The head of the Tokyo Olympics is in trouble for saying:

“If we increase the number of female board members, we have to make sure their speaking time is restricted somewhat, they have difficulty finishing, which is annoying,” said Mori, according to local media.

So he said he didn’t want more female board members as they speak too much. And what did he say when he tried to apologise?

Mori, 83, apologised at a hastily called news conference, but when pressed on whether he really thought women talked too much, he said: “I don’t listen to women that much lately so I don’t know”.

Oh dear.

Mori is a former PM of Japan and was once described as having “the heart of a flea and the brain of a shark”. I can’t work out if that is an insult as sharks are quite intelligent. I suspect we can conclude heart of a flea is not complimentary.

NewstalkZB reports:

At the pōwhiri – her fourth as Prime Minister – Ardern had announced the first Matariki holiday would be on June 24, 2022.

That was applauded by those present – a much smaller crowd than normal after a number of those who usually attend opted to stay away following the recent Covid-19 case in Northland.

However, Ngāpuhi elder Hone Sadler reminded Ardern of other problems Māori faced, referring to imprisonment rates, health problems, suicides and education, as well as housing

Ardern later defended the progress made on those other issues, saying not everything could be solved in a year – and denied she was simply turning up with promises she could not meet.

They’ve been in office now for three and a half years, not just one year.

And Labour failed to deliver on almost every major promise they made in 2017.

She said she would never give up on trying to make progress in health, housing or education.

To quote Yoda, “Do. Or do not. There is no try”

The BBC reports:

The UK will apply to join a free trade area with 11 Asia and Pacific nations on Monday, a year after it officially left the EU.

Joining the group of “fast-growing nations” will boost UK exports, the government says.

The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership – or CPTPP – covers a market of around 500 million people.

This is good news for New Zealand and good news for the UK. Fewer trade barriers helps exporters and consumers in both countries.

Grant McCallum writes on FB:

Yesterday a young man was driving from Whangarei to our farm near Maungaturoto when he was pulled over by the police. His girlfriend wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, he was on his learners license, his WoF had expired and he had two bald tyres. The two police decided, after he told them he was on his way to a job interview, to park up the car, drop his girlfriend home, and then drive him to our place. A distance of about 75km. This is outstanding community policing. They decided to give him a break. And it has paid off. We gave him the job. He starts on Monday. I then dropped him back to Whangarei. The rest is up to him. Great work Northland Police. New Zealand Police thank you for selecting and training such good people.

What a great story. Well done cops.

Stuff reports:

Treaty Negotiations Minister Andrew Little has announced a new $150 million Crown investment fund to cover Ngāpuhi Treaty negotiations.

Little said it would be operated by the Crown for the benefit of Ngāpuhi.

The purpose would be to make a return on the money while long-running, and delayed, negotiations continue with the hapū of the northern iwi.

This is bizarre.

By effectively granting the money up front, this removes the incentive to actually do a Treaty settlement. The fact that other Iwi have had their settlements and profiting from them acts as an incentive to settle.

I’m 100% in favour of Ngāpuhi receiving a large settlement for the wrongs done to them by the Crown. But the settlement needs to be, well, settled.

Stuff reports:

Luxury department store David Jones will close its Wellington store in June 2022, after months of uncertainty over its future. However, its Auckland outlet will keep its doors open.

The flagship store, which opened in Lambton Quay in the heart of the city’s Golden Mile in July 2016, is understood to have told its employees on Wednesday that the business will shut its doors.

The store is home to some of the world’s most prestigious fashion brands, including the likes of Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Christian Louboutin, Prada and Versace.

Very sad for the staff, and customers.

It will leave a huge retail space available. I’m not sure there will be many other retailers that could occupy it.

The Government is planning to rush through Parliament under urgency retrospective legislation that will cancel nine local referendums on whether or not to establish a Maori Ward in nine local authorities. This will disenfranchise several hundred thousand New Zealanders.

They effectively argue that it is vital to have Maori wards, because without them, racist New Zealanders will not vote for Maori and they will be under-represented in local Government. Nanaia Mahuta said that “Increasing Māori representation is essential to ensuring equity in representation”. This implies that there is a huge under-representation.

This graph shows the proportion of local government elected officials who are Maori and the trend is remarkable, and very positive. Since 2004 the proportion of Maori has tripled from 4.2% to 13.5%. This shows that New Zealanders have been electing Maori to local authorities, without needing Maori wards.

