Police Pay Offer?

[Walt]

I support the coalition Government who are light years better than the previous Muppets..but my support is not unconditional. 

The Police describe their pay offer recently as insulting and no improvement on what Labour offered them and was rejected. These Police officers are being put in harms way more and more. Now they are being asked / instructed to stop Gangsters wearing their gang patches in public rather than gifting them a free pass as the previous Government did. 

I felt their pay offer was tone deaf. I support landlords having tax relief but the perception of many is a conflict of interest. Luxon himself like numerous other MP's have multiple investment properties so will receive a nice injection of funds with their housing investment portfolio's while telling others they are instead motivated by "Mum and Dad investors". Turned out even more funds were needed than originally budgeted on. No problem, just sign that off. No waiting around for this change to take place like the Police and Nurses etc etc have been forced to endure. This change happens almost immediately. 

Luxon himself was claiming 50k a year tax payer dosh for a property he owns in Wellington. I assume he's been claiming that since he became an MP in 2020? He's agreed to repay what he's received since becoming PM three years later stating it was becoming a distraction. No mention of it being outrageous and tone deaf. 

Steven Joyce is to be paid a staggering $4000 a day to head a working group. Yep, that's $20,000 a week. Regardless of the duration of the gig it's still a huge windfall for any person, especially an unelected ex MP that removed himself from politics. There will be other considerable perks involved for Joyce. That sort of tax payer money points to a couple of things. One being a handsome treasure chest to call on and these unelected ex MP's deserving pay days that bare no resemblance to the reality facing the rest of NZ including our Police and Nurses etc during a cost of living crisis.

I have nothing against Steven Joyce but my understanding of him looks a bit like this.

During the 2017 election campaign that he managed, NZ First was treated as the enemy to be destroyed by Joyce. This played no small part in Peters / NZF choosing Labour in 2017 over National. 

Joyce won his seat at the election. To do this he indicated he was there for the long haul. He then put his hat in the ring to be the new National Party leader. To do this he again needed to reaffirm his intention to stay on long term. His bid failed and soon after he announces he's retiring from politics. Reason given was the old chestnut of spending more time with family. 

Another ex MP is Murray McCully. Same man known for the dubious 11.5 million dollar Saudi Sheep deal. A report at the time was reluctant to call it "corruption" but described "significant shortcomings". McCully now dragged out of mothballs for a 10k a week plus expenses / perks gig. 

Not only are National showing themselves to be tone deaf to our Police and a great many others, they are not leading the way in all of us tightening our belts together during a challenging cost of living crisis. They "appear" to be feathering their own nest faster than ever. 

I have no family members in the Police but do have several friends that are either sworn Police or ex Police. Without exception they are all National Party voters. Also without exception, they are all scathing of the recent pay offer and Luxon's ignorance on what they are actually paid. 

I do have numerous family and friends in our health system both via the DHB's and Primary Care. The pay situation has dragged on for way too long. Pay equity is still a huge issue especially for Primary Heath Care professionals. My wife does a lot of hiring and firing and I'm aware of ongoing staffing issues. I've witnessed first hand the distress for our nurses with them breaking down in tears no longer being rare. What they are witnessing now with the pay offer to Police has set off alarm bells with them and I assume many other nurses. 

Labour divided NZ on race. They also taught us that words like "inclusive" and "diversity" don't mean what they tell you it does. Now, National are in danger of dividing NZ into have's and have nots. I hope sincerely they don't wait until the next election comes into view before looking after and respecting our Police and Nurses...........along with a list of others. 

 

 

[Special Agent]

I'm a bit sick of tightening my belt.  Let people who have kids feed them lunch and cut that monstrosity out for a start.  The crap lunches given is a joke and the waste partly because of that is inexcusable.

There is no excuse for not paying nurses and police what they are worth.  The saying pay peanuts and get monkeys certainly applies in the health sector.  If you think employing people who hardly speak English to look after your old or ailing loved ones is okay, you are kidding yourself.