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JacindaAir CEO starts explaining huge cost for 24 hour jaunt

by CS
 

jacindas-jet-watermark.jpg?resize=630%2C

If Simon Bridges has any stones he will be asking how many hip replacements could be funded with the $80,000 it is costing to haul her carcass to Nauru and back again for 24 hours…or how many courses of Herceptin could be funded: Quote:

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has defended having an Air Force Boeing 757 fly back from Nauru after dropping off Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters to collect her and deliver her to the Pacific Islands Forum on the island for one day.

The round trip comes at a cost of $80,000 on fuel alone. End quote.

 

Now add in the flight crew, cabin crew, maintenance staff etc and you are staring down the barrel of a couple of hundy for a 24-hour jaunt because of a baby. Makes Simon Bridges limo costs pale into insignificance. Quote:

While Peters and a contingent flew to Nauru, around five and a half hours’ from New Zealand, today, Ardern will go on Wednesday for the leaders’ retreat.

The Prime Minister is still breastfeeding her 11-week-old daughter Neve, who does not have immunity to visit an environment such as that on Nauru. End quote.

So, our foreign policy initiative revolves around the breast-feeding requirements of a child? Do your effing job, Jacinda.

This shows how out of touch she has become and entitled to think that an Air Force jet should be made available to suit her breast-feeding routines. Quote:

“I spent quite a lot of time deliberating over whether or not I would attend the Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru. I analysed all of my options,” Ardern told reporters today.

Ardern made a decision that she would fly to Nauru early on Wednesday, necessitating the return of the 757 to New Zealand to pick her up instead of flying one hour on to the Marshall Islands to await the return flight on Wednesday.

There is no room on the island of Nauru for all the planes that will be bringing Pacific ministers and leaders together for the three-day forum so the planes go on to the Marshall Islands to wait.

“The other option was for me not attend at all but, given the importance that we place on the relationships with the Pacific Islands in the reset, that equally didn’t feel like an option. End quote.

What a good idea, not attending at all would have been preferable. Quote:

“When weighing up the logistics I asked officials to check the extra costs I would be imposing on the Crown if I were travelling separately. On balance I decided it was worth me travelling for the full day on the Wednesday to fulfil my obligations as Prime Minister.”

Ardern said it was a unique situation and she did not anticipate it happening again.

Asked whether she thought the cost was a good use of taxpayer money, Ardern said she asked officials and was told the 757 had to leave Nauru, and that it needed to clock up a certain number of flying hours anyway.

“I never had anything that suggested to me that it was such a significant spend that that was of concern.” End quote.

Oh, now she is explaining and justifying…you go girl. Explaining is losing. Quote:

In 2011 Labour was critical of a decision by then Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully after he used Air Force aircraft to fly to Vanuatu and back, collecting other government ministers in Samoa, at a cost of $61,000.

“Being flown around in your own aircraft is a ‘nice to have’ but in these tough times the cost to taxpayers is vastly more than a commercial flight,” Labour MP David Shearer said at the time. End quote.

Oh, how inconvenient. It’s almost like she was upset with the coverage Simon Bridges got with his expenses, and is trying to outdo him to grab back the limelight!

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If only  politicians would from time to time ask themselves what they would do if they were spending their own money.

They are all guilty of this. But this decision is a shocker.

Funnily enough Robertson was prattling on this morning about this Govt taking climate change seriously etc etc - minutes after defending two extra 5 plus hour flights by a commercial aircraft to deliver one passenger. Not sure if he saw the irony or not as he was so busy defending the indefensible ....

 

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Jacinda simply cannot do it all

by Christie 
 

jacinda-baby.jpeg?w=582&ssl=1

When Jacinda Ardern was offered the Labour leadership last year, she said she didn’t want the job, because she wanted to start a family.

Well, we all know how that turned out. Although the world media has gushed endlessly about how she is changing the global political landscape by having a baby while in office, the truth (as we all know) is that she isn’t actually doing a very good job.

She isn’t being a very good mother, she is no role model for working mothers and she isn’t doing her job as prime minister either.

