Graham Adams: The smoking gun in the Mahuta saga

Long-time Queensland Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen once memorably described news conferences as “feeding the chooks”.

It was hard not to think of that quip by the Dannevirke-born politician who dominated Queensland’s politics for decades when Nanaia Mahuta bustled towards a gaggle of press gallery journalists at Parliament last Wednesday.

“I know what everyone wants to ask!” she announced presumptuously, before launching into a breathy spiel without a single question having been put to her:

Point of Order: Mahuta’s husband and the Public Service Commission inquiry

How Chris Hipkins ineptly played the race card

We intended alerting our readers (if they had not already noticed) to how Public Service Minister Chris Hipkins played the race card in the matter of the Public Service Commission deciding to look into the propriety of government contracts awarded to Nanaia Mahuta’s husband.

We have taken a short cut and will draw attention, instead, to this post on Kiwiblog by David Farrar under the heading Hipkins apologises for smearing English.

Bryce Edwards: Time for the Auditor General to investigate Mahuta contracts

Pressure is increasing on the Auditor General to undertake an inquiry into numerous contracts, appointments and grants awarded to members of Cabinet Minister Nanaia Mahuta’s family by various government departments she has had official responsibility for.

Allegations and revelations are mounting up, meaning this issue can no longer be ignored. As economist and political commentator Eric Crampton wrote yesterday, if the allegations – especially those documented by Herald journalist Kate McNamara – bear up, then “New Zealand is a fundamentally corrupt country. If it doesn’t, the air needs clearing”.

Graham Adams: Ardern dodges questions on Mahuta’s conflicts in Three Waters and is slippery on the role for minister’s sister

As meagre information about the appointment of Nanaia Mahuta’s younger sister, Tipa, to a pivotal role in Three Waters is gradually prised out of the government, it is becoming clear the Prime Minister has no intention of letting the public know exactly how that shell game played out.

What we do know is that Tipa’s elder sister transferred her power of appointment as Minister of Local Government to her Cabinet colleague, Kelvin Davis, in February 2021. He appointed Tipa to the chair of Te Puna – the Māori Advisory Group, which advises the new water regulator, Taumata Arowai, in May.

That ministerial power was returned to Nanaia Mahuta in June.

Point of Order: Here’s why we took a special interest in the latest appointments to the Local Government Commission

Our first instinct, on reading of government appointments nowadays, is to check to see who has landed new jobs and what are their family connections to the inhabitants of the Beehive.

This follows the disclosure and questioning in recent weeks of certain appointments to public positions. But only some mainstream media have shown any interest.

Among the exceptions: