What conflict of interest

19 comments on “What conflict of interest ”

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1. Ad 1

   16 October 2022 at 10:09 am

   +1000

   And don't forget it was animal cruelty to a level of a Police prosecution, and she was on track to be Minister for Agriculture.
   • Paul Campbell 1.1

     16 October 2022 at 3:01 pm

     Yeah but imagine how hard Luxon would have come down on her if she had been say, found to have beaten a kid with with a bed leg, rather than hurt some cows
     • Incognito 1.1.1

       16 October 2022 at 3:47 pm

       AFAIK, there aren’t and haven’t been any allegations of animal cruelty by Barbara Kuriger personally. Allegedly, she lost her National Party portfolios for her lapse(s) of judgement, her poor handling of conflicts of interest, and not keeping the Party sufficiently informed.
2. Anker 2

   16 October 2022 at 10:34 am

   Yes Luxon did the right thing in sacking Kuiriger.

   But you are glossing over the issues around Mahuta's family.

   I think Mahuta has brushed aside the overwhelming number of family appointments made when she just happened to be a Minister or an associate Minister of various Ministries. The enquiry will most likely find that Public servants were sloppy in appointments. With the exceptions of when Mahuta appointed her niece to be on the committee that wrote He puapua. She didn't step aside for the appointment.

   Mahuta's husband got a contract for a suicide prevention workshop (but has no qualifications in mental health). Research shows us there is very little can be done to prevent suicide (the suicide rate dropped in the UK when they changed household gas to a a non toxic variety, thus reducing easy access to means with which to suicide). So why was he getting public funding for an area (and there are more than one) that he has no expertise in? Suicide prevention, while important needs to be left to the very clever people with excellent research skills who can traul through the evidence worldwide looking to find what actually works. Re Mahuta's husbaand There is also the leaked document showing that in his submission for the contract he claimed $2000.00 for an appearance by Naiaia at the workshop (the OIA had scrubbed out her name, but the helpful leaker provided the document as it was submitted). So Mr Ormsby asked for $2000.00 for his wife a Minister (I think Associate MInister of Health to appear at this workshop). To the credit of the public service, they didn't allow it.
   The money Mr Ormsy got for this suicide prevention workshop would have been better spent employing two or three nurses or counsellors, who may not have prevented a suicide (because actually suicide isn't a frequent event), but who could at least of helped people who are suffering. I would put money on it that sweet fa came out of the workshop.

   A number of the contracts Mahuta's family got were not put out to tender. They were automatically given them

   I think Mickey you need to imagine what you would be thinking if this was a National Cabinet minister and their family. Because I think if contracts do go to family members, there must be absolutely compelling reasons for this to happen and there must be a process where all contracts are put out to tender and they are able to show very clearly that the family member was truly the best candidate for the job.

   Having read quite a bit on the issues of Mahuta's family getting so many contracts/positions, I find it impossible not to consider that this is nothing short of nepotism.

   ps it may be if the msm had of covered this story in a timely manner in there usual media outlets, such as stuff, the rumours wouldn’t have swerlled so much. It looked to me like the msm were actively ignoring the story, which doesn’t instill much trust in our media (with exception of Kate McNamara in the Herald)
3. Anne 3

   16 October 2022 at 11:07 am

   The journalists and politicians who have been most assiduous in their condemnation of Nanaia Mahuta and the Mahuta family will become remarkably muted over the emerging conflict of interest involving Barbara Kuriger and her family.

   It should be noted the Mahuta family have both the mana and the skill sets required of them, so it isn't surprising they are well represented in industry, commerce and matters relating to Maori governance. The Kuriger family on the other hand, well I know of nothing that makes them stand out in any meaningful way.

