Podcast appearances and mentions of Clare Curran

I have got nothing bad to say about Chris Luxon demoting Melissa Lee and Penny Simmonds today. This is exactly the kind of performance management that the country deserves, don't you think? Obviously on a human level, I feel sorry for both of those ministers because this will humiliating - but don't tell me this wasn't deserved. Melissa Lee has done an appalling job of looking like she knows what she's doing with media, with senior commentators going on the radio to say - "She doesn't know what she's doing." And Penny Simmonds oversaw one of the biggest stuff ups for the Government, with the cutting of disability-related funding. So Melissa Lee's been stripped of the media portfolio and kicked out of Cabinet and Penny Simmonds has lost the disability portfolio - and she was already a minister outside of Cabinet. Now this does two things:  Firstly, it signals to voters that are there are standards in this Cabinet and incompetence will not be tolerated. That is a great signal to send to voters, it will likely lift the public regard of Cabinet. Secondly, it sends a very important message to other ministers that if you stuff up in public, this will happen to you. Luxon's made it clear we're going to see more of this as the Government goes along, and there is nothing like the threat of losing a job to make someone pull their socks up. What's happened today will shock a lot of people, because over the last few years we've got used to Prime Minsters just putting up with their ministers doing a bad job or behaving badly in public. Kiri Allan, Phil Twyford, Michael Wood, Clare Curran, even Nanaia Mahuta - the Foreign Minister who didn't like international travel. It took forever for Hipkins or Ardern to demote the under-performers, and they suffered for it - public opinion of them was tainted. That is clearly not how Chris Luxon operates, and it's a good thing. Because who doesn't want performance from the people that we pay to run the country? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Hope Centre for Life Matters - Clare Curran reports on the new Hope Centre for Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust. This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - oar.org.nz

The great tragedy, or sadness, for me out of the Nanaia Mahuta revelation is that we are being let down so badly by hopeless people.Forget politics and your personal view of the world, surely what you want in the leadership of your country is enquiring minds, experience, and institutional knowledge. You want people, who even though you may not agree with, at least you can see what they are trying to do and why.One of the great privileges of this job has been to meet everyone who has run this place for the past 40 years, basically from David Lange on.Lange was brilliant. He was bright, well-read, and articulate. Different world view from me, certainly, as it turned out from Sir Roger Douglas, but came to the job with some credentials. Sir Roger himself had a plan, had a vision, and saved this country from economic calamity by floating the dollar and cutting the subsidies.Ruth Richardson. Yes, a purist. But she could back the arguments up with fact, knew what she wanted to do, and had the intellectual heft to make it happen.Helen Clark. Say whatever you like about her, but you can't possibly argue she isn't connected, isn't well read, and understands vast swathes of the world and how it works.Sir John Key. Self-made, been out in the world, understood the markets, money, and therefore the economy like few others.And so they go.Fast forward to Mahuta, who can't even pick up a phone. She was an appointment you knew from day one was odd. You wondered, "How the hell did that happen?" And now, we have evidence of the greatest crime of all, whether in politics or not, the lack of an inquiring mind.The best excuse they can come up with is that's not the way it's done.What crap.What insulting, condescending, and embarrassing crap. When you are in charge, it's done the way you want it done.People who can't be bothered do my head in. I detest laziness. The higher up the pole you are, the more you can do, and that's a privilege. What a thrill to be able to make a difference, to change a course, to be hungry, to grasp the detail, to immerse yourself into something you can affect and improve.And yet look at them.Clare Curran, hopeless and gone. David Clark was sacked for being an idiot. Kris Faafoi is asleep at the wheel and desperate to get out. Phil Twyford is an abject failure. Poto Williams is a disgrace hiding behind a lack of interest and Mahuta-type excuses about operational matters. Mahuta herself is too lazy and disinterested to even pick up a phone.For those of us who long for better, this is a shabby and incompetent let down. Being useless is one thing, but being lazy and useless is the ultimate crime.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

374 - Bubbles of Meaningful Change - Clare Curran in Central Dunedin joins Samuel Mann in Sawyers Bay and Mawera Karetai in Whakatāne. With a contribution from Tahu Mackenzie. This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - oar.org.nz

Dunedin Night Shelter Trust - Night shelter acting manager Clare Curran says their annual appeal has gone virtual.

