The Point of Order Trough Monitor went quiet for a few hours earlier this week.
Our fears it might need repairs were allayed when it alerted us to:
- The first Prime Minister’s Oranga Tamariki Awards for exceptional young people in state care (to be presented at a ceremony in Parliament next week) and the recognition of the best primary sector employers at an awards evening at Parliament.
- Mention by Julie Anne Genter of a $300,000 trough to benefit women and girls, grandly named the Suffrage 125 Community Fund, and Tracey Martin’s announcement of a brand-new trough, a stand-alone Lottery Fund to help communities benefit from the 2021 America’s Cup.
- A flurry of announcements from Shane Jones. We will deal with these in a separate post.
The trough monitor is dependent on ministerial largesse being publicly announced in press statements.
It was Radio New Zealand which alerted us to a gathering of about 100 women in The Great Hall at Parliament for a special breakfast to celebrate the day that women first voted 125 years ago. During the tuck-in, hosted by Associate Minister of Arts and Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni, guests were told Women Together: A History of Women’s Organisations in New Zealand Ngā Rōpū Wāhine o te Motu will be available online, 25 years after its publication.
Beehive press statements make no mention of the book, the breakfast or the cost to taxpayers.
Here’s what the Beehive press statements tell us:
27 NOVEMBER 2018
Prime Minister’s Oranga Tamariki Awards
The first Prime Minister’s Oranga Tamariki Awards for exceptional young people in state care will be presented at a ceremony in Parliament next week, Children’s Minister Tracey Martin announced today.
- Point of Order has raised a few questions about this announcement. We will report back when we receive the answers.
27 NOVEMBER 2018
Awards for best primary sector employers
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has congratulated the best primary sector employers at an awards evening at Parliament.
The first-ever MPI AGMARDT Primary Industries Good Employer Awards have recognised exceptional employers across the dairy, seafood, forestry and horticulture sectors, he said.
The winners and highly commended runners up are named here.
- Point of Order has raised some questions about the awards. We will report back.
28 NOVEMBER 2018
125 years since women first voted
Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter said today marks 125 anniversary of women in Aotearoa/New Zealand voting for the first time and celebrates the progress made for women.
This year communities from Whangarei to Stewart Island had organised events to showcase and celebrate women, encourage more progress on issues such as the gender pay gap, “and to create better futures for our next generation”.
The Suffrage 125 Community Fund has supported 42 projects with $300,000 funding. The fund received over 240 applications for this money, “which shows the demand for activities which benefit women and girls in New Zealand”.
The Ministry for Women’s formal Suffrage 125 programme closes this month but the work continues.
- Point of Order suggests the 240 applications also show that if you provide a trough, you will create a demand for its contents.
29 NOVEMBER 2018
America’s Cup Community Fund created
Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin says a stand-alone Lottery Fund has been created to help communities throughout the country benefit from the 2021 America’s Cup.
The fund allows community groups to apply for grants that will create community benefit related to Auckland hosting the America’s Cup, maximising the benefits from the event.
The Lottery Grants Board made the decision to create the Fund – the Lottery Fund for Community Benefit Related to the America’s Cup Committee – and it has been allocated $20 million.
The Fund will be open until the end of December 2020 or until funding has been fully distributed. Funding is available for capital projects and items that relate to or connect New Zealanders to the 2021 America’s Cup.
A new Lottery Distribution Committee, responsible for making decisions on applications to the Fund, has also been appointed.
Details on how to apply for the Fund can be found here: https://www.communitymatters.govt.nz/ask-us/view/771
- This fund presumably will distribute profits from Kiwis playing Lotto. But let’s not forget the Government has earmarked $100 million towards a “support package” for New Zealand’s hosting of the America’s Cup in 2021, a sum announced in this year’s Budget. And Auckland mayor Phil Goff has said the construction and related costs for the base layout at Wynyard Point would total $212m, with council contributing $98.5m.
Point of Order 