Forgive me, but you can’t cart your baby and partner around everywhere you go if you are prime minister. First and foremost, it isn’t good for the baby. Studies around the world have shown time and time again that babies need a routine with regular feeding and sleeping times in a safe and warm environment. Baby Neve is being dragged around the country while her mother attends political functions.

It also takes away the gravitas of the role of prime minister. How can you walk into a room clutching a baby in a blanket and be given the respect and dignity expected of the role? It is hard to be taken seriously at a public forum when you go to shake hands with a dignitary, knowing that the baby just might vomit all over them. Let’s just say it is not a particularly good look.

 

Gushing journalists may refer to her as the ‘first baby’ and comment on how Neve is healthy, therefore so is the country, but the reality is a long way from that. The country has a prime minister who is failing at her job, and also failing as a mother. There is nothing good about this, for the country, or for Jacinda and baby Neve.

Jacinda’s promise to us when she announced her pregnancy was that she would take 6 weeks maternity leave and then Clarke would take over the caregiver role, she would go back to work and it would be business as usual.  If she did not consider significant issues like breastfeeding at that stage, then she is stupid. But it is becoming clearer by the day that she had no idea what she was taking on by having a baby, and certainly no idea how hard it would be to carry out both roles simultaneously.

She has made the most out of every possible photo opportunity.

Jac-and-baby.jpg?w=620&ssl=1

You have to admit though, that this doesn’t look like a photo of the premier of a western country, does it?

Nor does this.

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Jacinda Ardern nurses baby Neve

I think it is tragic that she feels she has to do this. Clearly, she should have stayed home with the baby. In the end, what is really more important?

Most of the readers of this blog are parents, and we understand how important it is to take the time in those early months to do things right. The really sad part is that all those journalists who gushed about how Jacinda can do everything and is an inspiration to all working mothers have been proved, embarrassingly, wrong. She is demonstrating, without a doubt, that being a working mother is a tough call and a juggling act. Most working mothers already knew that. Even in spite of the extra help and extra money at Jacinda’s disposal, there are some things that only a mother can do, or that a mother wants to do and nobody should ever underestimate that.

Those who asked the question about how she was going to manage and were shot down in flames by angry feminists have been proved right to question her ability to cope. She is not coping at all.

Jacinda can’t do it all, and therefore, she can’t have it all. She needs to decide which role she really wants.

The recent debacle over the Pacific Islands Forum is a perfect example of why she is not doing a good job. If she cannot be separated from her baby for more than 36 hours, for whatever reason, then she has a problem being prime minister. The role requires her to be able to travel at short notice and for indefinite amounts of time. Instead, the taxpayer is forking out over $100,000 for a special plane to take her there and fly her home within the required time frame.

I’m sorry, Jacinda, but that simply isn’t good enough. The New Zealand taxpayer has not given you a blank cheque for your childcare needs. You said you could handle this. Clearly, you can’t.

Today, we have found the sort of thing that Jacinda really likes to do.

jacindababy.jpg?w=620&ssl=1

Inspiring children’s books may be far more up her street. Really, it is all she is up for but at least she could stay home then.

Those of us who have had children know that nothing can prepare you for that moment when you become a parent. It’s okay Jacinda… you can just admit that you bit off more than you could chew, and no one would think anything less of you. In fact, you might actually get some credibility back if you did.

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Ardern caves to Peters after refugee remarks

Police are appealing for information about the man seen in this footage.


The Prime Minister appears to have caved into Winston Peters over the Government's pledge to increase the refugee quota - putting the plan to take an extra 500 every year in jeopardy.

That's despite the government already funding two new accommodation blocks to house them.

Ms Ardern arrived in Nauru to an environment of confusion over her Government's refugee policy, courtesy of Winston Peters.

"We've always been very clear that the things that both NZ First party, Greens and Labour have formed commitment around sit within the confidence and supply agreement, the Coalition agreement, everything else - we go through a process of elimination," Ardern told reporters.