I see Trevor Mallard's started his back channel PR campaign to try to convince everyone he's really a good sort after all.He's told the NZ Herald he fought to have a clause included in the agreement he made with the man he wrongly labelled a rapist which allowed him to still be accountable to parliamentary processes like select committees and written questions. What a hero! Would've obviously been better if he fought his own urge to accuse someone of a crime they didn't commit.Anyway, I guess what we're all fascinated by now is whether he will survive in his job. And I suspect he will because he's got the backing of the Prime Minister.That could change. He might stuff up tomorrow's select committee appearance badly and lose her backing. National might have some real damaging information tomorrow - I doubt that, but if they did, that would change things. And maybe over summer she could lean on him to resign.But my gut says she's going to keep protecting him, based solely on the fact that that is what she always does. She always protects her mates longer than she should.She protected Clare Curran for ages, Phil Twyford, David Clark, Iain Lees-Galloway, the guys at Labour Party headquarters after they kept the Labour summer sex scandal from her. And then only got rid of people when it became absolutely untenable to keep protecting them.And if past behaviour is anything to by she'll protect Trevor Mallard longer than she should, until he basically starts costing them political points, which I think is almost certain given that the opposition will target him next year.The weirdest thing is that the Prime Minister absolutely refuses to use her political capital to make progressive and structural changes that are good for New Zealand, but is happy to burn it on protecting her mates when she shouldn't.  

I see Trevor Mallard's started his back channel PR campaign to try to convince everyone he's really a good sort after all.He's told the NZ Herald he fought to have a clause included in the agreement he made with the man he wrongly labelled a rapist which allowed him to still be accountable to parliamentary processes like select committees and written questions. What a hero! Would've obviously been better if he fought his own urge to accuse someone of a crime they didn't commit.Anyway, I guess what we're all fascinated by now is whether he will survive in his job. And I suspect he will because he's got the backing of the Prime Minister.That could change. He might stuff up tomorrow's select committee appearance badly and lose her backing. National might have some real damaging information tomorrow - I doubt that, but if they did, that would change things. And maybe over summer she could lean on him to resign.But my gut says she's going to keep protecting him, based solely on the fact that that is what she always does. She always protects her mates longer than she should.She protected Clare Curran for ages, Phil Twyford, David Clark, Iain Lees-Galloway, the guys at Labour Party headquarters after they kept the Labour summer sex scandal from her. And then only got rid of people when it became absolutely untenable to keep protecting them.And if past behaviour is anything to by she'll protect Trevor Mallard longer than she should, until he basically starts costing them political points, which I think is almost certain given that the opposition will target him next year.The weirdest thing is that the Prime Minister absolutely refuses to use her political capital to make progressive and structural changes that are good for New Zealand, but is happy to burn it on protecting her mates when she shouldn't.  

Gareth Hughes and Clare Curran have each seen four parliaments, and a lot of politics. We have highlights from our chats with the outgoing Green and Labour MPs. 

“It’s a mixture of relief and I guess exhaustion, and disappointment and also hope.” Clare Curran is leaving politics, she talks bear pits, the media, Dunedin, mental health and tartan noir. 

Gareth Hughes and Clare Curran have each seen four parliaments, and a lot of politics. We have highlights from our chats with the outgoing Green and Labour MPs. 

“It’s a mixture of relief and I guess exhaustion, and disappointment and also hope.” Clare Curran is leaving politics, she talks bear pits, the media, Dunedin, mental health and tartan noir. 

