.....by a minister whose grasp of Parliament’s rules is in question
Education Minister Jan Tinetti brings news of a book of rules for school board members at the same time as her own grasp of Parliament’s rule book has been brought into question.
Tinetti has announced a compulsory code of conduct to “ensure school board members are crystal clear on their responsibilities and expected standard of behaviour”.
How crystal clear she might be on her responsibilities as a minister and the standard of behaviour expected of her is questionable.
Her press statement was posted on the government’s official website just a day or so after the Privileges Committee advised it will consider whether a false statement by Tinetti and the delay in correcting it amounts to contempt of Parliament and a deliberate attempt to mislead the House.
The committee considers and reports on questions of privilege relating to Parliament and MPs. “Privileges” are the powers and immunities which ensure Parliament is independent of the Crown and the courts.
The accusation revolves around Tinetti claiming in February she had no responsibility for the release of attendance data, but was told later that day by staff that was an error.
She did not correct the record until early this month.
Parliament’s Speaker, Adrian Rurawhe, this week announced the matter is being referred to the Privileges Committee. Rurawhe said Tinetti had claimed not to know she needed to correct the record until he sent her a letter.
“It is an important principle that the House can trust the accuracy of ministerial replies to Parliamentary questions,” Rurawhe said.
Several mainstream media have reported on Tinetti’s need to explain herself to the Privileges Committee, including a report HERE under the headline…
The committee considers and reports on questions of privilege relating to Parliament and MPs. “Privileges” are the powers and immunities which ensure Parliament is independent of the Crown and the courts.
The accusation revolves around Tinetti claiming in February she had no responsibility for the release of attendance data, but was told later that day by staff that was an error.
She did not correct the record until early this month.
Parliament’s Speaker, Adrian Rurawhe, this week announced the matter is being referred to the Privileges Committee. Rurawhe said Tinetti had claimed not to know she needed to correct the record until he sent her a letter.
“It is an important principle that the House can trust the accuracy of ministerial replies to Parliamentary questions,” Rurawhe said.
Several mainstream media have reported on Tinetti’s need to explain herself to the Privileges Committee, including a report HERE under the headline…
Tim Beveridge: I think Jan Tinetti’s most egregious offence is not knowing the rules in the first place
News of the code of conduct for school board members can be found on the government’s official website, alongside several new ministerial announcements.
These answer questions such as:
- How is the government spending our money today?
Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Cyclone Recovery Minister Michael Wood announced the government will enter into funding arrangements with councils in cyclone and flood affected regions to support them in offering voluntary buyouts for owners of Category 3 designated residential properties. It will also co-fund work needed to protect Category 2 designated properties.
The cost of this is not stated but for properties designated Category 2 (where it is determined community and/or property level interventions are feasible to manage future severe weather event risk) the Government says it will work with councils to help them build flood protection and other resilience measures. The initial support for this is already in place with $100 million initial funding announced in Budget 2023.
- Where in the world can we find the minister?
- What on earth are they doing now to engineer our behaviour?
Jan Tinetti’s code for school boards comes into this category. It aims to raise the performance standards of board members.
Gamblers are being cared for, too. Changes have been announced to the regulations governing gambling machines “to reduce pokies harm”.
Gamblers are being cared for, too. Changes have been announced to the regulations governing gambling machines “to reduce pokies harm”.
- How are they going with their promises?
Latest from the Beehive
The first major public housing development in Whangārei for decades has reached completion, with 37 new homes opened in the suburb of Maunu today.
Trade and Export Growth Minister Damen O’Connor will depart tomorrow for London to represent New Zealand at the Commonwealth Trade Ministers’ Meeting and then to Paris to vice-chair the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting.
The Fuel Industry (Improving Fuel Resilience) Amendment Bill that is introduced today will help ensure we have sufficient petrol, diesel and jet fuel in New Zealand to weather major disruptions to our fuel supply.
The Government is making sure those on low incomes will no longer have to wait five weeks to get the minimum weekly rate of ACC, and improving the data collected to make the system fairer.
A compulsory code of conduct will ensure school board members are crystal clear on their responsibilities and expected standard of behaviour, Minister of Education Jan Tinetti said.
Tena koutou katoa and thank you, Mayor Nadine Taylor, for your welcome to Marlborough.
The Government will enter into a funding arrangement with councils in cyclone and flood affected regions to support them to offer a voluntary buyout for owners of Category 3 designated residential properties. It will also co-fund work needed to protect Category 2 designated properties.
The Government has announced changes to strengthen requirements in venues with pokie (gambling) machines will come into effect from 15 June.
The Government has delivered on its commitment to put an extra 1800 Police on the front line, with the graduation today of Police wing 366 from the Royal New Zealand Police College.
In her statement about school boards, Tinetti says board members, and the education sector, strongly supported a draft of the code during a 2022 consultation.
The code of conduct helps protect the autonomy of school boards, and empowers members to act when they feel a colleague is not meeting the expected standards. Only a board can recommend a member be removed for persistent breaches and a Minister can only remove a board member on that recommendation.
“This code will safeguard our boards, which are critical roles within our schools. Having parents involved in the running of our schools is something special about our education system and I want to see that continue,” Jan Tinetti said.
Internal Affairs Minister Barbara Edmonds – announcing the tougher pokie machine regulations to come into effect from 15 June said:
“Pokies are one of the most harmful forms of gambling. They can have a detrimental impact on individuals, their friends, whānau and communities.”
The changes, which apply to pubs, clubs and TAB NZ venues, will be staggered over the next six months, to give the sector time to provide training to staff and implement necessary layout requirements.
For more information: https://www.dia.govt.nz/reducingpokiesharm
Point of Order is a blog focused on politics and the economy run by veteran newspaper reporters Bob Edlin and Ian Templeton
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