Key rorts system

Written By: - Date published: 8:48 am, September 26th, 2014 - 52 comments
Categories: act, john key, national, national/act government, peter dunne, united future - Tags: ,

Someone tell the Taxpayer’s union.  The New Zealand taxpayer is going to be ripped off.

There is within Parliament a rort occurring that will increase a brand new MP’s salary by about $75,000 and will give his minnow party resources that it does not deserve.  It is likely that through this deft sleight of hand this particular MP is going to be given additional resources worth $320,000 per year.

An equivalent arrangement will give a second minnow party’s sole MP the same sorts of resources.  This party is tiny and achieved just over half the number of party votes that the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party achieved but will also receive the same amount of Government largesse.

The rort is National agreeing to continue with Peter Dunne as a Minister and appointing ACT’s David Seymour as an associate Education Minister.  It does not have to.  On election night figures it can comfortably form a government by itself and I am sure that ACT, United Future and the Maori Party will agree to give it supply and confidence.  So these two arrangements will cost the taxpayer $790,000 per annum and this money does not have to be spent.

And why should the Taxpayer’s union get involved?

It’s principles include this rather bold statement:

“WE PROMOTE SENSIBLE RESTRAINT OF GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE BY:

  • Scrutinising government spending;
  • Publicising government waste;
  • Arguing for an end to corporate and union welfare; and
  • Promoting an efficient tax system.”

This is clearly Government waste and it is clearly corporate welfare.

And while we are on the subject of ACT has anyone ever noticed the uncanny resemblance between Jamie Whyte and David Seymour and Rimmer and Kryten from Red Dwarf?

Update:  It appears that the Taxpayer’s Union has criticised the proposed ACT deal.  Jordan Williams has released a press release saying the following:

“Ministers should be appointed based on competency to serve, not as a dishonest way to give an a single MP party extra staff.”

“The Prime Minister’s comments imply that he wants to give Mr Seymour a junior ministerial role in order for him to have more Parliamentary resources. If true, it is an affront to taxpayers who have to fork out money for this horse-trading.”

“We’re calling on the Prime Minister to assure New Zealanders that ministerial roles are not being given to minor parties as an underhand method for more taxpayer funding.”

ACT red dwarf

52 comments on “Key rorts system ”

  • Comments are now closed

    • mickysavage 1.1
      26 September 2014 at 9:13 am

      Dang I checked the website (http://www.taxpayers.org.nz/news) and there was nothing there …

      • higherstandard 1.1.1
        26 September 2014 at 9:54 am

        Greg you really are the Vice President of fail at politics.

        • mickysavage 1.1.1.1
          26 September 2014 at 10:03 am

          So how do you feel about this particular rort of the tax system HS?

          • higherstandard 1.1.1.1.1
            26 September 2014 at 10:16 am

            Happy enough for Flavell to get the Ministerial position as I think he’ll make a good Minister of Maori Affairs and be a strong advocate.

            Dunne is well, well, well beyond his use by date and the ACT chap is a one term wonder as I expect the Nats to insert a conservative party stooge in there for the next election.

        • Chris 1.1.1.2
          26 September 2014 at 1:28 pm

          Asking what the taxpayers union were doing on an issue that they hadn’t at that point done anything on isn’t a “fail at politics”. It was a valid comment to make because at the time wiliems hadn’t done anything on it. Then he did do something on it, however pathetic, but the point is that calling on williems to do something has had the desired result, again, however pathetic that attempt is. Fail at politics? FFS.

          Edit: Just saw press release was 23 September. Still, same principle applies – wasn’t on wiliems web site so fair enough to think otherwise and no other MSM had done anything, surprise surprise.

          • higherstandard 1.1.1.2.1
            26 September 2014 at 1:36 pm

            media release by taxpayers union …….Tuesday, 23 September 2014, 2:52 pm

            Key rorts system
            Written By: MICKYSAVAGE – Date published: 8:48 am, September 26th, 2014

            Chris
            26 September 2014 at 1:28 pm

            “Asking what the taxpayers union were doing on an issue that they hadn’t at that point done anything on isn’t a “fail at politics”. It was a valid comment to make because at the time wiliems hadn’t done anything on it.”

