The Insider
Signs of the times
Electoral Commission officials say plans for the upcoming election are going as well as they can at this stage. Staff are being hired, more polling stations booked and IT systems tested. The commission is forecasting big increases in advance voting and special voting. The unknown factor, though, is that for the first time people will be able to enrol and vote on election day. This, combined with normal voting and two referendums, means people will be spending longer in voting places, and possibly longer queues, which are not popular with NZ voters. In a sign of the times, officials are also looking at how to deal with a range of other issues including security challenges, threats to voters and staff, foreign interference and misinformation campaigns.
Left in the shadows
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker have been visiting India. Members of the business delegation with them say the timing has been a bit unfortunate, as US President Donald Trump has been there at the same time, soaking up the attention of many in the political and business world. For trade negotiators, though, it has presented a good contrast, with Trump’s approach to trade deals making New Zealand’s case look more reasonable. Even so, chances of a meaningful trade deal with India seem elusive as ever.
The beautiful game
MPs from the European Parliament have been in Wellington spreading goodwill and bonhomie. However, the finer points of European politics may have been lost on some. Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito Tofae Su’a William Sio sent out a Twitter message saying: “It was a real pleasure to host our friends from the @EuropaLeague”. Or maybe Sio has the right idea, and the people who run football in Europe have more power than the politicians.
Quieter times
Meanwhile, the European Union’s new ambassador Nina Obermaier is making herself known around Wellington. Obermaier will be hoping for a less stressful time than she’s had in some recent posts. Her last three years was as adviser to the deputy chief negotiator for the UK withdrawal from the European Union. Before that she was lead negotiator for issues related to Ireland/Northern Ireland. An EU-NZ trade deal should look relatively easy in comparison.
Everyone on board
Committees are an inevitable part of policy-making, and they just keep getting bigger. The Government is setting up a cross-sector energy hardship group, with the role of defining what energy hardship is, and thinking about ways to reduce the problem. Those behind the group say it is important to keep it small, so it can get something done within 18 months. However, first they might want to define what “small” means. Among those being considered for the energy hardship group are: senior staff drawn from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment; Ka¯inga Ora; Te Puni Ko¯kiri; the Child Wellbeing and Poverty Reduction Group in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet; the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority; the Ministry of Health; the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development; the Ministry for Pacific Peoples; the Ministry of Social Development; and the Electricity Authority. Then there are financial capability service providers, consumer advocates, community energy advocates and social and community services. To get around the problem, they are looking at setting up a “reference group” for the wider group to consult.
Getting paid
The Government is considering making it law for businesses to pay small businesses and contractors within 20 days of being invoiced, though officials are worried this may mean that “better performing” businesses may delay their payments to the maximum. This may be true, but businesses paying within 20 days of invoice are a rare species, so most will not worry about that risk. The other suggestion is the Government will set a target for its own departments to pay 95 per cent of domestic invoices in 10 business days by June 2020. This may be optimistic, given departments’ record of meeting other procurement targets set by ministers — anyone checked how the Government targets for buying lowemissions vehicles are going lately?
One to watch?
Labour has selected Kerrin Leoni to contest the Waikato electorate. The seat is distinguished in Labour history, as it’s where both Helen Clark and Jacinda Ardern first ran for Parliament. They both lost in the blueribbon seat, but went on to better things. Then again, plenty of other political wannabes have stood for Labour in the Waikato, never to be seen again.