The first showdown between new National leader Judith Collins and the PM at question time yesterday was a bit of a damp squib wasn't it?I was expecting full strength Judith Collins, but we got a diluted version.I heard she kept on Muller's leadership team and I hope that's not the reason why we're getting a watered down version of her in the House. I hope she's not listening to those advisors or taking their advice.I think we can all agree whatever message they're dishing out, is ineffective.Or maybe she was distracted by the Falloon scandal.She came in for a lot of criticism yesterday for not acting fast enough on that, but I don't buy it.The timeline on this shows the first complaint regarding the University student, went to the Prime Minister’s office last Wednesday apparently.The PM’s office didn’t tell the PM at this point. They told her chief of staff.. the following day – Thursday.Her chief of staff didn’t tell the PM, until Friday.So the PM's office sat on this for 2 days themselves.The PM passed it on to Collins office late Friday.Collin’s office didn’t tell Collins, until Saturday.At that point Collins made the call she wanted to deal with it face to face, so she waited until Monday, at which point she confronted Falloon in person.She had his resignation that same day.(He went on to resign from parliament the following morning.)So.. was that slow? Or fast?It's ironic the Labour Party alleges it's too slow - show me the time they've ever acted immediately on anything.Jacinda Ardern, who said she wouldn't comment on it any further because it was a matter for the National party, couldn't help but comment and said that, she "would have moved immediately”.Are you kidding?As immediately as she acted on the Labour party summer camp scandal, or Clare Curran, and David Clark.. who in the end had to sack themselves because she wouldn't, or Meka Whaitiri, who needed a review or a QC or a committee of consultants engaged before the party could act.Immediate action is not in the Labour party's playbook, so that was a bit rich.48 hours is not long at all to act here.This was a sensitive and tricky situation handled delicately and quickly.And whether you think that 48 hours is slow or not, we got a result.She acted, he’s gone.No committee or consultants needed. It didn't cost us the taxpayer a cent.In fact we saved money with his wages now that he's gone.She dealt with him in 48 hours, you have to give Judith Collins credit for that.

Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas on ministerial resignations in the recent and middle-distant past, a new book from Judith Collins, and the reinvention of Simon BridgesThe Gone By Lunchtime triumvirate convenes to chew on all the issues, or at least some of them. Such as: Judith Collins' new book; the resignation of David Clark as health minister; the Clare Curran interview from the weekend and toxic politics; the Labour Party congress and "let's keep moving"; the social media cult of Simon Bridges; and the departure of Paula Bennett.And, mostly important, a major mea culpa over vulgar and offensive statements in the last podcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

COMMENTNo matter which way they try to spin it, only one thing happened yesterday – the electioneering began in proper.Sacking David Clark, which is what this is - though sugar coated as "he resigned" which no one's buying - was all about doing the popular thing. Which is what this Government is obsessed with: Being popular.If something gets away on them on social media, then look out. They'll move.And two things happened recently on social media. One, the backlash against Clark for throwing Saint Ashley under the bus. Nobody puts director general of health Ashley Bloomfield in the corner, New Zealanders have deified him and he's untouchable.The other thing was anger that Clark kept his job.And while sacking people is not her bag, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed yesterday she had had "an open discussion" with the Health Minister, which is code for – we very politely suggested he may like to resign, if it wouldn't be too much bother.Why? Because this Government wants desperately to be back in power in September, and having people angry for not sacking Clark was just not cutting it.Word is, it wasn't Ardern herself who asked him to go - in fact she was still backing him up until a few days ago and saying he was going nowhere. It was Chris Hipkins and other senior Labour MP's who apparently leaned on him to do the right thing. After all, Ardern is not a sackings person. MPs in hot water usually have to sack themselves, a la Clare Curran. The PM is not that interested in accountability.Here's the rub though – in getting rid of Clark they've revealed their other Achilles heel – lack of talent.Who takes over health? Hipkins. Why? Because there are very few ministers in that Cabinet capable of doing anything – far less a big job like health, so the guy holding education now holds health too. Two of the biggest portfolios in government - held by one person.As National pointed out, during a global pandemic, health really needs to be someone's fulltime job.But while we're talking portfolios, it would be remiss of me not to mention Todd Muller – who I'm pleased to see took my advice and promoted Simon Bridges to foreign affairs yesterday. Okay, he probably wasn't taking my advice but, still, he did the right thing.Foreign affairs is what Bridges wanted all along. Wresting that off Gerry Brownlee must have been interesting, but in doing that Muller, despite his obvious personal issues with Bridges, may have been trying to tidy up a messy, fractured caucus.Let's hope that works.Sadly his big move didn't quite get the coverage he may have hoped for, given the rug got firmly pulled by Clark's dramatic announcement yesterday.So what can we glean from all this drama and flurry of action? The gloves are off, the election campaign is on – hold on to your hats from here.