            😆

    • Chris 1.2
      26 September 2014 at 1:24 pm

      Yes, but it’s instances like this that wiliams et al use as faux examples of being non-political, bi-partisan etc. willaims claims he’s “calling on the prime minister” to fix things. What does this mean? He puts out a half-page press release? Yeah, that’s real heavy duty lobbying, all right. Maybe he can broker a deal between his ex-ACT buddy franks and slater to do some serious damage to key on this one? Yeah, right.

  2. Blue 2
    26 September 2014 at 9:17 am

    “anyone ever noticed the uncanny resemblance between Jamie Whyte and David Seymour and Rimmer and Kryten from Red Dwarf?”

    Only the very immature I imagine. Ever noticed how Cunliffe has no chin ?

    [Bill] – regardless of how long you have used this name on-line, the convention on ‘the standard’ is that who-ever has posted longer under a given name on this site continues to use the name in question and the newer arrival changes or alters theirs. As far as I can see, the onus is on you to alter your handle. If I see that no change occurs, I’ll throw you into moderation and that’ll be the end of it. Your choice.

    • mickysavage 2.1
      26 September 2014 at 9:29 am

      Ever had a sense of humour?

      • Blue 2.1.1
        26 September 2014 at 10:14 am

        “Irony, like goldy, but made of iron”

        [Bill] – regardless of how long you have used this name on-line, the convention on ‘the standard’ is that who-ever has posted longer under a given name on this site continues to use the name in question and the newer arrival changes or alters theirs. As far as I can see, the onus is on you to alter your handle. If I see that no change occurs, I’ll throw you into moderation and that’ll be the end of it. Your choice.

    • Blue 2.2
      26 September 2014 at 9:42 am

      Can you get your own username please? I’m getting rather sick of you using mine.

  3. Blue 3
    26 September 2014 at 10:13 am

    Had this name online since 1996. Reflects my politics. Is yours just being ironic?

    [Bill] – regardless of how long you have used this name on-line, the convention on ‘the standard’ is that who-ever has posted longer under a given name on this site continues to use the name in question and the newer arrival changes or alters theirs. As far as I can see, the onus is on you to alter your handle. If I see that no change occurs, I’ll throw you into moderation and that’ll be the end of it. Your choice.

  4. Puckish Rogue 4
    26 September 2014 at 10:19 am

    Not wanting to be mean or rude mickey but have you considered maybe you’re part of the problem Labour has, in that it could be you’re not quite up to it, that maybe Labour needs professionals in key roles not well-meaning amateurs

    • mickysavage 4.1
      26 September 2014 at 12:01 pm

      Bit harsh. The main point of the story is the use of public money to fund support parties of National.

      No I did not see the scoop release. I checked the taxpayer website and there was no mention of the issue. You would think given the $790k yearly spend the taxpayer’s union would be making a big deal of it. So whether it is no attention or little attention I believe the rather gentle criticism of the Taxpayer’s union to be valid.

      And yes I am a well meaning amateur. The party is full of them.

      What are you suggesting? TS should become more like Kiwiblog or Whaleoil?

      • yeshe 4.1.1
        26 September 2014 at 12:30 pm

        day by day, in every way, pucky outs himself as ede, or similar …..

        and hardly deserving of your gracious reply micky.

