 17
    29 September 2018 at 10:56 am

    I think we should take it for granted that Michelle Boag is floating around in the background every time these types of things flare up.

  18. R.P Mcmurphy 18
    29 September 2018 at 8:19 pm

    mr gadget man got got. hehehe.
    if that is his best shot then he dont know nothing.
    clare is guilty of not checking this guy out properly.