Outstanding Public Servant Award: John Belgrave
John Belgrave is an outstanding New Zealander. As a former Comptroller of Customs, long-time Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Justice, Chairman of the Commerce Commission, and now as Chief Ombudsman, he has served for more than forty years in the public service at the highest level.
And today he has proven again that his judgement is beyond reproach. Refusing to bow to a Government that has a reputation for harrying out of office anybody who disagrees with them, Belgrave has ordered Michael Cullen to release Treasury costings on Labour's student loan promises. This time, Labour has had to listen.
The results are spectacular. The Treasury documents show that Labour lied about the true cost of its own student loans policy. It shows that student debt will double over the next three years if Labour's policy is introduced. And it demonstrates that the claims that Labour made about its own policy have massively underestimated the risks to the tax payer.
It's no wonder Labour has been trying to hide the figures. What they didn't reckon was that in John Belgrave, New Zealand has a man of absolute integrity who thinks differently about Labour's secretive agenda.
3 comments:
Agreed. It's incomprehensible.
It's far too long and too technical. Anything more just gets lost in the noise.
But we can't expect John Key to write press releases. That's what they pay the frigging lackies for.
Fortunately, Bill English has done a good job of tidying it up.
I just heard John Key on Check Point (on National Radio) and he did not make it clear that 1) Labour lied and 2) just how far over the estimates the blowout would be. I wouldn't be surprised if people listening were left with a ho-hum, what's the big deal attitude.
The interview (with Cullen and Key) should turn up on this link eventually. Look for Checkpoint on the 14th. It'll only last a day or so.
He was a bit clearer on Close Up.
Mallard claims its even cheaper than 300 Million.....
Post a Comment