OnPoint by Keith Ng

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OnPoint: Budget 2014: Yeah okay.

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  • Keith Ng, in reply to Michael Homer,

    The visualisation's a bit off for MPI - "Border Biosecurity Risk Management" is listed as both increasing and decreasing by 100%, as is "Implementation of Policy Advice" (at least I think those are the same thing both times). LINZ has similar issues - it thinks almost everything is new.

    So sometimes items change in scope (e.g. From "policy advice" to "policy advice and support" or something). Technically, if a scope is worded differently, then it actually is a different budget item, so get its own ID, so the visualisation treats them as separate item. This isn't very helpful, but is an accurate rendering of the data.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 543 posts Report Reply

  • Keith Ng, in reply to Sacha,

    Russel Norman identifies large effective cuts in Health and Education budgets.

    Yes and no.. as you can see from this crazy chart projected health spending doesn't really *ever* match with actual health spending. It's pretty much just the baseline, with the expectation that more money will be spent on it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 543 posts Report Reply

  • Keith Ng, in reply to nzlemming,

    Also, a number of items in the MoBIE breakdown come up as “Policy advice and outputs” without identifying what these things are for. Will the detail be forthcoming in a later iteration, Keith?

    No. If there's no further data in the description then there's no further data. There might be categories like "Departmental expenditure" vs "Capital expenditure" and stuff like that, but it's unlikely to be very illuminating.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 543 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Sacha,

    That must represent some internal transfer of functions?

    But the entities don't exist, that's my point, not the change in budget amounts. Seems to me that the government doesn't want to admit just how big MoBIE has got.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to nzlemming,

    Now, I know for a fact that nothing leaves MoBIE without going through Joyce’s office, even before it gets to the responsible minister so that tells me a little something about how this government intends to regulate the market…

    Sounds like Prostetnic Vogon Joyce wants to do a Robert Moses, but on a nationwide scale.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    As for me personally, I still get denied a place on the waiting list for my rare dental condition because I'm not sick enough. Maybe I'll get on it if my condition gave me something like septicaemia... talk about ambulances at the bottom of the cliff.

    Thought about listing my cause on Give A Little, but dozens of others have the same idea, and by the sounds of it, Sturgeon's Law is in danger of taking its course. And that means the risk of charity fatigue.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    We now have a surplus of around $370 million, great says the Nat fanboys and girls.
    But National has been borrowing big for all the time they have been in office...
    Blinglish says...

    "Paying the interest on our debt this year will cost $3.6 billion - more than we will spend on the police and early childhood education combined,"

    So, no real surplus at all then?

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    When they talk of a surplus, it means that the government is spending less than it takes in taxes over a year. Paying all the debt off would take quite a long time.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Keith Ng,

    Ta. That was a dramatic change in track in early 2010.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    The CTU’s pre-Budget analysis of Health funding needs is always interesting.

    “We estimate that to avoid cuts in services or increased user charges, the Health Vote would need to increase by at least $499 million just to keep pace with population growth, ageing, and increases in costs,” says CTU economist Bill Rosenberg.

    “To allow a reasonable amount for new treatments and services, a further $172 million would be needed, so the total required would be $670 million.”

    The analysis also shows that District Health Boards (DHBs) need $399 million just to cover costs, ageing and population pressures, or $536 million to provide for new treatments and services.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rosemary McDonald,

    Hey! I've found a happy post - budget person!

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1405/S00092/extra-funding-for-disability-support-services-in-budget.htm

    So happy that disability support services are down for an extra $112.1 million they are "celebrating". Hopefully there will be a lot less of this;

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/canterbury/8712453/Abuse-claims-at-seriously-dysfunctional-care-home

    from this particular MOH:DSS Contracted Provider.

    Waikato, or on the road • Since Apr 2014 • 1346 posts Report Reply

  • Rosemary McDonald,

    On the eve of the first aniversary of the Public Health and Disability Act amendment, the highlight of last years budget, I have been revisiting the posts and comments abounding at the time.