Since being elected, the Immigration Minister has consistently said he'll raise the quota in this term of Government.

The Government even made a cash commitment to the quota, spending $14 million in this year's budget to support two new accommodation blocks at the Mangere Refugee Centre to support the increase in the refugee quota to 1500 a year.

But on Monday, Mr Peters turned that on its head.

"We never made a commitment to double the refugee quota," he said.  

The Prime Minister appears to have caved to Winston Peters, throwing her immigration minister Iain Lees Galloway under the bus.

"He's always expressed a personal commitment to increasing the refugee quota, and that's something that was a Labour policy - but we're in a coalition government, everything sits outside those agreements. We use Cabinet process for that," Ms Ardern said.

A personal commitment is a far cry from the promise this was sold as, but the Cabinet process of course means behind closed doors anything could happen.

Nauru's treatment of refugees has dominated coverage, landing TVNZ journalist Barbara Dreaver in hot water; she was detained by Nauru police for three hours.

Ardern is only on the ground in Nauru for 16 hours, but the lead-up has been tense and full of drama.

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On 9/4/2018 at 11:51 AM, chelseacol said:

If only  politicians would from time to time ask themselves what they would do if they were spending their own money.

They are all guilty of this. But this decision is a shocker.

Funnily enough Robertson was prattling on this morning about this Govt taking climate change seriously etc etc - minutes after defending two extra 5 plus hour flights by a commercial aircraft to deliver one passenger. Not sure if he saw the irony or not as he was so busy defending the indefensible ....

 

He wouldn't Col.....another moron out of his depth.

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Curtains for Curran?

by Christie 
 
curren-2.jpg?resize=630%2C399&ssl=1

Photoshopped image credit: Boondecker

You know the end must be nigh if Heather du Plessis Alan (HDPA) is putting the boot in to a Labour minister. Heather has ripped into Clare Curran for her inability to string a sentence together in parliament, but also stated that she believes the writing is on the wall for Curran, as a minister in cabinet, at least.

HDPA implies that Curran has only made it to where she is in politics because she is a former flatmate of Jacinda Ardern. She also implies that Jacinda doesn’t want to fire Curran because they are friends.

How is that for great leadership?

This may be the reason why Curran has survived two very significant errors, not recording details of meetings with both Carol Hirschfield and Derek Handley.

Nothing like being the (now former) minister for open government, is there?

But HDPA has raised a couple of other very interesting points that go to the heart of some of this government’s issues, and it isn’t just about Clare Curran.

 

Firstly, Clare Curran has exposed the very shallow talent pool within the current government. We already know this to be true. Jacinda’s problem, if she sacks Curran as a minister entirely, is that there is no one of any calibre to bring in to the cabinet to replace her. No one at all.

Now that is a very scary thought. You have to admit that if Clare Curran is the best you can get from the talent pool, then things really are very dire.

It isn’t even as if she is new to politics, having been the MP for Dunedin South since 2008 but she has only ever been in opposition, until now. Still, she’s had 8 years to sharpen her skills and this is the best she can do?

The other issue that has been raised by HDPA while discussing this issue is probably, in a lot of ways, a more serious one. That is the issue of gender balance.

Jacinda has committed to bringing in more women MPs, trying to get to a quota of 50% by 2020.

The trouble with this policy, as we have said before, is that gender ‘balancing’ does not mean that you necessarily get the best ‘man’ for the job. If Clare Curran is the best that Labour can do to bring in women MPs, then they should drop this policy like a hot brick.

That won’t happen, of course. Jacinda has committed to it, and it is a great bit of virtue signalling. Nobody does virtue signalling better than Jacinda.

But if anything demonstrates the stupidity of this policy, it is the promotion of Clare Curran to the cabinet, although she probably won’t be there for much longer.

Jacinda’s problem is that, of the 6 women in cabinet, according to HDPA, four of them are duds.

(Personally, I think all 6 of them are duds, but we may just have to agree to differ. HDPA thinks that Megan Woods and Carmel Sepuloni are competent ministers. Like I said, we just may have to agree to disagree on that.)

