The
Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the overhaul of the
Remuneration Authority Act in relation to MPs' pay, but is
slamming the use of Parliamentary urgency to avoid the
public getting an opportunity to have their say.
Taxpayers’ UnionExecutive Director, Jordan Williams,
says:
“Parliamentary urgency should be used for
legislation that is needed urgently, not for avoiding public
input and the select committee process."
“While the
proposed change is an improvement on the status quo it
creates a conflict of interest for ministers negotiating
public sector pay because the amounts paid to bureaucrats
will directly affect what goes into their own pay
packets."
“The Government would be much better served by
a simple law change allowing the Remuneration Authority to
factor in the public service element of being an MP, and
requiring the appointment of a taxpayers’ representative.
Instead these changes set up a process where the foxes guard
the hen house with no opportunity for the public to submit.
It sets a dangerous
precedent.”
If you're using Scoop for work, your organisation needs to pay a small license fee with Scoop Pro. We think that's fair, because your organisation is benefiting from using our news resources. In return, we'll also give your team access to pro news tools and keep Scoop free for personal use, because public access to news is important!
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn. Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik... More
Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More
Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More
Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More
Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More