26 February 2013

Hobbit documents shows pattern of dodgy backroom deals

Documents showing the Government ignored Crown Law advice and changed labour laws to suit Warner Brothers is further evidence of the kind of influence and access wealthy business people have to the Government, the Green Party said today.

Papers released under the Official Information Act show officials and two Ministers advised Sir Peter Jackson that there was no case for changing the law to remove employment rights from film workers. This advice was ignored when John Key intervened and negotiated a deal with Warners that overrode Crown Laws advice and amended employment legislation.

“On the heels of the critical SkyCity report, these papers further reveal the extent to which the Government is prepared to run rough shod over the law, and officials advice, if their mates want a favour,” said Green Party industrial relations spokesperson Denise Roche.

“There are no examples of ordinary Kiwi’s emailing the Government and getting a law change to suit them, but we now have a growing list of cases where that is exactly how the Governments friends use their access to get their way.

“This was pure union busting and a real insight into the shady backroom way John Key and his Government is running the country.

“Changing legislation for powerful players who have ready access to Government is inherently undemocratic and would make most people very uncomfortable.”
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Gordon Campbell: On Failures Of Care For Those With Mental Disabilities

Hard to imagine a more disturbing insight into the treatment of the vulnerable than the Health Ministry report on Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau. The Ministry has found that the country’s only kaupapa Maori intellectual disability residential care provider has been “seriously dysfunctional.”

The ministry says the business has failed to recruit and retain quality staff – and says the kaimahi (caregivers) that have been employed are seriously unsuitable for the job, lacking basic knowledge. But Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau doesn’t get all the blame. The report says there’s a significant gap under disability laws to ensure there’s oversight by qualified clinical professionals. More>>