    Especially this one:

    http://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/onpoint-what-andrew-geddis-said-but-shorter/?i=225#replies

    Anyone still give a shit about this?

    Waikato, or on the road • Since Apr 2014 • 1346 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,

    Anyone still give a shit about this?

    That and many other things. The simplest answer to many of them is change the government.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    I have not read anything about how Radio New Zealand, NZ Film Commission and NZ On Air fared in the Budget. Is it status quo for them je further squeezing of funding?

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Rosemary McDonald, in reply to Sacha,

    The simplest answer to many of them is change the government.

    Hmmmm.....

    This issue went to the Human Rights Commission when the Red Flag flew o'er the Beehive. Could have been sorted then if it there was the will. There wasn't. Labour cried "foul!" a year ago when the PHDAct legislation was being RUSHED through the house....National quite rightly cried "hypocracy!".

    What was "only a policy" (as Ruth Dyson said to me in early 2013), is now a law.

    Which, by the way, does not seem to apply to all disabled....as exceptions are STILL being made. Back to square one.

    Waikato, or on the road • Since Apr 2014 • 1346 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    I have not read anything about how Radio New Zealand, NZ Film Commission and NZ On Air fared in the Budget. Is it status quo for them ie further squeezing of funding?

    The public broadcasting budget shrank overall because the digital transition funding ended. NZ On Air got an additional $500,000, but that only replaced money diverted to the Film Archive in the previous two years. So it's still basically a seventh year of the freeze -- which in real terms means seven successive years of cuts.

    This government really does not like public broadcasting.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,

    when the Red Flag flew o'er the Beehive

    True, but I think the next leftish govt will look quite different to that one. As will the next rightish govt.

    I'd be lobbying Winston and the Greens, as well as applying some pressure to Labour. If that were my day job.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rosemary McDonald, in reply to Sacha,

    True, but I think the next leftish govt will look quite different to that one. As will the next rightish govt.

    .....and a centrish government will look like what?

    Politics MUST be removed from the provision of required disability supports.

    Disability Support Services are an ongoing need...a right, in fact.

    Disabled must have the security of knowing that the provision of services will NOT be dependant of the colour of the flag over the Beehive.

    This is of equal concern to those disabled who enjoy the legislative protections of ACC eligibilty..

    Waikato, or on the road • Since Apr 2014 • 1346 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,

    Significant expenditure will always be political. We need to get much better at working the system that influences decisions, like other disadvantaged groups have done.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rosemary McDonald, in reply to Sacha,

    Significant expenditure will always be political. We need to get much better at working the system that influences decisions, like other disadvantaged groups have done.

    As soon as one begins to casually use expressions such as "working the system...", the battle to claim rights that give equality and equity to disabled citizens is lost.

    At the present point in time, convicted child sex offenders have better protection of their rights than do disabled. Moreover, when it comes to "significant expenditure", no-one is suggesting that the government cuts back on the over $90,000 per annum it spends to keep these scrotes in jail.

    There is something very rotten in the state of Kiwiland when this travesty is somehow acceptable.

    Waikato, or on the road • Since Apr 2014 • 1346 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,

    Being good at politics wins results. Politics is nothing more than a contest over power and resources. That's not going to change.

    Disabled people deserve competent action. Flinging around rhetoric about 'rights' only gets us so far - and I'd say a decade in the courts should give a solid grasp of how limited that avenue actually is.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    To give some idea of the relative size of our wins in this Budget, here's disability minister Tariana Turia's media release.

    - New operating funding of $6 million over four years to provide vocational support services to school leavers with disabilities who are entering the Very High Needs Scheme.

    - $3.8 million in new operating spending over 2014/15 to 2016/17 to extend the Enabling Good Lives disability support approach for the Waikato region.

    - New operating funding of $6 million over four years to establish a body to promote New Zealand sign language.

    “These are all important initiatives that will help New Zealanders with disabilities to live, work and participate in their communities,” Mrs Turia says.