This is a good thing. I’m proud of the fact that New Zealand has such high levels of representation from the indigenous population – both at central and local Government level. What was arguably a problem in 2007 has been solved through more Maori standing for Councils and more voters voting for them.

The 2018 census found 13.7% of adult New Zealanders were Maori. And the proportion elected in 2018 was 13.5%. Almost perfectly proportional.

So don’t fall for the big lie that Maori wards are needed to get adequate Maori representation on local authorities. It is simply false.

CBS reports:

The names of Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and other prominent figures including California Senator Dianne Feinstein will be removed from 44 San Francisco public schools, a move that stirred debate Wednesday on whether the famously liberal city has taken the national reckoning on America’s racist past too far.

The decision by the San Francisco Board of Education in a 6-1 vote Tuesday night affects one-third of the city’s schools and came nearly three years after the board started considering the idea. The approved resolution calls for removing names that honored historical figures with direct or broad ties to slavery, oppression, racism or the “subjugation” of human beings.

They really are out of this world.

Reason reports:

Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves and yet the country has run out of gasoline. The socialist government has lost the capacity to extract oil from the ground or refine it into a usable form. The industry’s gradual deterioration was 18 years in the making, tracing back to then-President Hugo Chávez’s 2003 decision to fire the oil industry’s most experienced engineers in an act of petty political retribution.

The near-total collapse in the nation’s oil output in the ensuing years is a stark reminder that the most valuable commodity isn’t a natural resource, but the human expertise to put it to productive use.

It really is quite incredible. They have the largest oil reserves in the world and they have run out of petrol.

The little gas that is still available comes via periodic shipments from Iran. But the Venezuelan government doesn’t officially charge at most gas stations. It uses a quota system, so filling a tank can mean waiting in line for days.

Back to the USSR!

“PDVSA once had over 20 refineries around the world,” says José Toro Hardy, an economist and former director at PDVSA from 1996-1999. “We were able to move our oil from the nation’s subsoil into the tanks of American drivers,” he said. “And the entire process was managed by Venezuelan entities with Venezuelan oil wells, pipelines, Venezuelan tankers…We had built something gigantic, but suddenly, we were faced with a costly historic accident: Hugo Chávez won the election.

Chávez held power from 1999 to 2013, when he died of cancer. He dubbed his policy agenda “socialism of the 21st century.” It turned one of the most prosperous countries in Latin America into the site of a humanitarian crisis. Chávez rewrote the constitution, clamped down on the freedom of the press, nationalized over a thousand private companies, and destroyed the national currency through hyperinflation. 

And at least the people have equality – everyone is in poverty.

Stats NZ reports:

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 4.9 percent in the December 2020 quarter, from 5.3 percent in the September 2020 quarter, Stats NZ said today.

Last quarter’s unemployment rate of 5.3 percent followed the largest increase observed in a single quarter since the series began in 1986.

This is good news for New Zealanders, and for the Government. It shows the benefits of a flexible economy that can respond to economic shocks in certain sectors.

The Australian unemployment rate is 6.6% so 4.9% is a very good result.

C&R released:

The deceitful collection of elector voting documents in the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu by-election is serious cause for concern and immediately needs to be addressed, says C&R candidate Malcolm Turner.

“I’ve received several reports that a person is knocking on local resident doors and asking to collect their voting papers. In one instance, this person demanded an elderly resident fill in their paperwork and then hand it to them.

“Three residents have confirmed to me the identity of the person in question and unfortunately it is alleged to be a candidate.

‍
“The rules are very clear. The candidate information guide states that voting documents should not be collected from electors by candidates or their assistants. Each elector should post or deliver their own voting document to the electoral officer.

“I have emailed the Returning Officer and Auckland Council asking them to officially inform candidates and their teams that interfering in the voting process by collecting another elector’s ballot is an offence under the Local Electoral Act 2001 and is liable on conviction.

Hopefully the electoral authorities will investigate this and charge the candidate, if he has truly been asking voters to have over their ballot papers to him.

J-Wire reports:

Israel transferred 2,000 vaccine doses to the Palestinian Authority (PA) on Monday, the first batch of a total of 5,000 doses. …

Despite the transfer of the vaccines this morning, the PA’s Ministry of Health denied accepting them, in a move that caused embarrassment among PA officials who found it difficult to explain the denial in light of photos taken at the Beituniya checkpoint of the transfer of the vaccines, a denial that led to the mocking of the PA on social media. Arab-language media sites reported on the transfer of the vaccines, and officials in Ramallah told TPS that the official denial was an embarrassing move while some called the Ministry of Health “liars.”