      • Puckish Rogue 4.1.2
        26 September 2014 at 12:50 pm

        As I say i’m trying not to be mean but its difficult when its written (if i was saying this i’d be sounding sympathetic rather than antagonistic) but i don’t just mean this but rather some of the advice Cunliffe (assuming he followed it of course, he may well have ignored it all) went with was a bit poor

        I mean who advised him that having a trust for his leadership bid was a good idea (yes it may well have been within the rules but really not a good look you’d have to admit in hindsight)

        Or attacking Key over his mansion when he himself lives in “doer-upper” was a bit of an own goal as well

        I’m just saying that maybe its time Labour looked at getting full-time professionals in to even the playing field a bit

        Maybe having a look at pollsters to see how things are going, Key used Farrer and his polling was not bad so imagine if Labour had a decent pollster on their books

  5. greywarbler 5
    26 September 2014 at 10:33 am

    This is satire isn’t it?? But unfortunately not. Though I do like the Kryton and Rimmer bit. (Rimmer was an ineffectual individual putting on a front of success and aspiration trying to please his mother who wanted him to become a qualified space pilot like his brothers. Perhaps he would have been aiming to fly to Planet Key.)

    Labourites should have rushed out on election day, kissing all the sleeping beauty National people so they opened their eyes and woke from their odd dreams, perhaps given them a cup of tea or coffee to get their brains working with some caffeine. How come we have all this to grapple with when it was obvious that we were going to get a variety of complex rorts and make-do ineffective crap in place of proper government for NZ. You Nat b………………s – fill in your own preferred expletive.

    But the Taxpayers Union do seem to have some idea of their proper path. Just carry on Riding Hood, even if you haven’t a red one you can still do good.
    edited

  6. adam 6
    26 September 2014 at 10:55 am

    So much for the rights vaunted motto of self reliance!

  7. RRM 7
    26 September 2014 at 12:09 pm

    “Additional resources worth $320,000 a year?”

    “Key rorts the system”

    You know Key refuses to draw his Ministerial Salary, right?

    That will more than cover $320k.

  8. sir pat 8
    26 September 2014 at 2:18 pm

    i would suggest there are bigger issues to fry…..this sort of nit picking is why we failed

    • adam 8.1
      26 September 2014 at 5:59 pm

      No not at all, this is an issues which gets at the heart of the methodology and ideology of the national party.

      On both these levels it’s hard to understand what Key and national are doing. It looks stupid – because we can now ask all sorts of questions – for example, why are a government who got such an overwhelming majority now propping up a political party which has pretty much wholesale held in hatred/disapproval/distain/disgust? Or, is this a reward for the dirty politics cable? Or, has Key finally gone bat shit crazy?

      On the issue of ideology – it does seem to undermine much of the rights much vaunted ideals. I’m sure now some RWNJ will argue that it does not.

    • greywarbler 8.2
      26 September 2014 at 6:47 pm

      @ sir pat
      Your comment about nit picking is part of the reason that ‘we’ failed. Your throwing a critique at others frowning on an unsubstantiated statement is an example of why Labour failed.

      If everyone considers their own opinion right, and there isn’t enough thinking through of practices and beliefs is sure to result in confusion and ineffectiveness. There has tk be discussion and agreement from those involved before doing anything as to what the mission and the goals are, who and what they committed to, and a pledge of loyalty seems essential today too.

      The Tolpuddle Martyrs got sent to Australia as convicts for making a pledge to be united in their farm workers organisation. Pledges of loyalty were regarded at the start of unions and the labour movement as important. Now anybody thinks they can come along and run down the work of everybody else and undermine the trust and cohesion built. And this by questioning the need for clear headed thinking and establishing fact, by calling it nit picking.

      (In about 1832 six men from Tolpuddle in Dorset founded the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers to protest against the gradual lowering of agricultural wages in the 1830s caused by the surplus supply of labour in an era when mechanisation….)
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tolpuddle_Martyrs

    • mickysavage 8.3
      26 September 2014 at 8:07 pm

      this sort of nit picking is why we failed

      Weird. It is a relevant question for Key. Why is he spending $800k a year of taxpayer money to prop up two miniscule parties.

  9. alwyn 9
    26 September 2014 at 2:27 pm

    Does this really happen with all the small parties?
    Now I understand why Jim Anderton continued to claim he was representing a party when he got down to being a one man band. I couldn’t understand why he hadn’t just re-joined the Labour Party instead of pretending his party still existed.
    Now it is clear.

