The latest with Choppergate, by the way, is that the event Chris Luxon was telling Mike Hosking about on Monday, where he finished up in Whanganui at 10:30 and then had to get back to Auckland, was in fact a National Party fundraiser.
Now, that would be a big no-no if he were using a Defence Force flight to get to a National Party fundraiser because you can't use Defence Force aircraft to get yourself re-elected, can you? But it is not a no-no because that is not what he was doing.
He was using the flight not to get to the fundraiser but to get from the fundraiser to an event in Auckland the next day. His office says that was a prime ministerial event and that makes it acceptable.
As far as I'm concerned, prime ministers should be allowed to use the Defence Force, within reason, to get around the place. The Defence Force has to keep those aircraft flying. They have to complete a certain number of flying hours and surely, if the choice is between flying for the sake of it or flying for an actual reason, the practical option is to choose the actual reason. That's what this is.
Also, come on, we've got to stop nitpicking legitimate uses of things like Defence Force flights, for God's sake.
Whether you like Christopher Luxon or not, whether you vote for him or not, he is the Prime Minister. That is the most senior elected position in New Zealand. It is a job that requires constant travel and work.
The Defence Force should be flying him around the place to cut down his travel time, simply so he can use that time for something more productive. It is neither novel nor new that this happens.
Go and watch the Jacinda documentary on Netflix. She gets picked up from Clarke's parents' holiday home in Gisborne in a Defence Force chopper. Prime ministers have been flown around the country, and around the world, by the Defence Force for decades.
It says more about us, I think, than it does about Chris Luxon that this is an issue. Now, the other two issues Luxon is dealing with this week are proper problems that do warrant debate: his small business comments and Winston Peters' racist comments.
But this, Choppergate, is just nitpicking.
Heather du Plessis-Allan is a journalist and radio broadcaster who hosts Newstalk ZB's weekday Drive-Time Show – where this article was sourced.
7 comments:
This is way more important...
https://nigelgrayearthpulse.substack.com/p/transpowers-warning-proves-nz-cannot
The Air Force’s guys need training hours - otherwise when we need them they’re grounded. Those training hours are huge!
The pm needs transport- combining the two is actually an effective and efficient use of taxpayer money- believe it or not.
Nzs msm are absolute numpties jumping on this one because they’ve just lost all current and former military personnel as well as anyone who knows anything about how training hours and qualifications currency works
I hardly think that the small business comments and Winstons non-racist comments are proper problems. This nitpicking BS is a sign of whats to come from the childish whinging lefties over the enxt couple of months.
I hope that those NZder's who watch TVNZ News (TV3/Stuff Nah) - need to understand, is the Chris "Smack His Lips" Hiskins, need's to show those "aged" Union members, Labour party supporters (those who may have cash to splash) that HE is "relevant", and thus opening mouth on "matters" many and then placing a foot between teeth, because he "failed" to research, subject he was whining about, but who cares, he still thinks he will be a capable PM.
RNZAF - if you look at the service they provide, then you will find that Most/if not all NZ PM's have used their services in air transport.
@k one of the big things with data centres is that a lot of them bring energy production with them - and if they can’t then that’s due to rules and regulations at council level - many us data centres even come with their own mini nuclear power generators that feed into local grids reducing power costs for neighbours- seriously nz needs to stop with the stupid!
Totally agree. The US president has Airforce 1 and Marine 1 as a personal ride. I don’t expect New Zealand to go that far, but the PM hitching a ride on NZ Defence Force aircraft seems legit to me.
What has Trump spent on USAF aircraft taking him to and from golf just this term ?
The last I heard was in the region of $US150M.
A 6 seater for a PM isn't a big deal, though if the aircraft turned around and landed him in the Campbell Islands it would be better.
Post a Comment
Thank you for joining the discussion. Breaking Views welcomes respectful contributions that enrich the debate. Please ensure your comments are not defamatory, derogatory or disruptive. We appreciate your cooperation.