Ayesha Verrall walks a fine line with Lester Levy accusation; Christopher Luxon underplays critical Aukus decision – Audrey Young
Labour's health spokeswoman Ayesha Verrall at yesterday's health select committee hearing. Photo / Mark Mitchell
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Welcome to Inside Politics at the end of scrutiny week at Parliament.
Fireworks erupted in the health select committee after former Labour Health Minister Ayesha Verrall accused Health Commissioner Lester Levy of having a reputation for “cooking the books”. He deserves an apology unless she can produce something more substantial than a glib observation that health entities he previously chaired went from surplus under him to deficit when he left.
Verrall was entitled to criticise Health NZ for an unacceptably late publication of its annual report – the day before it appeared – and to interrogate its failed plan to make the previous year’s deficit bigger than the current year’s. But that is a long way from what she accused Levy of.
When Levy was appointed commissioner in July, Verrall’s own predecessor as Health Minister, Andrew Little, who had worked with him, expressed confidence in his ability. Verrall takes no prisoners in her politics.
She walks a fine line between prosecuting her duties in Opposition vigorously and getting too het up and unreasonably personal. (Scrutiny week puts Government agencies before select committees for hours at a time.)
The importance of the Aukus decision
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has joked about the announcement at the weekend that the Labour Party will not support New Zealand’s involvement in the Aukus pillar 2 defence technology sharing alliance, and that it would withdraw in Government if the coalition signed up to it.
“Labour is deeply concerned about how much time and effort this Government has spent getting closer to the US over the past year,” Labour leader Chris Hipkins said.
Foreign affairs spokesman David Parker explained it this way: “New Zealand’s interests lie in trade, peace and in ongoing diplomacy, not in being a ‘force-multiplier’ for one superpower in a containment strategy directed against another.”
Alluding to the TPP, which became the CPTPP under Labour, Luxon joked on Monday that if it only changed its name to the Comprehensive and Progressive Aukus, perhaps it would support it.
It is not a joking matter. And contrary to Luxon’s framing of the respective positions, Labour’s position, especially under Hipkins, has been to cautiously explore Aukus. That is quite different to National’s and the coalition’s, which is to enthusiastically explore it.
The fact that Luxon described Labour’s position as “putting party before country” suggests that the coalition has all but made the decision to join in principle.
Labour’s position is the most serious departure from bipartisan foreign policy since the 1980s anti-nuclear crisis. Labour did not campaign to leave Anzus in 1984 and campaigned, either naively or dishonestly, to maintain an anti-nuclear policy within the alliance. The significance of its position now will depend on whether Aukus fizzles or develops into a muscular defence vehicle. If it becomes the latter, then any withdrawal is likely to present another crisis in the future.
Winston Peters on a mission
No sooner had Foreign Minister Winston Peters invested time in Paris last week developing a relationship with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Minister for Overseas, Francois-Noel Buffet, than the French Government was toppled in a no-confidence vote in Prime Minister Michel Barnier.
How many ministers will need to go along with the Prime Minister is unknown at this stage. But the instability in France could complicate Peters’ careful work in trying to broker a solution to the New Caledonia crisis. Peters is in a unique position as an elder statesman of the Pacific to work with both France and the various sides of the independence movement in the French territory. Riots broke out in May over a proposal to change voter eligibility.
No doubt any progress Peters has made will be on the agenda in Auckland tomorrow when he and Defence Minister Judith Collins host their Australian counterparts, Penny Wong and Richard Marles, for talks.
A week of presidential power plays
The ousting of Barnier in France was foreshadowed by the actions of South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol, who shocked the world by plunging the country into martial law. He will be toast.
US President Joe Biden has trashed whatever political capital and credibility he had left by pardoning his son Hunter, who was facing sentencing this month on felony gun and tax convictions. Biden previously pledged not to. His wife, Jill, is on her way to Paris for the reopening this weekend of the Notre Dame Cathedral after a devastating fire, as is President-elect Donald Trump.
Quote unquote
“I feel so fortunate to be in this mind-numbingly lovely place – full of rugby-playing hobbits, carrying pianos up the mountains, that sort of thing” – Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on how he sees New Zealand.
Micro quiz
Who is the chair of the health select committee? (Answer below.)
Brickbat
Goes to Health NZ for tabling its 282-page annual report (2023-24) this week – less than 24 hours before its leadership team was due to appear before the health select committee for scrutiny.
Bouquet
Goes to Foreign Minister Winston Peters for having now visited 16 of the 17 other countries in the Pacific Islands Forum, as he prepares to leave New Caledonia today. Amazing. Only Kiribati to go.
Latest political news and views
Foreshore and seabed: The Supreme Court has ruled the majority of the Court of Appeal “erred” in a major decision that ultimately eased the test for Māori to gain customary rights for use of the foreshore and seabed.
Workplace disputes: The Government has unveiled plans to reduce the amount aggrieved employees can be compensated by their employers.
Charity crackdown: The Government is planning to crack down on businesses masquerading as charities to reduce their tax bills.
Marsden Fund cuts: Humanities and social sciences research funding will be slashed under the Government’s cuts to the Marsden Fund.
Benefit errors: The Ministry for Social Development is “concerned” that nearly one in four beneficiaries are not getting their correct entitlements.
Quiz answer: Sam Uffindell, MP for Tauranga.
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