   However the ugly head of racism and bias – unconscious or otherwise – will probably ensure that the nay-sayers are not finished with their attacks on the Mahuta family.
   • Anne 3.1

     16 October 2022 at 11:28 am

     And right on cue

     https://bryangould.com/no-comment/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=no-comment
     • higherstandard 3.1.1

       16 October 2022 at 11:59 am

       Bryan Gould is becoming increasingly senile – while there may be no reporting today he has failed to note that this has been reported a number of times on stuff the herald and the radio.
       • Incognito 3.1.1.1

         16 October 2022 at 12:38 pm

         Why don’t you prove Gould wrong with a link to the NZH instead of attacking him personally?

         You failed to note that he posed it more as a provocative than a rhetorical question.
         • higherstandard 3.1.1.1.1

           16 October 2022 at 1:54 pm

           

           https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/130174859/national-mp-barbara-kuriger-drops-agriculture-portfolios-over-blurred-line-in-family-dispute

           https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/national-mp-barbara-kuriger-quits-portfolio-amid-dispute-with-government-department/JUWMT5EV5ZX75NFWGA4KTTWWYY/

           https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/476663/national-mp-barbara-kuriger-resigns-from-portfolios-over-significant-conflict-of-interest

           https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/476663/national-mp-barbara-kuriger-resigns-from-portfolios-over-significant-conflict-of-interest
           • Incognito 3.1.1.1.1.1

             16 October 2022 at 2:10 pm

             You do have problems with reading comprehension or you need reading glasses.

             Only one link to NZH, which both Gould and I asked for, but it doesn’t prove Gould wrong, on the contrary; where was the political commentary in/of the NZH????
   • Patricia Bremner 3.2

     16 October 2022 at 1:16 pm

     I remember Barbara Kruriger was sent to rescue Todd Barklay after his recording of private conversations in the Electorate office of Bill English. (Unusual name)
4. higherstandard 4

   16 October 2022 at 11:28 am

   Kuriger has been rightly stood down in relation to conflicts of interest.

   However to suggest the Mahuta clan's conflicts don't smell to high heaven is laughable.

   https://www.spectator.com.au/2022/08/a-very-talented-family/
   • Jack 4.1

     16 October 2022 at 1:17 pm

     100%
5. Reality 5

   16 October 2022 at 11:38 am

   Today's Herald "How a a National MP went to war for her son and how it cost her her job" – sort of praising her for her loyalty to family. Very inaccurate headline.

   She has not lost her job, she is still receiving her generous MP salary. If she had lost her job she would be stepping down as an MP. She has only lost her spokesperson roles.
   • Drowsy M. Kram 5.1

     16 October 2022 at 12:38 pm

     That's one problem with the Gnats in a nutshell – our 'family' first, foremost, and only.
     • Michael Blaxall 5.1.1

       17 October 2022 at 4:22 pm

       And that's the way it should be, family first every time
       • Drowsy M. Kram 5.1.1.1

         17 October 2022 at 11:49 pm

         Once I might have agreed, but "our 'family' first, foremost, and only" isn't always conducive to making good choices – witness National party bestie Boag.

         "Ms Boag and Mr Walker were each responsible for the unauthorised disclosure of this sensitive information. Their motivations were political."
6. mike 6

   17 October 2022 at 11:17 am

   On the day of the farm-gate emission announcement Barbara Kuriger said on One News "and we like the idea that the money cycles back into research and development for the industry to solve some of its problems". That night farmers began their hysterical chest thumping – ignoring the fact that they had all been party to the design of the scheme. Luxon, as usual, went with the hysteria – then had to distance National from the positive words of Kruiger. Next day she was gone, on the trumped up 'conflict' thing that had conveniently been sidelined until he needed her axed so he could position the party clearly on the negative side. Talk about populist tactics. What is it with National jokers and dispensable women?
7. Keith Christie 7

   17 October 2022 at 11:27 am

   OMG the issue with this person is not about a supposed conflict of interest. It is about integrity, policy of a major political party and our international reputation.

   I don't know where they get these people from. Farms are family affairs and it must have been extremely serious for the ministry to prosecute because they always work with people, give advice,and then give warnings beforehand. So she would have been well aware of the situation. And to actively negate policies to mitigate environmental degradation and climate change paints a picture of how low and incompetent a National/Act government would be.

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