Middle NZ: Bridges should have a slushie and cool down

Linda Hall is Hawke's Bay Today's premium content editor.

Oh dear, Simon Bridges. If the only thing you can come up with to discredit the opposition is spending money on slushie machines for hard working employees I think it's time you had a wee rest.

There are far more important things to think about at the moment.

Think poverty, housing — oh and guns being stolen from a police station.
Personally I'm happy for the prison officers who have access to slushie machines. It's a shame Hawke's Bay Prison wasn't included — maybe next summer.

These men and women are basically locked up every day for at least eight hours with some pretty nasty people.

I imagine if Mr Bridges had to wear a heavy stab proof vest, and carry all sorts of gear to keep himself safe, he might enjoy a slushie or two at 3pm on a sticky hot summer afternoon.

Oh that's right, he has people to fetch and carry for him and he most likely doesn't have to worry about his personal safety on a daily basis as prison officers do.

If the slushie machines were for inmates I'd agree with him but they are not.

They get enough as it is, three meals a day, a dry and clean place to sleep, and access to free education and programmes. That's way more than a lot of people outside the wire although I'm all for inmates getting as much help as possible so they hopefully don't reoffend.

The point here is that for once the workers are getting something and for Bridges to say it was wasteful and extravagant is pretty feeble.

Now if they were having expensive morning and afternoon tea provided for them every day — that would be wasteful and extravagant.

After all it was the National Party that decided it would be nice to give prisoners ice blocks and bottled water when it the weather got hot. I'd like to know how much that costs every year.

While we are on the subject of prisons the other person who really needs to stop and think before spouting off is Brian Tamaki.

It's unbelievable that he even thinks he has the power to cause inmates to revolt. He's acting like a spoilt child that can't get its way.

In case you haven't seen the tweet on social media this is it: "Bishop Brian Tamaki
@BishopTamaki
We will plan thru Private Visits to inmates in every Prison to bring ManUp in nd cause inmate revolts in evey prison..The Human Rights Commission is nxt visit MP Jacinda Ardern..My People Maori r denied access to an Indigenous Progm that works..Im Warning You."

He also tweeted that Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis is a liar.

And the latest as of yesterday was this little beauty: "I think the Minister of Finance has breached "NZ Bills of Rights" in his Personal Rant nd Criticism of me. . . . looks like PM Jacida Ardern, MP Grant Robertson nd MP Kelvin Davis tried a Political "Gang Rape" on me yesterday?

Wow. How absolutely arrogant of him, all because the Government hasn't allowed his Man Up programme into prison.

I've spoken with a person who has been through the Man Up programme and they say it's changed their lives for the better.

However, that doesn't mean prison is the right environment for it and until Tamaki has gone through the correct channels he's not going to get anywhere.

The Prime Minister has said to her knowledge Tamaki has never formally taken it to the Department of Corrections.

The rules are there for everyone and he is certainly no exception. Making threats on social media is certainly not manning up.

Linda Hall is Hawke's Bay Today's premium content editor.