Bob Edlin: Northland council has replenished a trough to provide scholarships.....

Northland council has replenished a trough to provide scholarships – the rules favour Maori applicants

The Northland Regional Council has sounded the hog call that draws attention to a trough it has replenished.

According to the eligibility criteria, Māori who rush for a share of the swill have a much better chance of being nourished at the expense of ratepayers than non-Māori.

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 25/3/24

How school lunches provide enough leftovers for food bank clients, caravan park residents – and feral pigs

Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024.

In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced us to her “ongoing Fiscal Sustainability Programme”, intended to embed “a culture of responsible spending across Government”.

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 5/2/24

Luxon calls for a constructive debate of differences – but his Waitangi audience had jeered his coalition colleagues

Two Māori ministers announced plans to visit Tonga, Cook Islands and Samoa this week, two non-Māori ministers announced scholarships to six university students, and the PM delivered a speech at Waitangi where hostility to his government’s Treaty policies was mounting.

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 22/6/23

Was that the last post? Michael Wood took steps to deal with the skills shortage – and then he emigrated to the back benches

The last item we recorded, after monitoring the government’s official website yesterday, dealt with changes to the Skilled Migrant Category to help businesses attract workers to fill skill shortages

The statement (Simplified path to residency for skilled workers) was released in the name of the Minister of Immigration, a fellow by name of Michael Wood.

Point of Order: Financial capability services are being bucked up....

....but Stuart Nash shouldn’t have to see if they can help him (not yet)

The building of financial capability was brought into our considerations when Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni announced she had dipped into the government’s coffers for $3 million for “providers” to help people and families access community-based Building Financial Capability services.

That wording suggests some Building Financial Capability services are not community-based and are not being helped with government funding.

Point of Order: Wood is chuffed about 22km stretch of expressway “falling into place” but he keeps quiet about the cost

Transport Minister Michael Wood left the dollar signs out of his press satement when declaring that the Hamilton Section of the Waikato Expressway has opened, marking the final chapter of a 30 year roading project.

It was terrific to see the last 22-kilometre piece of the Expressway “falling into place”, he enthused. This reflects somewhat curiously on the work of the engineers and construction gangs.

The road connects Auckland to the agriculture and business centres of the Waikato and would improve economic growth and productivity in the region.