The other 4 – Curran, Nania Mahuta, Jenny Salesa and Meka (Fightclub) Whaitiri are described by HDPA as incompetent. I don’t think anyone will disagree with that.

So, if Labour’s talent pool is already, to quote the Boss, ‘as shallow as a car park puddle in the middle of summer’, and Jacinda is committed to Labour’s policy of gender balance within the party, then all we have to look forward to is more ‘talent’ of the same calibre as Clare Curran. Or, more likely, someone of an even lesser calibre than Clare Curran.

And that is sad for voters, sad for taxpayers and sad for women.

Nobody could ever accuse me of not wanting to promote women but I don’t want women to be promoted just because they are women. I want women to be promoted to ministers because they will do a good job.

And if that isn’t scary enough for you, then think about this.

Julie-Ann Genter, Minister for Women, wants to extend the policy of gender balance right across the entire public sector.

In other words, we will not only have severely incompetent women in cabinet and in parliament. We will have them as managers and senior advisors in all government departments.

Why, oh why would we want this?

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And Ardern claims she doesn't lie :rolleyes:

'Unacceptable distraction': Besieged Clare Curran quits as a minister

Jacinda Ardern insisted in an interview today that Clare Curran's job as a minister was safe - despite the Prime Minister accepting the errant MP's resignation the night before.

The under-fire Curran has quit as a minister, saying the pressure on her had become "intolerable". She becomes the first casualty in the Ardern administration.

Ardern said in a radio interview with Newstalk ZB's Chris Lynch recorded at 8am this morning that Curran's job was safe.

But it has now emerged the errant minister told Ardern last night that she would quit - and Ardern accepted her resignation.

Ardern told reporters in Gisborne that Curran had contacted her last night and they had talked it through.

"There's no doubt there was a huge amount of pressure on her," she said.

"I think the pressure that she felt was pressure she put on herself."

Ardern conceded Curran had made errors of judgment.

"There is no doubt the minister made a mistake. The pressure she is under is stopping her from doing her job.

"The expectations on us as politicians is high."

Curran would continue to be a "passionate representative" for Dunedin South, Ardern said.

But she insisted her Cabinet was "absolutely" stable.

'Unacceptable distraction for the Government'

Earlier, announcing Curran's resignation, Ardern said: "Clare Curran contacted me last night to confirm her wish to resign as a minister and I accepted that resignation.

"Clare has come to the view the issues currently surrounding her are causing an unacceptable distraction for the Government and immense pressure on her personally.

"I agree with her assessment that resigning is the best course of action for the Government and for her."

Just this morning Ardern had said Curran's job was safe.

Ardern told Lynch said she had not considered firing Curran over a series of stumbles in recent times.

"No, because I think she's paid her price. I have huge expectations of my ministers and those in the ministry but I also accept from time to time they will also have bad days.

"I have to keep in mind that we do want to make sure that we don't set the bar so high that you can't have a situation where you show a bit of human frailty and lose your job over it," Ardern said.

Curran said today: "I advised the Prime Minister last night I would resign as a minister, which she accepted.

"I have come to the conclusion the current heat being placed on me is unlikely to go away. This pressure has become intolerable.

"For the benefit of the Government, and my personal wellbeing, I believe that resignation is the best course of action."

Curran took personal leave on Thursday after a nightmare in Parliament on Wednesday.

She had been sacked from Cabinet and stripped of her open government and digital services responsibilities by Ardern on August 24 after not disclosing a meeting set up using her personal email account.

Kris Faafoi will become the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media, remaining outside of Cabinet, and Peeni Henare will become the Associate Minister for ACC.

Curran has been under fire again this week after bungling an answer in Parliament about whether she had used her personal Gmail account for government business.

She was previously in hot water over failing to correctly diary meetings.

The February meeting with entrepreneur Derek Handley was over his interest in the vacant chief technology officer role.

It was held at 8pm in Curran's Beehive office with nobody else present, and was not put in her diary.