    Out of total 2014/15 expenditure of $73,100,000,000 in the Budget those three initiatves amount to 0.002% each per year.

    As our population ages, there are more disabled people who need support services just like older people's health needs become more costly. The $112m 'extra' that the credulous provider hailed above is meant to cover all demographic and inflation increases in disability support services (and is only about 1% at most).

    I haven't even looked at all the other funding streams in government focused on disability, such as income support. Be nice if someone who gets paid to do that had already done so. Links welcome.

    (I'd also add that NZ Sign Language has capitals, like English or Swahili do.)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rosemary McDonald, in reply to Sacha,

    Politics is nothing more than a contest over power and resources.

    Agreed. The right to choose the person paid to provide care allocated after an assessment was recognised by the Tribunal and the two Courts.

    The contest for control, power if you will, over the "resources" was won, not by disabled people represented by the DPOs who 'sit at the table with government', but by those who have contracted to both MOH and ACC to provide disability supports.

    Despite, in the run up to the 2013 Budget, a plethora of media reports about abuse, neglect and even deaths of disabled people, when in the care of these 'professionals'.

    Media reports that were described by Clare Teague CEO of the partially govenment funded New Zealand Disability Support Network...a provider organisation, as producing a "...perceived lack of confidence in providers."

    http://www.nzdsn.org.nz/uploads/news/NZDSN-Newsletter-Jul_2013.pdf

    And again in November 2013, just before the release of this damning report;

    http://www.nzdsn.org.nz/uploads/news/NZDSN-Newsletter-Jul_2013.pdf

    Clare Teague, CEO of NZDSN said;

    "Though the majority of these were not substantiated and others that have been well and truly aired over the last year, it still is not a good look for the sector.
    We look forward to the report from the external review of the Ministry of Health,...create a path forward to restore any reduction of public confidence in service provision."

    http://www.nzdsn.org.nz/uploads/news/NZDSN-Newsletter-Nov_2013.pdf

    I am sure the taxpayers of New Zealand would be horrified to learn that $mega millions are being paid to agencies who continue to deny the abuses of disabled in their care while still demanding almost exclusive claim on every dollar spent on disability supports.

    So pervasive is this power that this organisation has seduced the major DPO into a very close relationship...one that baffles me, as one would think that each case of neglect that comes to light, each death in care, would complel that DPO to sever their allegience with NZDSN and demand the funding be removed by government from providers who kill.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/9974163/No-charges-over-boys-death-in-care-centre

    Waikato, or on the road • Since Apr 2014 • 1346 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,

    demand

    how? to whom?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rosemary McDonald, in reply to Sacha,

    how? to whom?

    http://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/disability-services/disability-sector-strategic-reference-group

    Would be a start. All the usual notables here...most importantly Toni Atkinson – DSS Group Manager, Ministry of Health (MOH)
    Jill Lane – Director National Services Purchasing, MOH
    Barbara Crawford – Manager Strategy & Contracting Support, DSS, MOH
    Kathy Brightwell, Manager DSS Policy, Ministry of Health.

    An emphatic "we will not tolerate this shit" statement from the DPO representatives, a mass walkout if they get dismissed, then throw the damn Strategy and UNCRPD at their sorry heads.

    All this "consultation" that is so highly valued by the DPOs has to have some meaningful worth.

    Else it's just more yakkety yak.

    FYI The Strategic Reference Group seems to be the top level means of communicating with the government about practical disability issues. Followed by the second tier; http://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/disability-services/disability-projects-and-programmes/consumer-consortium

    Consumer Consortium...again the usual suspects, plus a few actual pleb disabled.

    Seemingly no other avenue by which the average disabled person can engage with the Powers That Be. Unfortunately...all the DPOs plus other organisations are funded by government....

    OKAY...I give up!

    All is lost.

    Do you think there is any chance of getting Marylin Waring to stand again?

    Waikato, or on the road • Since Apr 2014 • 1346 posts Report Reply

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