A press statement that seemed to have missed the bus on Budget day was among the announcements, proclamation, edicts and what-have-you posted on the Beehive website yesterday.
It came from Agriculture and Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor who presumably wanted to show the rural community he has been earning his keep and that Budget 2020 makes major investments in the primary sector that will support more than 10,000 people into jobs.
But if we tot up the numbers in his statement, it’s not nearly as much major investment as the $900 million for Maori or the $400 million for the tourist industry. Taxpayers (or will it come from the government’s lending sources?) will be called on to cough up –
- $19.3 million to help attract and train recently unemployed New Zealanders and grow the primary sector workforce by 10,000 people.
- $128 million for wilding pine and wallaby control, providing hundreds of jobs.
- $45.3m over four years to help horticulture seize opportunities for future growth.
- $14.9 million to reduce food waste by redirecting food to people in need
- $20.2 million to help rural and fishing communities recover from COVID-19.
- $5.4 million for critical resources to identify and manage animal welfare issues.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins popped up yesterday, too, with a statement explaining that new funding to boost Government-funded Adult and Community Education aims to give more than 11,000 New Zealanders more opportunities to learn.
“Budget 2020 included a $16 million boost to Adult and Community Education to help providers meet the increased needs for training and upskilling.”
Justice Minister Andrew Little highlighted a $62 million package to start the reform of the Family Court and enable it to respond effectively to the increased backlog caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
We suppose the reform of the court and clearing the Covid-19 backlog are two separate issues.
Not so ambiguous is that Little has introduced the Family Court (Supporting Families in Court) Legislation Bill, designed to:
- Restore the right to legal representation at the start of a case in the Family Court;
- Allow parties to those proceedings, where eligible, to access legal aid;
- Establish Family Justice Liaison Officers and produce better information resources to help parents and whānau navigate the system;
- Increase remuneration for lawyers for children to incentivise the recruitment and retention of skilled practitioners.
A second Bill expected later this year will enhance children’s participation in proceedings that affect them; ensure that children feel supported and informed as they move through the Family Court process; and expand lawyers’ duties in care of children proceedings.
“We are committed to taking action to ensure New Zealanders have a Family Court that is safe for participants, sensitive to their needs, and where every party has their voice heard fairly and appropriately,” Little said.
Make the court safe? Little obviously is telling us it will be unsafe until the reforms are implemented.
But perhaps the most significant announcement – from the Office of Attorney-General David Parker – was that the highly contentious Covid-19 Public Health Response Act 2020, intended to set a sound legal framework ahead of the move to Alert level 2, has been referred to a parliamentary select committee for review.
Yep, we know it has been enacted – in unseemly and shameful haste.
Parker said the review of the operation of the law would be reported back to the House by July 27, in time for the House to consider whether to renew the Act in line with the 90-day review specified in the law.
The post-enactment review, which has been recommended by legal experts and academics, will be conducted by the Finance and Expenditure Committee, which will have MPs from all parties in Parliament on it.
Inclusiveness, eh!
Parker reiterated that the Covid-19 Public Health Response Act ensures controls on gatherings of people and physical distancing are still enforceable. The new Act narrows the Police powers compared with those which applied under Level 3 and Level 4.
So much attention was being paid to hasty legislation empowering the Police that readers may well have missed the passage of a Bill aimed at closing a loophole that allowed some people to import cigarettes and loose leaf tobacco for manufacturing cigarettes and ‘roll your owns’ for sale on the black market without excise tax being paid.
The legislation, which doesn’t affect duty free allowances for travelers, was passed by Parliament yesterday morning.
The Point of Order Keep an Eye on ‘em Monitor found these and other items of news on the Beehive website yesterday –
Release
15 MAY 2020
Legal framework for COVID-19 Alert Level referred to select committee
The COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020, which set a sound legal framework ahead of the move to Alert level 2, has been referred to a parliamentary select committee for review.
Release
15 MAY 2020
New Zealand condemns shocking attacks on hospital and funeral in Afghanistan
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says New Zealand condemns the targeting of civilians in two terrorist attacks in Afghanistan earlier this week.
Release
15 MAY 2020
Government to close tobacco tax loophole
The Government will close a loophole that allowed some people to import cigarettes and loose leaf tobacco for manufacturing cigarettes and ‘roll your owns’
Release
15 MAY 2020
$62 million package to support families through the Family Court
The Coalition Government has made a significant $62 million investment from the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund to start the reform of the Family Court and enable it to respond effectively to the
Release
15 MAY 2020
Tailored help supports new type of job seeker – report
The Government’s expanded services to support people into jobs will help an emerging cohort of New Zealanders impacted by COVID-19.
Release
15 MAY 2020
A modern approach to night classes
New funding to boost Government-funded Adult and Community Education (ACE) will give more than 11,000 New Zealanders more opportunities to learn, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said.
Release
15 MAY 2020
Christchurch Call makes significant progress
Significant progress has been delivered in the year since the Christchurch Call to Action brought governments and tech companies together in Paris with a single goal to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.
Release
15 MAY 2020
Christchurch Call: One year Anniversary
Joint statement: the Right Honourable Jacinda Ardern Prime Minister of New Zealand and His Excellency Emmanuel Macron President of the French Republic.
Release
15 MAY 2020
Budget 2020: Jobs and opportunities for the primary sector
Budget 2020 makes major investments in the primary sector that will support more than 10,000 people into jobs, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor.
Release
15 MAY 2020
Budget 2020: Jobs and opportunities for the primary sector
Budget 2020 makes major investments in the primary sector that will support more than 10,000 people into jobs, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor.
Point of Order 
It is not even money for tourism. A large chunk of it will go to advertising companies, instagrammers and colouring in departments to promote NZ tourism. Well who to? A captive audience of NZers who cannot travel anywhere else to compete against each other. This is as daft as NZ universities advertising to compete against each other. In a time of crisis it is not going to make the boat go faster is it? Everyone in NZ knows where everything is, I do not see the value in promoting regions to travel to when the net result is the same.
You get a wage subsidy which only helps your staff who you won’t be needing anyway. Thanks. All that does is make the Coalition look better than it is as these businesses should just cease to exist, liquidate, burn creditors and then down the road start again.
Maori have their own $1b slush fund yet another double dip here.
Davis is really the worst Minister in this Coalition, he hasn’t advocated at all for his portfolio and he is Deputy Labour leader!
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Reblogged this on The Inquiring Mind.
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