Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 13/11/24

A sorry state of affairs: offence was given – or was it taken? – thanks to PM’s failure to foresee the effect of his choice of words

“Never apologise, never explain” (according to one source consulted by Point of Order scribes) was the infamous dictum of former Bank of England governor Montagu Norman and epitomised the British take on central bank communication.

But maybe not. An article in the New Yorker said “Never apologize, never explain” is often attributed to the nineteenth-century Oxford scholar Benjamin Jowett, who supposedly added, “Get it over with and let them howl.”

Greg Clydesdale: What is the Most Discriminatory Organisation in NZ?

If we are to give an award to the most discriminatory award in New Zealand, one organisation proudly stands at the head of the pack.  For decade after decade, this organisation has consistently discriminated against one segment of the population – That organisation is no other than the Department of Conservation, and the population it discriminates against is the disabled with some flow over to the elderly.

I can provide a lot of evidence why D.O.C deserve this award, but I will begin with a personal experience.  Many years ago, I had a telephone conversation with a staff member at D.O.C in which I said I wanted greater access for elderly on our mountains.

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 9/9/23

Govt invests in making Auckland CBD safer and (with $113.7m) in giving greater strength to disabled people

More evidence of a government belatedly burnishing its law-and-order credentials can be found in an announcement today from the Minister of Police and the Minister for Auckland Central.

Their glad tidings are that “Central and Local Government” are investing in a range of new measures to tackle low-level crime and anti-social behaviour in the Auckland CBD to complement a greater Police presence in the area.