The Letter -- Monday, 8 May 2006
9 May 2006
The Letter -- Monday, 8 May 2006 TheLetter Limited - www.theletter.biz
TheHaps
Labour goes further down the regulatory road. Themost serious budget leak in our history. More allegationsagainst David Parker. Rodney dances with the stars.
TheLeak
We suspect the government knows who leaked thecabinet paper. By publicly clearing their staff andappointing the State Services Commission to investigateMinisters are indicating they think the leak came from theMinistry of Economic Development.
It iscorruption
Everyone involved knew how commerciallyvaluable the information was. What else has been leaked? Why did they do it?
Media bias
The press gallerywho live on leaks do not realise how much damage has beendone to NZ's reputation for being not corrupt. Investorsaround the world who have lost money on the Telecom decisionassume it is corruption. A reputation for honesty that hastaken years to earn has been lost in moments. A secretinquiry that blames a civil servant will not restoreconfidence. A "political" Select Committee hearing will bedismissed as partisan.
A Commission of Inquiry
InAustralia the Howard government has set up a Commission ofInquiry under a High Court judge to hear evidence in publicinto the Australian Wheat Board's sanction busting dealswith Iraq. Not even John Howard has been exempted. Nothingless is required.
Minister negligent
Despiteknowing how sensitive the information was Minister DavidCunliffe took no measures to give the paper extra securityor to review security measures with his department. Wethink it was the Minister's inexperience. He has never beenin Parliament when there has been a budget that containedany sensitive information. Cunliffe is not going to be askedto resign because the most senior Ministers are more toblame.
Finance Minister negligent
Once thegovernment decided that this was a budget announcement, thenthe policy was Dr Michael Cullen's responsibility. The paperwas not marked "Top Secret, Budget".
PMnegligent
Helen Clark is in charge of the CabinetOffice. The procedure for maximum security is for the paperto be placed in an envelope and marked "Top Secret -Minister's eyes only". This was not done. It isextraordinary that an estimated 30 to 50 Ministerial staffare believed to have had access to such a sensitive paper.
The Politicisation of the Beehive
Once all thestaff who worked in Ministers' offices were career civilservants. Now Ministers' offices are staffed by politicalappointees. There just was no one in Cunliffe's office whoknew what to do. The Beehive was more interested in how tonews manage the announcement than in ensuring it was keptsecure. Clark will not appoint a High Court judge who mightpoint she was at fault.
Will it work?
For theunbundling to be a good decision it has to meet these tests.It needs to create over $1.6 billion in value, (the loss inTelecom's share price) and total investment in broadband hasto be greater than it would have been; (the announcements bycompetitors so far are tiny). Then the devil is in thedetail. Telecom has discovered in Australia that unbundlinghas not made it any easier to compete with Telstra. Thenthere is the long-term damage from undermining privateproperty rights.
You lost money
Every NZ'erlost money last week. The Cullen Fund that is saving for ourretirement holds Telecom shares. Nearly every privatesuperannuation scheme, every passive scheme and most managedfunds, as well as many mums and dads hold Telecom shares.The destruction of $1.5 billion in 24 hours will have animpact on the economy.
Regulatorycreep
Regulations are like Uncle Remus' tar baby. Oneregulation just leads to more. There will be massiveregulatory interventions required to try to make unbundlingwork. New technology means even the best thought outregulations are obsolete. The government's just realisedthat the Electricity Commission's decision againstTranspower's new line means more fossil fuel stations,making it even harder to meet Kyoto obligations. Cullen'sanswer? More regulations.
Parker's woes
Moreallegations have been made against Parker that he hid assetsfrom the liquidator of a failed business venture. Parker'sresponse is that it had been investigated at the time. It isall too complex, "he said, you said," so National hasdropped it. See "New questions for David Parker" at www.tbr.cc The real question is what inquiries has the PM made?
White men can't dance
The judges were a bit hardon our Rodney. If the Aussie and Pommie judges had seenRodney campaigning they would have realised his weight losscould make a Jenny Craig ad and we were pleased to see hecan dance! It will be a serious set back to white, middle,aged, males, a tribe we are very fond of, if Rodney isthrown out at the first hurdle. Vote at 0900 89 818 or text"Rodney" to 8981.
