Just saying

Written By: - Date published: 1:36 pm, February 28th, 2009 - 30 comments
Categories: spin - Tags:

Let me just say I’m not against public spending on things like conferences. But I feel obliged to point out the job summit had a budget of $65,000. For 200 people for one day with no travel, accommodation or dinner.

That’s the same amount Housing NZ spent on a two day conference with travel, accommodation and food last year. Admittedly that was for half the number of people but do you remember all the fuss?

Why no fuss now?

30 comments on “Just saying ”

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  1. just saying 1
    28 February 2009 at 1:44 pm

    1951 ‘respond’ not working.

  2. TghtyRighty 2
    28 February 2009 at 2:05 pm

    probably because there is a higher probability of something useful coming out of this conference.

  3. Tim Ellis 3
    28 February 2009 at 2:10 pm

    IB I think there’s a big difference between an in-house closed-shop gathering of staff to make them feel better about the organisation with no public policy outcomes and bringing together 200 of the country’s best business, union and government minds about how to deal with the most pressing isseus of the day. Money well spent? I think so.

    • illuminatedtiger 3.1
      28 February 2009 at 5:02 pm

      “an in-house closed-shop gathering”

      Describes John Key’s Economic Summit in regards to women, community groups and oh yes – The Labour Party. Time to face facts, the Economic “Summit” is just another National Party attempt to extend John Key’s honeymoon period. Besides, they already have an economic plan: Inaction.

      • IrishBill 3.1.1
        28 February 2009 at 5:07 pm

        It was about 200 business people and about 30 others. Bill English’s speech was focused on making sure everyone knew business was back in the driver’s seat. Very closed shop indeed.

  4. Bill 4
    28 February 2009 at 2:17 pm

    TghtyRighty said….”probably because there is a higher probability of something useful coming out of this conference.”

    Hmm. Take time off work to stay in work? Useful?

    Protecting a business model….the profit driven one that has predictably generated a crisis. That is….useful?

    Okay. If you think that protecting profit is more useful than protecting business per se or more useful than protecting jobs then, yes. Useful.

    Especially useful when the media jumps on board and with straight faces all round, promulgates your laughable propaganda far and wide.

  5. Felix 5
    28 February 2009 at 2:21 pm

    On the 22nd of January John Key said the total cost of the conference would be “around about thirty thousand, at the most.”

    Audio here.

  6. QoT 6
    28 February 2009 at 2:33 pm

    Some parts of the public service, however, appear to believe it is the norm in the private sector for executives to gather in exotic locations and brainstorm about the future while sipping wine and gazing at the view. It is not.

    Oh, the irony is fracking delicious.

    Captcha: “John realism”. Today is a very good day.

  7. bobo 7
    28 February 2009 at 2:55 pm

    So is the cycle way idea just to add 1 metre width to the existing motorway ? From a tourist point of view I would have thought they choose the scenic routes of seeing the country. Why wasn’t a light rail ring route of Auckland mentioned that would actually be useful in a upturn of the economy.

  8. RedLogix 8
    28 February 2009 at 3:57 pm

    Deleted

  9. ak 9
    28 February 2009 at 4:25 pm

    Ellis in wonderland: Money well spent? I think so.

    Oh a snip, dear Tim: and what’s more, for a mere 65k you get not one, not two, but three Great Ideas from our leading manufacturers

    An All new! 9-day fortnight at no extra cost to business!

    A heap of free money for business at no extra cost!

    But wait, there’s more!

    At a loss to kill time on that magic tenth day? Take our special, summit-only, no money-back offer, and we’ll throw in a brand-new, purpose-built bike track!

    And best of all, valued customers, this entire, all-new range of dazzling products, along with the summit itself, will cost you nothing!*

    Match or better this offer at any other tory PR wankfest and we”ll beat it by 50%!

    (* conditions apply. some statements may be typical tory bullshit)

    • Shona 9.1
      28 February 2009 at 4:55 pm

      what a hoot ! I love it! my insides are aching from laughing so hard. You’ve made my day.

    • Bill 9.2
      28 February 2009 at 9:58 pm

      You trying to say we’re getting sold sumfin? Na-a-a!!

      But then again, that’s good, innit?

      Like, ’cause we all got to buy sumfin… and if we all buy sumfin then everyone can sell sumfin! But to buy sumfin you got to have sumfin to buy. Which means that someone has to sell sumfin.

      So, they’re selling? You buying? We’re ‘recovered’ then, innit!?

  10. bobo 10
    28 February 2009 at 4:29 pm

    never thought of catching a bus as ideology. A cycle lane the length of the country has very Chairman Mao sound to it..

    • ak 10.1
      28 February 2009 at 4:44 pm

      mmmmm….. perhaps Chairman Ki is planning a Long Bike Ride. Or a way for the Barefoot Bureaucrats to get about….

    • Felix 10.2
      28 February 2009 at 5:22 pm

      bo,

      Would it help if I put a little smiley face at the end? Sorry but I’ve rigged my keyboard to administer an electric shock to anyone who types a bracket anywhere near a colon.

  11. RedLogix 11
    28 February 2009 at 5:01 pm

    ak.. very damm good.

  12. Brett Dale 12
    28 February 2009 at 6:07 pm

    The reason their is no fuss this time, because this summit is for the benefit of all New Zealanders and is a meeting of the minds, while the housing thing was a trip for the boys.

    • RedLogix 12.1
      28 February 2009 at 6:34 pm

      while the housing thing was a trip for the boys.

      Oh get off the high horse. ALL large organisations, public or private, get together for a conference every now and then. Housing NZ is a pretty important part of the public sector here, and are a lot more forward looking and dynamic in some ways (but not all) than many people imagine.

      Why the hell shouldn;t they have a conference?

    • QoT 12.2
      1 March 2009 at 12:17 am

      “trip for the boys”. Oh, Brett, you have no idea how happy it makes me to read that comment with its total lack of self-awareness or irony.

  13. CMR 13
    28 February 2009 at 10:35 pm

    Regardless of cost, a pointless talk-fest is pointless!

    Elsewhere, I believe the bike track has been named “The Ho-Key-Minh Trail”,a trifle harsh?

  14. Michael 14
    1 March 2009 at 7:51 pm

    Doesn’t Ozzie have a compulsory 7% training requirement on employers over and above wages?

    So this 10% saving to employers, plus govt subs (a tax break for business training) for training on the 10th day.

    Bottom line, does it work?

    It’s no different in actual operating conditions I’ve had at Air NZ & Telecom, with fornightly training. The big difference here is an actual drop in wages (unless we all become welfare dependant workers).

    This is closer to a 20% gain to business in savings on wages plus the costs of training.

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