I was invited to join Radio New Zealand's Jim Mora for a discussion about the Families Commission and whether we need it. Funnily enough Chris Trotter, when on topic and not talking about the history of the Labour Party or the pressing need to build more state houses, agreed with me more than once. (Starts at 9:00)
I note too that the DomPost editorial today calls for the scrapping of the Families Commission.
This entity began life with Commissioners numbering up to seven and 20 support staff. According to their latest annual report there are now 41 staff. Like the Children's Commissioner, they are well over budget. Most of the staff are involved in policy and research but the Ministry of Social Development has another 330 people fulfilling similar functions within the main body.
Its pet project seems to be trying to convince the government to increase spending on Paid Parental Leave ten-fold. As far as I can ascertain its sole purpose is to influence greater redistribution of resources. To Swedenise New Zealand if you like.
National's plan to amalgamate it with the Children Commissioner's Office is nothing more than window dressing. Disband it.
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4 comments:
I must say I agree. Bin 13.
I am not so sure we need to scrape the whole structure
I beleive we need the Families Commission with a new simple clear mission and mandate to instigate Preferencial Equal Shared Parenting, preferably HandsOnEqualParenting deep within NZLaw and NZSocial Policy
That would mean sacking ALL Judges and senior Bureacrats that are currenting manipulating law and policy to destroy good old Mum, Dad and the Kids.
It would mean a lot of work reshaping and simplifying Family Law and Social Policy.
It would eventually lead to scraping the Family Court and probably make CYFS almost redundant. It would also lead to downsizing WINZ because there woukd be less need for it
Onward - Jim
Well done, Lindsay.
CT actually said bugger all aside from what you noted re Labour party history & the need - as he sees it - for more state housing. Not that I bet he lives within cooey of a state housing suburb.
Thank God for the fast-forwarding capacity. While finding your bit I caught him harping on about the need for quality public television; "that NZ'ers wouldn't object to the large expense in that they happily fork out $100 or so a month for Sky", blah blah. Judging by the murmurings, I could envisage Grinning Jim nodding enthusiastically beside him.
They just don't get it, do they.
I don't own a TV. I can't remember the last time I actually watched a NZ tv show. Whats TVNZ's point again, and why are they using my money?
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