I said last Friday that Kris Faafoi would not offer to resign, that the PM would neither sack nor censure him. I’m not any kind of wise soothsayer, it was the most obvious prediction ever.I don’t even know why the media bothered putting up the obviously ridiculous questions of “will she sack him?” and “will he resign?” Don’t waste your breath. The answer is of course not.Why? Well, look at the pattern, look at the form. Look at the precedents set.Iain Lees Galloway, Clare Curran (who in the end sacked herself given the PM wouldn’t), Meka Whaitiri, Phil Twyford, Shane Jones, Winston Peters. Any number of ministers in her cabinet who’ve breached protocols, behaved dodgy, skirted around conflicts of interest, interfered where they shouldn’t have.  Or in Twyford’s case, just been incompetent.It really doesn’t matter what the offence, this is not a ‘hold them to account’ leadership.  It’s not an accountable government.It’s self-proclaimed year of delivery delivered us plenty of headlines and scandals, just not much substance.So it doesn’t matter that Kris Faafoi who now says he “did a dumb thing” trying to help a mate with an immigration case: “bro, bro, you’re whanau bro”, no that’s all bye the bye. It was dumb, nothing to see here, let’s all move on.And in the blink of an eye, the media has.Nick Smith was not so lucky back in 2012 when under John Key he faced intense pressure to resign after he intervened for a friend in an ACC claim. He had to go, and did.But this is a new world order, this is a new and different government with a new approach.Mistakes can be made and wrists will be slapped, wet bus tickets issued. Pats on the head, and “aren’t you a naughty boy then?” seem to suffice.No wonder there is a long line of cabinet ministers in this government behaving, shall we say, ‘loosely’.  Why not when there are no consequences?  If you run a loose ship, don’t be surprised when all the sailors are drunk.They seem to line up outside the PM’s office for a quick, or should I say ‘stern’, if we can believe that, telling off, and back to business as usual.Here's my question: Is anyone in this government taking anything seriously?  Just wondering, because it is after all a country we’re running here.I’d hazard a guess that things might tighten up a bit next year, being election year and all, because if not, how can any of us be expected to take seriously a government who won’t even take itself seriously?

Hon Clare Curran - MP Dunedin South

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On today's podcast, Dr. Steve Simpson from the Auckland Physics Department returns with Trump Watch to give you your weekly dose of Trump, Matt pulls up Clare Curran about being unsure on some more problems and we give away a trip to Tokyo thanks to Tradestaff!

The media seized on Clare Curran's stumbles and wrote off her ministerial career well before she pulled the plug last week. She cited "intolerable pressure" and said her mistakes were "greatly magnified."

The media seized on Clare Curran's stumbles and wrote off her ministerial career well before she pulled the plug last week. She cited "intolerable pressure" and said her mistakes were "greatly magnified."

