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OPINION: Chris Hipkins must surely be wondering when the Gods of Politics will give him an even break.
In normal times you might apply Helen Clark’s first amendment to the Popularity Act: “No prime minister ever lost votes by sacking an errant minister (or bagging the Aussies).”
But three ministers overboard is at least one jettisoned minister too many, even for Clark’s caveat.
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Damage has been done to Labour and Prime Minister Hipkins, despite his decisive response.
That’s before you remember he carries an extra responsibility because the two fallen ministers were promoted by Hipkins, as was Education Minister Jan Tinetti, who is still awaiting the result of her appearance before the privileges committee.
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It is just nuts, not to mention a false economy, to annually underfund peak academia, causing staff cuts based on an uncertain ebb and flow of students.
What is the Government thinking?
New Zealand must preserve the expertise in these institutions, to train the next generation of experts.
But it won’t happen without more money and, arguably, without swingeing reform of the sector model. It is frankly busted as well as broke.
A good place to start would be a national strategy that coordinated courses and minimised staff reductions, where unavoidable, to ensure we continue to compete as a country.