  10. sir pat 10
    26 September 2014 at 4:03 pm

    oh and mickey good mugshot @2:09 of patu in the credits…..think n.z needs a bit more of it

  11. JeffRo 11
    26 September 2014 at 7:11 pm

    Looks like us taxpayers should all be thankful for the election result.

    A green/labour government would have cost 5 times as much!

    Add to that, the fact they can’t seem to manage themselves, we really dodged a bullet.

    I guess that’s way the numbers played out as they did.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 11.1
      26 September 2014 at 7:20 pm

      What a lovely bag of air you have. Did you inflate it yourself?

      • JeffRo 11.1.1
        26 September 2014 at 7:26 pm

        Always nice of you to enquire after me….

        • One Anonymous Bloke 11.1.1.1
          26 September 2014 at 7:42 pm

          Oh. I apologise for the misunderstanding. I was inquiring about your bag of air. My instinctive assumption is that someone blew it up for you, and I’m trying to be generous all the same.

          As for you, well, I think you’re in need of charity, or perhaps it’s pity and contempt. Maybe you can help me decide.

          • JeffRo 11.1.1.1.1
            26 September 2014 at 8:06 pm

            You’re so polite with your “stinging” retorts!

            PS- Did you have a look at the link?

            Bribe-o-meter through the roof!

            • adam 11.1.1.1.1.1
              26 September 2014 at 9:41 pm

              Love how neocons are putting the con back into conservatism, one stupid self righteous decision at a time. Please carry on.

              2% growth not 4
              Pike river was accessible
              Now money for the boys – because they are part of Uncle Keys team.
              I’m look forward to tomorrow or the next lie
              I hope middle NZ is happy with all the lies
              But at the end of the day you vote for what you deserve – and middle NZ deserve a lie revealed a day – they really do.

      • greywarbler 11.1.2
        27 September 2014 at 5:30 pm

        Perhaps this person has been eating too many puffer fish. Can be dangerous JeffRo.

    • KJT 11.2
      27 September 2014 at 10:04 am

      No tax and spend National.

      New taxes.
      Paper boy taxes.
      Increase GST.
      Increase Governm,ent charges. In many cases for fees to businesses etc where there wasn’t any before.

      New spending.
      3 Billion plus to subsidise the trucking industry.
      Farm irrigation projects.
      Corporate welfare to sky city and Tiwai point.
      1 billion to wealthy investors in SCF.

      And that’s just off the top of my head.

    • KJT 11.3
      27 September 2014 at 10:06 am

      No tax and spend National.

      New taxes.
      Paper boy taxes.
      Increase GST.
      Increase Government charges to way over cost.. In many cases for fees to businesses where there wasn’t any before.

      New spending.
      3 Billion plus to subsidise the trucking industry.
      Farm irrigation projects.
      Corporate welfare to sky city and Tiwai point.
      1 billion to wealthy investors in SCF.
      Keep collecting ACC levies while at the same time refusing to pay out for injuries, accumulating billions.

      And that’s just off the top of my head.

  12. Steve Wrathall 12
    26 September 2014 at 9:46 pm

    The inclusion of ACT, UF & MP in cabinet was fully forshadowed, and indeed has been practiced for the past 6 years. Your call for the NZ electorate to end this arrangement was clearly answered on Saturday.

  13. Mark 13
    26 September 2014 at 11:27 pm

    +1

    This sort of ultra partisan tom foolery is exactly why Labour looses. People don’t give a shit that someone who Key flagged well in advance of time, to become a Minister, actually becomes a Minister.

    Funny that I didnt see any post criticising Jim Anderton’s “rort” of tax payer resources when he was a one man ban propping up Labour.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 13.1
      27 September 2014 at 5:43 pm

      So the partisan tomfoolery of the Taxpayers’ Union is why National, whose partisan tomfoolery has Cameron Slater treating the media as his bitch, won the election?

      Or is your thesis full of holes much?

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