Megan Woods says a $100 thousand compensation payout is about doing the right thing by Derek Handley.The new Government Digital Services Minister is pressing pause on appointing a Chief Technology Officer despite Derek Handley already being offered the role.His appointment has been shrouded in controversy, after former minister Clare Curran failed to disclose a meeting she had with him.Megan Woods says although Derek Handley hadn't signed a contract the Government needs to honour its commitments.Derek Handley has said in a Linkedin post that he and his family will donate the compensation "proceeds" to a tech creativity fund.

Labour MP Greg O'Connor has apologised and said he got it wrong after he publicly criticised the handling of Clare Curran's resignation.O'Connor told Newstalk ZB's Heather Du Plessis-Allan yesterday, he felt things could have been done better.Now, he says it's pretty important to get it right - and he got it wrong - saying he's apologised and he's got the message.O'Connor repeatedly admonished himself when speaking to media today - saying eight times in just 90 seconds that he got it wrong.The Ohariu MP says his understanding of the events was wrong, the Prime Minister has spoken with him, he's apologised, and he now knows what was right.Newstalk ZB political editor Barry Soper has doubts though."Well in my book she [Jacinda Ardern] actually got it wrong and O'Connor got it right.""She deserved to be criticised for her handling of the Curran debacle, particularly when she declared on Newstalk ZB on Friday morning that Curran had paid her price and wasn't going to be cut loose, knowing full well that she had resigned as the minister the night before."Soper says O'Connor was simply saying things could have been handled better.LISTEN ABOVE AS BARRY SOPER SPEAKS WITH ANDREW DICKENS 

Is Jacinda Ardern bullying her MPs?That's the question talkback callers are asking after the Prime Minister told off Greg O'Connor over an interview he did on Newstalk ZB. The Labour MP was critical of the Prime Minister's handling of the Clare Curran saga yesterday, earning him a 'stern phone call'.Andrew Dickens raised the subject with his listeners, and they were split over whether it was Ardern or O'Connor who was in the right.LISTEN ABOVE  

Episode 5 This week we talk about NZ media's focus on Clare Curran, the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings, and the latest Trump/Woodward/Obama news. Opening track - "Sorry" by Comfort Fit

This week NZ Herald's Damien Venuto and Jack discuss Nike's campaign fronted by Colin Kaepernick, Clare Curran and personal email accounts and The New York Times anonymous op-ed.

On the podcast today, Jerry is slowly being indoctrinated into a Bhagwan style cult, Jacinda Ardern joins the show to chat about this Clare Curran ordeal and what type of baby poop she prefers and the Issue De Jour Guineas is back!

The Prime Minister told Chris Lynch she won't be firing Clare Curran following her series of blunders. Chris also spoke to the Prime Minister about her trip to Nauru and the prospect of raising the refugee quota. 

Clare Curran has resigned as Minister - but is it too little, too late?That's the view of some callers to Andrew Dickens today, who were overwhelmingly critical of how the situation has been handled.The main criticism was levelled at Curran for using a Gmail account to conduct ministerial business.Callers Jeff was critical, with Jeff saying that using a private email address was 'obviously wrong' and 'stupid'.Another caller says Curran has shown poor judgement. Some callers were divided on whether or not Ardern should have been more upfront about Curran's resignation.The Prime Minister spoke to Chris Lynch hours before Curran resigned and gave no hint that the Minister would be resigning. Callers were split on how Ardern handled it, with some happy that she gave Curran space while others think she should have been more upfront. One caller says the damage will be 'far more wide reaching'. Graham says that Ardern needs to show more ruthless leadership. Though one caller was a little more realistic, saying that none of this will have any impact on him and his weekend. LISTEN TO THE TALKBACK FEEDBACK ABOVE  

On today's podcast, Matt starts a battle with Uber over their use of the rating system, Jerry decides he wants to get on board Graeme Hart's superyacht and James McOnie joins the show to discuss more small towns the All Blacks need to visit…

Team Gone By Lunchtime gathers to discuss the important political issues of the day, from Clare Curran getting the boot to Party of Five. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

$15 million of fresh funding for public broadcasting will be split between RNZ, New Zealand on Air and a new fund targeting "under-served audiences." It's the biggest single boost for public broadcasting for a decade, but will it make a big difference?

