I see new Transport Minister Simeon Brown has ordered that the name for Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency be changed to NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi. Apparently the English version should come first because some can’t understand the English underneath the Māori.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis says this won’t cost much. This is a very surprising statement for any Finance Minister to make, regardless of inexperience, as we know that name changes in the past have been very expensive. This is just one public entity. I’m curious to hear if there has been a full costing and cost-benefit analysis done on rearranging the dual language names of all public entities.
I’m surprised that such a priority has been placed on changing the names of easily identifiable entities, yet there is no policy being considered within the first 100 days to ease the cost of living for the majority. Landlords, including MPs who own rental properties, will get their 10s of $1000s tax break as a priority, though.
I guess all the families suffering hardship will have to wait a bit longer for the $250 a fortnight tax relief they were promised. There will be a small cost of living increase to Working for Families that was set in place under our previous Labour govt, but that’s all.
Fair pay agreements, the new measure to increase wages, will also be removed — so don’t look for a wage rise any time soon.
It seems the priorities are flawed and party donors might take priority in policy decisions.
Mary-Ann de Kort
