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September 23, 2022
The case for and against Nanaia Mahuta
Martyn Bradbury
Posted On September 23, 2022
The case for and against Nanaia Mahuta
I want to start out by confessing that I am a Nanaia Mahuta fanboy.
I think she is a remarkable person with enormous intelligence and personal mana.
I think she has redesigned Foreign Affairs in a uniquely powerful and authentic New Zealand diplomatic manner that has indigenous values at its cornerstone.
I think her leadership on 3 Waters has been for the best interests of New Zealand water as a whole and while I personally want to see far more certainty around eliminating water privatization, culling cow populations to lower nitrogen levels polluting our water ways and ending all foreign water bottling companies, I do appreciate where Nanaia is taking the country on water.
I also think she has been victim to some of the most appalling and egregious racism I have ever had the disgust of seeing.
I think it’s important to let people know that privately, beyond the very serious face she now wears as the Foreign Minister, that Nanaia is wickedly funny and has a wondrously dry sense of humour. I have been fortunate enough to have met with Nanaia at various events and she is one of my favourite MPs.
So let’s get straight into the swirling allegations and speculation regarding her family being appointed as consultants to highly sensitive issues that strike at the very heart of our concepts of transparent spending of taxpayer money.
There is no question that valid criticism and rigorous scrutiny be applied to each of the 3 consultancies, which is exactly what is happening alongside an investigation by the Public Services Commissioner, ALL OF WHICH Minister Mahuta herself has called for, so that the swirling allegations and bad faith speculation can be stamped out once and for all!
The Minister has called this scrutiny upon herself because she has done exactly what was required in the Cabinet Manual by recusing herself and stating the conflict of interest.
She has nothing to hide and it is not her fault that she has talented family who are experts in this field.
This all matters because a fundamental part of the New Zealand political value is egalitarianism. We need to champion meritocracy, if you are the best, then you get the contract.
What is at stake here in these investigations of consultancy is not the crime of nepotism, it is the failure of meritocracy.
If the Minister’s whanau are the best to consult on the issue at hand and her interest is noted and she removed from any decision making, then meritocracy demands her whanau get the consultancy!
The true issue at hand is the one of perception.
It is not enough to be impartial, you must be seen to be impartial and the intense focus of the media on this issue requires the full scale scrutiny that the Minister herself has called for.
This is the courage of Nanaia, and I believe that the reviews will vindicate her.
Martyn Bradbury
Editor – TheDailyBlog.nz
twitter.com/CitizenBomber
Radio Waatea and its board would like to advise that the opinions posted are those of Martyn ‘Bomber Bradbury’ and not necessarily the views of Radio Waatea, its Management or its Board.
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