The next month Curran responded to a written question from National but failed to disclose the meeting.

It was her second strike, after a similar omission in relation to a meeting with former Radio NZ boss Carol Hirschfeld earlier this year.

Correspondence released by Curran's office showed Handley messaged Curran on Twitter on February 13 about his interest in the CTO role. The February 27 meeting was later set up using Curran's Gmail account.

In March and in response to a message from Handley, Curran texted through an MBIE email address where applications could be sent.

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41 minutes ago, Ohokaman said:

The most unprepared, incompetent bunch of non talents you could ever imagine......:rcf-clown::rcf-clown::rcf-clown:

For all of us this is turning into a disaster.

Jacinda is increasingly looking weak, exposed and lacking the steel and perhaps intelligence to lead this rabble. There are only one or two in the bunch that appear to have real ability.

While I take some amusement from their predicament (sorry Bloke - you are a top fella and I hope this doesn't bugger up my invite to your Wgn Cup bash - but our politics differ ), the big picture here is Winston seems to be increasingly in charge. And that is a travesty of even MMP politics. Labour need to clear the decks quickly and reinstate control and get some quality in key roles.

I take Blokes point that all governments have their weak links - but it is the number of weak links here which is the problem.

Right back to thinking about horses for the weekend. Have a good one everyone

 

 

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Ardern and Curran were wagging school yesterday…

by Christie 
 
clare-missing_a_.jpg?resize=630%2C461&ss

Photoshopped image credit: Boondecker

After returning to the country and discovering her former flatmate, Curran had been totally decimated in parliament, Jacinda decided to have a “work from home” day on Thursday…

This should read as a “scream at the walls” day for Jacinda, who is hell-bent on keeping her friend and former flatmate in cabinet… if that is now still possible.

But let us not forget that Jacinda is avoiding questions herself over the double trip to the island resort, so to speak. And so she should…

So Jacinda decided to stay home today, no doubt catching up on breastfeeding and expressing milk.

Don’t misunderstand me. I do not wish baby Neve any ill will at all. It is just that Jacinda said she could handle this, but obviously, she can’t.

 

So Jacinda decided to ‘work from home’. Excuse me while I laugh.

I.T. professionals can work from home, so long as they have adequate broadband capacity and online storage.

Accountants can work from home, so long as they have no clients who want to see them.

The prime minister doesn’t do anything that can justify ‘working from home’ – does she? Isn’t the role of prime minister essentially a figurehead?

So Winston was left to answer all the questions yesterday.

 

 

As we all know, this is no problem for Winston. But even he was struggling at times. All he did was deflect the questions. He’s good at it, without a doubt… but even he cannot make up for this government’s arrogance and incompetence.

But then, we also have Clare Curran.

Clare Curran had a miserable day in the house on Wednesday. So bad, in fact, that it is being described as the worst performance of a minister in parliament, ever.

Oh well. It is good to know that Clare can exceed in something.

She also had to have a babysitter in the house. Really, this kind of behaviour is pathetic for government ministers.

 

 

And as for Kelvin Davis… well, he has been missing in action for almost a year. No one actually expects to find him in the house. It is a bonus if he actually ever turns up.

Nine years of arrogance summed up in one year. They behave as if they are a third term government. They are not.

 

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1 hour ago, bloke said:

I agree Curran was useless but your lot had many, Hekia, what a bloody mess she left. Also Nick Smith (death warmed up) there is no housing crisis. Do you know who I am, remember that clown. Plus many others

 

Most could string a sentence together though Blokey....:rcf-laughing-1:

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8 minutes ago, rdytdy said:

Ardern and Curran were wagging school yesterday…

by Christie 
 
clare-missing_a_.jpg?resize=630%2C461&ss

Photoshopped image credit: Boondecker

After returning to the country and discovering her former flatmate, Curran had been totally decimated in parliament, Jacinda decided to have a “work from home” day on Thursday…

This should read as a “scream at the walls” day for Jacinda, who is hell-bent on keeping her friend and former flatmate in cabinet… if that is now still possible.

