An Official Information Act (OIA) request revealed that DIA spent $375,048 on workshops run by Te Kurahuna Limited, attended by 92 staff members. But the costs don’t stop there—when factoring in the 128 staff hours per participant at an average Public Service salary of $48.89 an hour, the taxpayer has effectively lost over $575,000 in staff time, bringing the total cost of these workshops to around $950,000.
James Ross, spokesperson for the Taxpayers’ Union, slammed the spending as part of a growing public sector trend of prioritising workshops over actual work.
“Not long after news broke of DIA wasting more than sixty grand on ‘courage lessons’ for staff, we learn they’ve chucked hundreds of thousands at yet another workshop provider no one’s ever heard of. This time, to become ‘change agents,’” Ross said.
“Public servants jumped at the chance for more time away from their actual jobs, with 92 DIA staff spending at least 128 hours each on this course. The taxpayer will never see that money again.”
Ross also questioned whether these workshops actually provide any real value: “Half these providers echo the same content anyway—how much value can they really be adding?”
The revelations come amid growing frustration over government waste, particularly within the public sector. DIA is just the latest agency exposed for spending taxpayer dollars on vague, ideology-driven training instead of delivering public services efficiently.
“If these bureaucrats want to be real change agents, then getting their heads down and doing some work might be a good start,” Ross said.
Daily Telegraph New Zealand (DTNZ) is an independent news website, first published in October 2021. - where this article was sourced.
James Ross, spokesperson for the Taxpayers’ Union, slammed the spending as part of a growing public sector trend of prioritising workshops over actual work.
“Not long after news broke of DIA wasting more than sixty grand on ‘courage lessons’ for staff, we learn they’ve chucked hundreds of thousands at yet another workshop provider no one’s ever heard of. This time, to become ‘change agents,’” Ross said.
“Public servants jumped at the chance for more time away from their actual jobs, with 92 DIA staff spending at least 128 hours each on this course. The taxpayer will never see that money again.”
Ross also questioned whether these workshops actually provide any real value: “Half these providers echo the same content anyway—how much value can they really be adding?”
The revelations come amid growing frustration over government waste, particularly within the public sector. DIA is just the latest agency exposed for spending taxpayer dollars on vague, ideology-driven training instead of delivering public services efficiently.
“If these bureaucrats want to be real change agents, then getting their heads down and doing some work might be a good start,” Ross said.
Daily Telegraph New Zealand (DTNZ) is an independent news website, first published in October 2021. - where this article was sourced.
10 comments:
The incredible thing is that nobody pots these schemes. I guess it is incredibly difficult to do so and retain anonymity and the threat of Cancellation is all pervading, especially in pro maori environments, which is now everywhere. The thing that fascinates me is the imagination and artfulness of those who set up these little companies. Many maori do poorly at school but a few trace maori masterfully combine maori cunning with whatever they did learn.
But we're all the participants all sitting correctly in their chairs, or will they have to do a remedial refresher course in "chair sitting" for yet another $500k of tax dollars ?
Is this really the quality of our public servants these day ?
Do they sit around in nodding, with their greenstone on bit of flax, in agreement when the most preposterous propositions are presented for fear of being canceled?
Luxon show some respect for us and stop this nonsense - like Trump you have the power to do it,
Don't give me any crap about efficiency and productivity when this is going on under your nose.
Whoever authorised the workshop should be sacked. That includes the permanent head.
Brooke van Velden is the Minister of Internal Affairs - is she aware of this, has she condoned this? A 'please explain' is required asap as it is surprising to hear that the bureaucrats in DIA are clearly continuing to thumb their nose at the clear directives to stop the woke nonsense and take care with the public purse. Clearly not enough have been retrenched!
Where is Elon Musk’s DOGE when want it? Certainly not in Hobbitville.
WHEN IS THIS GOING TO STOP!!!
What sort of workshop will Ngai Tahu be conducting for Luxon on Waitangi day? While he and King Tipene are communing with the South Island taniwha anything could happen. Such as an agreement to build the Maori parliament somewhere in Christchurch?
Dictionary definition of communing: sharing intimate thoughts or feelings with someone, especially on a spiritual level.
TE KURAHUNA LIMITED – GISBORNE – NEW ZEALAND, the provider of these ‘agent’ courses, is a husband and wife outlet.
https://www.mahiaatua.com/about-us-page/
But who are the enablers of this rort? Take a look and the scam becomes even clearer:
https://www.dia.govt.nz/About-Internal-Affairs—Our-people—Management-team
As stated, Brooke van Velden is the Minister of Internal Affairs - is she aware of this, or is she part of the problem?
Sir Brian Roche (Head of the Public Service) must deal with all this woke spending as his number one priority.
All this woke public spending seems to be getting worse. The public Service Chiefs are just thumbing their noses (or worse giving a two finger salute) to the Govt. When are our Ministers going to discipline (or sack) these cowboys?
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