Nice one, Wayne

Could we please have more columns by Wayne ‘commonsense extraordinaire' Brown? Best column so far in 2021.

I am so glad that Andrew Little decided to stand down as Prime Minister as he has achieved so much more in his Treaty, Justice and Health Ministerial roles. It is refreshing to find such a level of common old, common sense in a Crown minister and also in Wayne Brown, who obviously believes that the best people to fix a problem are those who work at the coalface.

Wayne Brown is correct in that appointed boards do not work, do not produce the maximum value for the taxpayer dollar and are so clothed in administration that a huge portion of funding does not even reach the coalface. I, too, hate waste. It occurs in every ministry. We waste so much repairing the roads chomped up by huge trucks that could fund quality rail all over New Zealand. We waste so much paying moteliers for transitional and emergency housing, millions that would build affordable houses for all. We waste so much providing benefits for able-bodied people who could be productive. We waste so much in education, useless administration that could fund teacher aides for those who need it allowing teachers to get on and teach. Maori providers do not do much better with a multitude of organisations all providing copycat “services”, that have lead nowhere in raising inequality stats for Maori. Three cheers for Wayne Brown. We need more like him.

Marie Kaire

Ngararatunua