The Press on cronyism
The Press editorial says Christine Rankin’s appointment was a mistake. However, that is not what this post is about.
Elsewhere in the editorial is a mention that Gerry Brownlee has appointed Roger Sowry, former National minister turned lobbyist, to the Electricity Commission.
Government decision is further evidence that it is intent on reshaping the state sector in its own image.
Just yesterday the appointment of National’s former Social Services Minister, Roger Sowry, to the Electricity Commission was announced. Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee justified Sowry’s appointment by saying that his former colleague had also held the energy portfolio in Cabinet. In reality he had not, and although Sowry had been an Opposition energy spokesman, this is not a compelling qualification for his new job
A refrain of National before it took office was that Labour had politicised the state sector. The present Government did put Labour’s former deputy leader Michael Cullen on the board of NZ Post, but the jobs handed out to Rankin and Sowry are an ominous sign that ideology rather than talent or suitability will again play too great a role in state sector appointments.
Adam believes that cronyism is a mistake. He was critical of Labour and the way it stacked boards. Similarly, he thinks National should be very careful who it appoints and why it appoints certain individuals.
Perhaps there is something to be said for the American practice of confirmation hearings.
It is sad to see the appearance apparent cronyism so soon in this government’s life. Perhaps time will prove Adam wrong. He hopes so.
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“I have not researched the issue, but could it be that her ‘racism’ is actually speaking the truth as she sees it and not tippy toeing around issues in a PC fashion and making excuses.
Don’t know.”
And is it a general antipathy for Rankin (quite possible although a Herald poll shows a slight approval rating for her taking the job), or is it that the FC has become a sacred cow.. at least to itself and parts of the left?
JC
Well it is Peter Dunne’s personal sacred cow.
I note Vernon Small had a tilt at Rankin this morning.
In fact given the media antipathy they are in danger of turning her into the underdog, plus as you noted the focus on Ranking means Pilbrow gets no examination.
“I speculated that Pilbrow was the Trojan Horse, you seem to confirm my suspicion”
Yes. I wrote the above before I read that.
One of Parents Inc values is to be commercially smart but not for profit in attitude. The annual report is relentlessly goal and achievement oriented and remarkably it isn’t supported by Govt finance. Its stats on how many kids and schools it reaches each year are remarkable.
Pilbrow thus looks like someone appointed to demand bang for buck and moving the maximum resources on to the front line. I don’t think he’ll be happy with the FC definition of family which is (paraphased) “Any grouping that excludes gangs”
Rankin may already have scored the govt’s first success with an FC commissioner having resigned in disgust at her appointment. Couple that with the media snipes and Dunne’s reaction and I get the impression that the FC’s wide definition of family doesn’t include rooting grannies with big mouths.
JC
Interesting the comment by the adviser who resigned. It seems that Rankin’s racism so called is about how Maori need to take a good look at themselves and stop griping and looking for handouts. She was critical also of their record on child violence.
I have not researched the issue, but could it be that her ‘racism’ is actually speaking the truth as she sees it and not tippy toeing around issues in a PC fashion and making excuses.
Don’t know.
The current board has David Cagill, former Labour Minister, Stan Roger, former Labour Minister, Peter Harris, unionist, Linda Constable, former Labour candidate.. thats four of the six member board Labour Party types with Cagill in the chair.
That is clearly hopelessly politicised. The appointment of Sowry is recognition of the fact and that the Govt needs a hardened and skilled ex politician to break up the political machine thats developed and push govt policy.
We mightn’t like it, but sending in a genuine expert on electricity doesn’t help till at least one of those Labour commissioners goes.
At the Families Commission, a read of its website indicates a tea party for stating the obvious.. a Greek chorus to Peter Dunne’s banalities with an exaggerated view of its own invulnerability.. as it proudly states
“Established in 2004, we are an autonomous Crown agency governed by a board of commissioners”
In other words “Bugger off, Nats, and forget about savings.. we are above that”
So they got Rankin and incidentally Families Inc Bruce Pilbrow. This latter is more likely to shake up things.
At this stage I see National more rebalancing politicised processes and rife PC than finding homes for old lags.. but that may come.
JC
JC
Thanks for the input. As I noted it has some of the appearance of cronyism, but your comments help to set some of my concerns to rest.
BTW in my post http://adamsmith.wordpress.com/2009/05/13/armstrong-on-rankin/ I speculated that Pilbrow was the Trojan Horse, you seem to confirm my suspicion