But let us not forget that Jacinda is avoiding questions herself over the double trip to the island resort, so to speak. And so she should…

So Jacinda decided to stay home today, no doubt catching up on breastfeeding and expressing milk.

Don’t misunderstand me. I do not wish baby Neve any ill will at all. It is just that Jacinda said she could handle this, but obviously, she can’t.

 

So Jacinda decided to ‘work from home’. Excuse me while I laugh.

I.T. professionals can work from home, so long as they have adequate broadband capacity and online storage.

Accountants can work from home, so long as they have no clients who want to see them.

The prime minister doesn’t do anything that can justify ‘working from home’ – does she? Isn’t the role of prime minister essentially a figurehead?

So Winston was left to answer all the questions yesterday.

 

 

As we all know, this is no problem for Winston. But even he was struggling at times. All he did was deflect the questions. He’s good at it, without a doubt… but even he cannot make up for this government’s arrogance and incompetence.

But then, we also have Clare Curran.

Clare Curran had a miserable day in the house on Wednesday. So bad, in fact, that it is being described as the worst performance of a minister in parliament, ever.

Oh well. It is good to know that Clare can exceed in something.

She also had to have a babysitter in the house. Really, this kind of behaviour is pathetic for government ministers.

 

 

And as for Kelvin Davis… well, he has been missing in action for almost a year. No one actually expects to find him in the house. It is a bonus if he actually ever turns up.

Nine years of arrogance summed up in one year. They behave as if they are a third term government. They are not.

 

She stayed home so answering hard questions she had no answers for could be avoided. Might as well stay there....

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During The Key Government there were about 12 Ministers who were sacked by Key and some he did not sack including Hekia.who would rival Curran for stupidity. Crooked Bill English helped himself to rental money channelled through his family Trust and got to survive what was in my opinion fraud.

Look at National's great pool of leadership  talent. Simple Simon, he reminds me of Cunliffe, Crusher Collins and Paula Benefit.

 National  is a Socialist Party that only looks after the moaning farmers and beating up on anyone on the DPB. It  has introduced little in the way of major legislation over the last 40 odd years. 

 

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17 hours ago, bloke said:

During The Key Government there were about 12 Ministers who were sacked by Key and some he did not sack including Hekia.who would rival Curran for stupidity. Crooked Bill English helped himself to rental money channelled through his family Trust and got to survive what was in my opinion fraud.

Look at National's great pool of leadership  talent. Simple Simon, he reminds me of Cunliffe, Crusher Collins and Paula Benefit.

 National  is a Socialist Party that only looks after the moaning farmers and beating up on anyone on the DPB. It  has introduced little in the way of major legislation over the last 40 odd years. 

 

Bloke , surly by now you must recognize this lot don't have a clue , the stupidity and incompetence is undeniable . This lot are so bad I no longer pay attention to anything they are trying to spin , look at housing , kiwi build affordable housing , 5% deposit and poor people are expected to borrow $600,000 that's a $700 a week payment plus rates and insurance , just dreamers .

Lying about sacking Curren , violence in a ministers office , Peters dominating cindy , Police offered 2% which equates to the same as National $20 a week tax cut , and the absolute stupidity of their climate policy , anyone wanting a realistic view check of what the rest of the world is really doing check out the GWPF  

website , save it to your favourites and check it daily , we are being scammed , our policy's are financially suicidal compared to what the rest of the world is actually doing , this lot are dreamers .

 

 

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 Even Simple Simon has said that the Tories screwed up on housing. Nick Smith announced heaps of housing schemes and I doubt if any got off the ground. Simple Simon has stated that The Tories will have far more teachers in other words acknowledging that Hekia was a fool.  Sure Labour has its share of clowns but The Tories have more than their share.

 

They have done little while in office  and of course they have the legacy of Rob The Socialist and we are still paying the price of his National Super  after scrapping an individual scheme.They even oppossed the introduction of Kiwi Saver even though they claim to represent the individual getting ahead. Then when they got in power they whittled Kiwi Saver back. 

 

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