Government report card: ‘Needs to try harder’
the private sector. (Though not to anyone keen).
Next, calls for New Zealand to increase the number of refugees we give safe haven to each year from 750 to a thousand had the PM worrying if we’d do as good a job at taking care of them if there were so many more.
Given we haven’t increased our refugee quota for 30 years, globally aren’t pulling our weight, and that we are actually a whole nation built on immigration so we’ve got some skills and experience in relation to turning up here and making it home, I’d say that if we put a bit of effort in we might just pull it off, mate.
Next subject on the Government syllabus that looks likely for the chop is Mental Health. Farm that out to the private sector, pay them on performance-based outcomes. Get sick people measurably well enough that they’re no longer entitled to a benefit and the government will sign your cheque.
If mental health is a high-school athlete, the Government would like to be the sort of coach who only watches the finish line and hands out ribbons but takes no interest in the way the race is actually run.
Caring for the poor, the unwell, refugees – these aren’t the glamour subjects that earn an end of year prize. It’s hard slog – all homework and research – with no guarantee it’s going to pay off with a report card ‘‘Excellence’’.
So you can see why you might want to drop the tough subjects and leave yourself free to focus on the easy passes – the ones you reckon you could be good at, that make you feel confident, provide a sense of achievement and the opportunity for a bit of swagger: international sporting events, convention centres, flags.
But I’m ambitious for New Zealand. I reckon we could do better at those tough core subjects, if the Government could be persuaded it matters that you really put the effort in. A government with this much enthusiasm for National Standards should understand it is character-building to be told ‘‘Not yet achieved. Needs to try harder’’. Q. What is a ‘‘VO’’ (EQC/EQR term)? In what circumstances would a ‘‘VO’’ be used? Why can’t EQC/EQR determine the whole repair reinstatement strategy of the house before work commences? A. A VO is an acronym for a Variation Order. This means a variation to the works order is issued to contractors for the repair work. In the Canterbury Home Repair Programme all the repairs are based on a Scope of Works which is finalised after the scope meeting with the homeowner and contractor. After the ‘‘scope’’, the contractor will submit a quote and repair plan to the hub. Once this is approved by EQC a works order will be issued to the contractor by Fletcher EQR and the start date will be finalised. Sometimes it becomes necessary to change the repair strategy during the repair. These changes are called variations and must also be approved by EQC. – Cera
The Government would like to be the sort of coach who only watches the finish line.