Youth rates
Some 27% ofreaders think youth rates should be abolished. Youthunemployment is a major issue in most OECD countries. One ofour first jobs was working in the freezing works cleaningintestines. No money in the world would get us back to thatshitty job producing high quality condoms. We thought thatthey were kidding when they said we were making frenchiesand inadvertently punched most of the condoms we produced! Amistake that may have had long-term consequences. It is thesort of thing that makes young workers expensive to employ.Adult wages will make it hard for Maori and Pacific youth toget that all important first job.
This week'spoll
"Do you support a full public inquiry under aHigh Court judge into the leak to Telecom?" Vote at http://www.theletter.biz/vote. We will send your answerto Helen Clark.
*************
Contact Us The Letter Limited PO Box1551, Wellington, New Zealand E-mail:admin@theletter.biz Web: www.theletter.biz
Please Note:Formerly the column The Letter was circulated by the ACTParty. It no longeris.
THIS ISSUE Lead NZ News NZ Politics World News FeaturesComment & Opinion Matt Robson: Goff Should Shake Hands With Chavez Not Rumsfeld - Former Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs Matt Robson argues that New Zealand should be paying close attention to the changes happening in Latin America flowing on from Hugo Chavez being elected president of Venezuala. Mr Robson suggests that rather than paying attention to US foreign policy and sending Phil Goff to shake hands with Donald Rumsfeld perhaps New Zealand would be better off having a chat to Hugo Chavez. See... The Sins Of Venezuelan President Chavez
Iran: Iran's Tragic Path Into The 21st Century - How did Iran arrive at the crossroads that it finds itself at today? Many Westerners believe Iran to be an angry anti-Western entity that for some unknown reason, took American's hostage in 1979 and has maintained a passionate hatred for America and the West ever since. The truth is, that there is much more to Iran's story. See... M. Gary Hucul: The Tragedy of Iran
Mayday: After The April Sun In Cuba - From Julie Webb-Pullman in Havana: Over the rise, and into the Plaza de la Revolucion to where it all happens on 01 May under Che's approving gaze... when it's not obscured by the flags of workers from so many countries. See... Photo Essay: May Day In Cuba
Foreign Policy: Scoop's Suzan Mazur Makes Madeleine Albright Blush - Secretary Albright's discussion of her morality & foreign policy book was immediately followed by two questions about her widely-rumored romantic relationship with diamond broker Maurice Tempelsman during the Clinton years, some say resulting in Tempelsman ... See... Madeleine Albright & Maurice Tempelsman Q&A
MORE SCOOP COMMENT & OPINION: Russell Brown & Ors - Public Address 03/05/06 - Various Informations & Public Address 04/05/06 - It's All On - EventuallyMartin LeFevre - Meditations: The Genesis of Genocide William Fisher - What Happened to the Good Fight?, American BedfellowsGood Returns - Book Review: Your Money Diet By Bruce Wallace Dahr Jamail - "Reason for Their Death Is Known" Ramzy Baroud - Sovereignty & Military Occupation Not Compatible Tanveer Jafri - "Islami Crusade" of the Talibans Between The Lines - Interview: Six Nations Land Dispute in Ontario Narconews - Oaxaca: Arrested Narconews Correspondents Released, Free Journalists Dul Santamaria and James Daria! & Narco News Journalists Arrested in Oaxaca Mexico BuzzFlash.Com - From King George of 1776 to King George of 2006 Financial Times - Scoop Link: FT - Electronic Voting & Mass Confusion Atlanta Progressive News - 36 US House Reps Want Bush Impeachment Probe Evelyn Pringle - Drive For Oil Company Profits Threatens Economy , Tequin's Serious Injuries - Bristol-Myers Feigns & Evelyn Pringle: Karl Rove Indictment Long Overdue Kamala Sarup - Women Needed To Join Nepali Press William Rivers Pitt - A Turning Point Pierre Tristam - All-American Seduction - J.F. Revel s Mistake Professor Brad K Berner - Campaign Calumny
CLICK HERE FOR MORE RECENT COMMENTARYJOBS: The best are @ SEEKCalculate YOUR NETWORTHNZ REAL ESTATE OnlineBook Cheap FLIGHTS OnlineQuick Retirement CalculatorMore TRAVEL choice hereHOME LOAN Calculators #this_text { text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;}#this_text a { font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; font-size: 90%; color: #943517; text-decoration: underline;}#this_text a:hover { font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; font-size: 90%; color: blue; text-decoration: underline;}The best JOBS are @ SEEK THE WIRES Scoops Parliament Politics World Business Sci-Tech Culture Education Regional Health SEARCH _m1svt='');
Source: scoop
All trademarks and copyrighted information contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
Related Articles
|