$15 million of fresh funding for public broadcasting will be split between RNZ, New Zealand on Air and a new fund targeting "under-served audiences." It's the biggest single boost for public broadcasting for a decade, but will it make a big difference?

The government has allocated an additional $15 million in the Budget for public broadcasting, but it is not clear where the new investment will go or when we will see the benefits.

The government has allocated an additional $15 million in the Budget for public broadcasting, but it is not clear where the new investment will go or when we will see the benefits.

The fallout from Carol Hirschfeld's RNZ resignation and continuing pressure on the broadcasting minister Clare Curran were closely covered by the media again this week. Where are we now in the saga The Listener called 'Curran events'  - and what will be in the next episode?

The fallout from Carol Hirschfeld's RNZ resignation and continuing pressure on the broadcasting minister Clare Curran were closely covered by the media again this week. Where are we now in the saga The Listener called 'Curran events'  - and what will be in the next episode?

Bookended by revelations of sexual assault at a Young Labour summer camp and calls for broadcasting minister Clare Curran's resignation over a curious meeting with RNZ head of news Carol Hirschfeld, March has presented easily the steepest challenges for the new prime minister yet.Discussing all this, along with the government's big house-building announcement for the Unitec site, turbulence from NZ First, the Green leadership and also other things, are a record high five podders. Spinoff editor Toby Manhire is joined by Exceltium's Ben Thomas, and three editorial executives from the best television programme in New Zealand, The Hui: Annabelle Lee, Waimihia Rose and special guest star Mihingarangi Forbes. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The effects of Carol Hirschfeld's resignation from RNZ over an off-the-books meeting with the broadcasting minister go beyond the broadcaster itself. It comes as the minister was putting in place a system to fund broadcasting at arms' length from politicians, says Mediawatch.

The effects of Carol Hirschfeld's resignation from RNZ over an off-the-books meeting with the broadcasting minister go beyond the broadcaster itself. It comes as the minister was putting in place a system to fund broadcasting at arms' length from politicians, says Mediawatch.

The broadcasting minister has appointed advisors to look into funding our public media at arm's length from government. The new TV channel she once wanted seems to be off the table for the foreseeable future, but when will we know who gets the $38 million funding boost promised before the election?

The broadcasting minister has appointed advisors to look into funding our public media at arm's length from government. The new TV channel she once wanted seems to be off the table for the foreseeable future, but when will we know who gets the $38 million funding boost promised before the election?

The boss of major media company MediaWorks has hit out at the new government's plan to boost public broadcasting  - and even claimed it could wipe out his business.

The boss of major media company MediaWorks has hit out at the new government's plan to boost public broadcasting  - and even claimed it could wipe out his business.

The three parties now in our government went into the election with different ideas for broadcasting and the media. Mediawatch asks the new minister Clare Curran: what's the plan now?

The three parties now in our government went into the election with different ideas for broadcasting and the media. Mediawatch asks the new minister Clare Curran: what's the plan now?

'The Public Square' is a public forum organised and hosted by the Centre for Theology and Public Issues where a panel of experts discuss current affairs. December 2011. The panelists this time are: Clare Curran; Shane Gallagher; Janine Hayward; and Michael Woodhouse.

'The Public Square' is a public forum organised and hosted by the Centre for Theology and Public Issues where a panel of experts discuss current affairs. December 2011. The panelists this time are: Clare Curran; Shane Gallagher; Janine Hayward; and Michael Woodhouse.

'The Public Square' is a public forum organised and hosted by the Centre for Theology and Public Issues where a panel of experts discuss current affairs. December 2011. The panelists this time are: Clare Curran; Shane Gallagher; Janine Hayward; and Michael Woodhouse.