Friday, September 17, 2010



Jobs for the boys again

Another case of "jobs for the boys" from National - this time making washed-up former MP Mark Blumsky high commissioner to Niue.

Niue isn't the most important of New Zealand's diplomatic postings, and there have been political appointments before, but that doesn't excuse it. Diplomacy should be left to diplomats, not treated as a sinecure for the government's mates. And if Mark Blumsky wants to spend a year or two sunning himself on a Pacific Island, he should pay for it himself, not dump the cost on the taxpayer.