So even though under the Oslo Accords the responsibility for vaccinations for those living in Palestinian Authority areas is with the Palestinian Authority, Israel has donated 5,000 doses to the PA.

And the PA flatly lies and denies it has received any vaccines from Israel, despite photographic proof of them receiving them.

Mike Yardley writes:

With the 10th anniversary of the killer Christchurch earthquakes just three weeks away, I like many people were stunned and saddened to hear about Sir Bob Parker’s profound health battles over the weekend.

The former Christchurch mayor is in a long-term care facility after a major stroke and brain bleed that has left him with limited movement and confined to a wheelchair.

He is 68. …

I found it particularly crass over the weekend to notice one current city councillor on social media, who rubbished his mayoral record while he is facing the battle of his life.

Rather than wishing him well, this councillor opted to attack his shortcomings in the office instead.

Councillor Melanie Coker – gee there’s nothing like kicking a man when he’s down.

I find that absence of basic humanity repulsive.

Why is it some councillors place a greater premium on political recriminations than exercising basic decency?

A good question.

I note Cr Coker is the former campaign manager for Megan Woods who was thrashed by Bob Parker when she stood against him in 2007.

UPDATE: I’ve had sent to me the actual comments made and while they were (IMO) inappropriate, they were not nasty. The exchange was:

Johnny Davies

It has all gone down hill since he left. Get well Sir Bob

Melanie S A Coker

Johnny Davies it’s his Council that meant Christchurch was woefully under insured when the earthquakes hit.

Still ill advised, but not malicious.

Stuff reports:

New Plymouth and South Taranaki will both have a Māori ward after the 2022 election.

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta was in New Plymouth on Monday to announce proposed legislation that will uphold council decisions to create Māori wards.

At present the wards can be overturned in public polls triggered by petitions supported by 5 per cent of council voters.

Mahuta proposes to have the new legislation through Parliament by February 21 to ensure that the nine councils around the country that were faced with holding a poll, including New Plymouth, will not need to.

This is a constitutional and electoral outrage.

The Government is going to ram a law change through Parliament under urgency to take away the vote from residents and cancel legally triggered referenda because they think people will vote the wrong way.

The Government thinks that voters can’t be trusted to make the right decision on Maori wards, so it is going to legislate away the right for referenda under urgency.

This is beyond disgusting.

A guest post by Alwyn Poole:

I know it is from Gettysburg but “government for the people” is surely a recognised democratic principle.

Near the beginning of the second term of this government – as we see through the Covid-response fog – people are slowly waking up to the significant societal problems that the government is making little or no progress on (and in some cases making worse).

A few of the issues and the people in charge:

1) The complete mess that Oranga Tamariki appears to be in with regards to early help and intervention for vulnerable children.

For OT the last three years had NZ First’s (the 2.6% party in 2020) list MP Tracey Martin as Minister for Children. Martin rated 2.6/5 (that 2.6 again) in the 2020 Mood of the Boardroom and came 5^th in the Ōhāriu electorate . Very little progress seems to have been made – or worse – the Chief Executive has now resigned. Martin is out of the House but apparently straight into a Ministry of Education contract and the children are now in the hands of Kelvin Davis – who the Mood of the Boardroom had last out of 25 Ministers.

2) The growing divide in education results between the rest of the developed world and the sliding NZ system. Add to that the stark and growing outcome deficits for children with learning difficulties, low decile, Maori and Pasifika that are prevalent right through all education levels.

Education is a huge portfolio and oversees a bureaucracy of over 3,000. Chris Hipkins may well be capable but simply has too many roles that have big daily commitments – Covid-Response, Public Sector, Leader of the House – on top of education.

3) The ineffective response to issues of child poverty.

Child Poverty reduction remains with the Prime Minister.

4) The fact that we cannot effectively house those that cannot house themselves – but get so caught up in the media and politics of those who can.

Phil Twyford managed to do worse with this than could have been conceived after talking a good game in opposition. Mood of the Boardroom had him sneaking into 24^th spot ahead of Davis. Now in the hands of Megan Woods and it seems to be becoming the Ministry of Announcements and Re-announcements. There is a huge inability to let the market be the market and deal effectively with where it fails or people get/find themselves in a bad spot.

