Monday, May 24, 2021

Cindy Kiro

Cindy Kiro's appointment to the role of Governor General is political. Judging by comments on Kiwiblog people have forgotten her time as Children's Commissioner. She advocated that every child should be interviewed or assessed before age two and again at ages five, 13, and 17 - a heavy-handed unnecessary state intervention to avoid stigmatising particular groups. 

She helped Sue Bradford push through the anti-smacking legislation saying, "...we know more about parenting and child health and development now than we did in our parents’, grandparents’ and great grandparents’ times."

Warding off an interviewer asking about Maori child abuse she said, "I think people need to get a little careful when they start this business," and propagated false child death statistics in defence. She never owned or corrected them after their inaccuracy was identified. 

She overspent her Ministry's budget and was criticised for spending too much time overseas and staff turnover. 

Kiro is not a smart appointment.

3 comments:

James said...

I recall that she was one of the most openly partisan state sector employees of the Clark era, which is really saying something! (Of course, she was on the 'correct' side of the partisan divide to never be held accountable for many questionable assertions and acts).

GG is meant to be politically neutral and someone with dignity as befits who he or she represents. This is a horrible choice.

pdm said...

Interesting that Ardern referred to her as `our' Governor General - or a similar phrase.

I thought the Governor General represented the Queen in New Zealand.

gravedodger said...

I have blogged questioning if she has the ability to fulfill the very critical role involved as Head of State. A brief study of the potentially very damaging constitutional contretemps in Samoa are a guide to a possible scenario resulting from too adjacent to political power lacking in any need for restraint? Being part Maori, Female, ex public servant with issues from that role could seem to indicate maybe not so much.
Respect for the Law would be high on any criteria that I could accept and that seems lacking.