I think that'd go well for him.
If you've missed this story, former trade unionist Health NZ Chair Rob Campbell, criticised the National’s policy announcement on Three Waters on social media, stating that he thought it was a ‘thin disguise for the dog whistle on co-governance’.
He made a bunch of comments including that, "Luxon might be able to rescue his party from stupidity on climate change but rescuing this from a well he has dug himself might be harder."
Firstly, this is the guy overseeing the absolute shit-show that is our health system, so how he's even got time in the first place to be ranting on social media about opposition party policies is beyond me, but secondly, he's subject to the Public Service Commission code of conduct, requiring impartiality.
He is not allowed to make political statements, or politicise his role, yet that’s exactly what he did.
Act's David Seymour's called for his resignation. He says: "The reality is that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Much of the Wellington bureaucracy is openly sympathetic to the left and that's a real concern."
Especially, when they're supposed to be impartial.
National called it appalling, with one MP suggesting Campbell shouldn't give up his day job of wrecking the health system to make spurious criticism of National's policy.
Another MP said, 'it is completely inappropriate for a senior public servant, the chair of our Health Agency, to be making these comments..’ and ‘it’s in breach of the clear rules on political impartiality for senior public servants.’
Seymour said he should pull his head in, but Campbell did nothing of the sort, he doubled down, saying he had nothing to apologize for, and doesn’t regret the comments.
So here's where Hipkins can show some strong leadership, and reassure voters that public servants aren't so full of their own importance and arrogance that they can breach Code of Conduct rules - and not apologise for it.
Hipkins would not express confidence in him when asked last night.
I mean, how do you keep on a guy who not only breaches his own conduct rules, but has overseen a health system that's in dire straits and arguably getting worse. Shortages of doctors, nurses, GP's, overcrowded ED's, cancelled surgeries, a ballooning waiting list of 67,000 and counting.
And not only does Campbell say they're not on top of all that yet, but he's hardly giving the impression he's laser focused on fixing it either when he's busy on social media writing monologues on Three Waters for goodness sake.
This highlights everything that’s wrong with ideological bureaucrats running things.. full of opinions and social media meanderings, but nothing actually gets done.
We have a health system in tatters, a system we all pay for that they can’t fix, a system overseen by him, and yet instead of spending his time fixing it, he’s espousing his views on opposition party policy on social media.
Hipkins needs to show strong leadership and stub this banana republic vibe out.
Kate Hawkesby is a political broadcaster on Newstalk ZB - her articles can be seen HERE.
7 comments:
He's gone, and rightly so too. He also needs sacking from his role as Chair of the EPA. Hopefully that will be announced today? With views as inappropriate and patisan as his, it's had to imagine that he hasn't stepped out of line previously, or made other very poor decisions. Good riddance.
It seems Labour has realised that (as demonstrated by the Tupuna Maunga Authority in Auckland) co governace is effectively maori control and that when that fully dawns on the general public Labour will be doomed. Either that or the other extreme and Labour (ie the maori caucus) has in mind some single minded maori to lead the health Authority.
This person demonstrates the arrogance - and sense of total entitlement - of appointed officials in contexts where co-governance is operating.
They hold final authority - since the veto element of co-governance is never explained clearly.
NZ will soon be a 3rd world fiefdom with this sort of management.
good riddance, adamant he had done nothing wrong, then apologised why apologise if you havnt done anything wrong, except to save your skin arrogant fool
Finally one piece of swamp foliage gone, but if you are looking to Hipkins for strong leadership Kate, you may as well wish for the moon. Parliament at the moment does not have even a hint of leadership from any party. A leader shows qualities that others would be prepared to follow. The only reason I would follow any present party leader would be to make sure he wasn't behind me.
But is it all as it seems. Was he doing such a mashup job on health that he needed to go. However it never looks good for either the person fired, or those that appointed him in the first place.
So he says some outrageous shit, the minister moves faster than ever before to cancel his contract. Both sides claim a win.
Another hugely overpaid and under-achieving public Labour lackey, too dumb enough to keep his mouth shut.
And in the process demonstrating to all, his overt racism and complete ignorance of climate. Mind you, the latter he has in common with Luxon so they're really not that different.
The thing with these people is they cannot see the hypocrisy of their own position and are too indoctrinated to try a little research to justify their beliefs.
I wonder what Labour will appoint him to next?
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