5) The very mixed results around crime, prison (and the strong evidence for lack of education and rehabilitation within them).

Poto Williams and Kelvin Davis share roles around these issues. Davis seems to be a byword for mediocrity and non-involvement and it is a big promotion for Williams who was ranked 21/25 in her previous roles.

6) The complete mess around transport infrastructure development and the effects on business.

Michael Wood who did not feature as a Minister in the last government but has taken over from the hapless Twyford.

Assuming Positive Intent

To make the world (or their part of it) a better place is what I would think all politicians would have as a major part of their initial desire to go into this arena. Ardern has stated that her primary motivation for going into politics was to solve child poverty in NZ. Some clearly take in harmful, even if sincerely held, ideologies, that if fully let loose would cause far more harm than good.

What seems to go wrong? Is it the quality of the people and/or a lack of accountability?

I do not know the full answer re the quality of the people but it does seems to me that the nature of our political system is highly rebuffing for genuinely effective change agents, people successful in the private sector and mavericks who just get stuff done.

Douglas Adams may also have a point about those who seem to have an innate desire to lead (or control):

“The major problem—one of the major problems, for there are several—one of the many major problems with governing people is that of whom you get to do it; or rather of who manages to get people to let them do it to them.
To summarize: it is a well-known fact that those people who must want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it.
To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.”

Clearly this could apply to MPs but also to the massively paid heads of our bureaucracies who also largely escape scrutiny – with the possible exception of Grainne Moss. That situation may serve to have New Zealander’s look more closely at the leaders in our other problematic bureaucracies.

Accountability for genuinely bringing about improvement seems low and there are all kinds of spin and mechanisms to protect Ministers and others in leadership roles. We were once told by a senior Ministry of Education official that they considered their primary role was to “protect the Minister” – and that was under National.

I am not sure that our media (of all forms) genuinely dig for results and improvement for New Zealanders but seem more interested in scandal and too easily distracted by the issues that the government want front and centre.

Whoever is in power; a strong, intelligent, unified opposition has the role of holding the government to account. With this term barely started it will be of high interest to observe this. At least ACT will have more than one question a week – which will annoy the Speaker no end.

And – despite the positive attempt at the beginning of their time it appears from a distance that some MPs simply lose the plot and get caught up in the contest and personality bluster. Frankly – I think that they forget what they went there for in the first place and/or get consumed with the retention of power (and baubles) as opposed to doing the good they thought they were going to do. Wellington becomes their bubble and the rest of NZ and the non-political class can wait until the next election. Maybe one thing that could change is that all politicians be limited to three terms and then have to take a term out of the State sector entirely before seeking re-election.

What to do?

If it is to truly be “government for the people” then the “the people” have to more active than just voting (or not) every three years. The MPs and the Public Servants rank below the population as a hierarchy. People have to be active and challenge for change. When I was asked by a group of New York educators why the down-trodden groups in NZ accept the education results of their children without taking to the streets in protest … I had no answer.

Parliamentary opposition and media need to do their job superbly and when they do need to be applauded and supported. Work hard to keep politicians on the real problems. Stay off the click-bait and send the market signals that true journalism is needed. Journalists respond to readership – when they do high quality work we must let them know. Surely the system must change in some form to make being an MP, being in government or being in Public Sector leadership more attractive to highly effective and private sector proven people.  The way many things are run now – including the stodgy traditions and petty nonsense of the House you would find few who would bother. People who get things done generally have very low thresh-holds for boredom, don’t suffer fools lightly and kick against control for control sake.

Newshub reports:

Newshub can reveal New Zealand Firsts two female MPs from the last Parliament, Tracey Martin and Jenny Marcroft, have resigned from the party.

Martin, a former Government minister, said she quit because what the party has become now is not the party she joined. She said New Zealand First no longer matched her values. 

When asked whether that related to policy or culture, Martin said both. 

This is not surprising. Around half of NZ First’s former MPs have fallen out with Winston and quit the party. And when it comes to female MPs, I think every single one has left.

NZ First has only had eight female MPs over 27 years and at least seven of them have quit the party entirely – Ann Batten, Jenny Bloxham, Deborah Morris, Robyn McDonald, Tracey Martin, Asenati Taylor and Jenny Marcroft. Possible Barbara Stewart also.