The line between private citizen and public servant

Te Whatu Ora chair Rob Campbell says his comments on social media about National’s water infrastructure plan were made as a private citizen. Does that distinction apply in this case?

Mōrena and welcome to The Bulletin for Tuesday, February 28, by Anna Rawhiti-Connell. Presented in partnership with Z Energy.

In today’s edition: new poll shows Labour has closed the gap on National on the issues that matter most; former Labour Party president in the mix for selection for Wellington Central seat; Lotto and international appeal to help fund cyclone recovery, but first; a forthright outsider and poltical neutrality

An outsider still bound by code of conduct

Rob Campbell is a self-described outsider according to this profile by the Herald’s Matt Nippert (paywalled). A former unionist, turned corporate director, Campbell is now the chair of crown agencies Te Whatu Ora and the Environmental Protection Agency, and chancellor at Auckland University of Technology. A column of his about infrastructure featured in The Bulletin just last week. He is on the record as supporting co-governance. His candour has often marked him as different from other public sector leaders. None of that disqualifies him from being bound by the code of conduct for Crown entity board members that says they must “act in a politically impartial manner”.

National calls comments “appalling”

Over the weekend Campbell posted a link to the National party’s newly released water infrastructure plan on LinkedIn. He went on to say he thought National's policy was a thin disguise for the dog whistling on co-governance and questioned the wisdom of the plan. National’s Simeon Brown called the comments “appalling”, while Act’s David Seymour says Campell should lose his job. Prime minister Chris Hipkins would not express confidence in Campbell yesterday and the matter now lies with health minister Ayesha Verrall and environment minister David Parker. 

David Seymour questions political neutrality of “large parts of the Wellington bureaucracy”

Seymour went further in a tweet last night, writing that “Rob Campbell is just the tip of the iceberg. Large parts of the Wellington bureaucracy are openly sympathetic to the Left and that is a serious problem.” You could cynically say this is a bit like marking your own homework but in a recent survey done by BusinessDesk, 97% of public sector employees said they had a good understanding of what it meant to be a politically neutral public servant. They were more concerned about their ability to give “free and frank advice” and transparency, with comments pointing to a fear of political or career repercussions and media “sensationalism”.

“By gum, he's got to be a lot more thoughtful”

Campbell maintains his comments were made as a private citizen. There are contexts where you could argue about the line between private and public, especially on social media where lines do blur. Campbell’s situation seems more clear cut. There is also a “what’s good for the goose, is good for the gander” argument here about setting an example or at the very least, not casting doubt on the public service’s neutrality for the sake of the many who do hold their tongues in public. No one is truly politically neutral, and Campbell’s views have never been hidden but in this instance, there is a line and the need for the perception of political neutrality to be maintained. Speaking to RNZ’s Craig McCulloch this morning, former government statistician Len Cook recalls getting into hot water in 1977, when he wrote a paper critiquing the pension. On Campbell, Cook had this to say: “New Zealand doesn't want to lose his forthrightness, but by gum he's got to be a lot more thoughtful about how he applies it.”

The rise and rise of mortgage anxiety

With ​household budgets coming under pressure​ as the ​cost of living crisis​ worsens, mortgage anxiety is on the rise. So how are some people ​easing this pressure on their wallets​? ANZ says reaching out to your bank so they can help you to explore available options is one of the best ways to stay on top of things. “Whatever your situation, there may be ​options we can explore to help you get ahead​ or relieve the pressure,” says ANZ home loan coach Marie-ana Tupou.

Read more on The Spinoff now (sponsored)

New poll shows shift in national mood

Toby Manhire breaks down the latest Ipsos Issues Monitor poll. The survey, done three times a year, asks New Zealanders which issues they care about the most and which party they think is best placed to manage them. Labour is now considered best placed to manage five of the top ten issues, while National wins out on four. Cost of living has come out on top, with National considered most capable of managing that issue. Climate change has moved up from sixth place to fourth with the Greens regarded as the party best placed to manage that issue. The poll was conducted during and after Cyclone Gabrielle. In Ipsos' Australian polling, climate change does not make the top ten.

Lotto draw for cyclone relief draws criticism from Problem Gambling Foundation

The government has launched an international appeal and special Lotto draw to raise funds for cyclone recovery. After the Christchurch earthquake, a similar mix of appeal and Lotto draw raised just under $100m. The Lotto draw raised $8m. A spokesperson for the Problem Gambling Foundation said it was “disappointing” to see the government using a gambling operator for community funding, considering how much harm gambling does to the communities themselves. New minister for internal affairs minister Barbara Edmonds said “Lotto New Zealand is fundamentally driven to raise funds for our communities.” Reflecting on a review of Lotto community funding last year, then minister of internal affairs Jan Tinetti said she was considering cutting the link between gambling and charity. "We've coupled community funding with gambling for a long time and maybe that's not such a good thing," she said. Wairoa mayor Craig Little said the Lotto draw was a “wonderful idea”.

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Former Labour party president standing for selection in Wellington Central 

With Grant Robertson not running in Wellington Central in this year’s election, Labour have a selection process to undertake. Four candidates for selection have emerged including former Labour party president Claire Szarbó. Szarbó stepped down as party president last November and told the Herald when it was announced in June 2022 that it was too early to make a decision about running in the 2023 election but didn’t rule it out. Sitting list MP Ibrahim Omer, New Zealand's first African MP, and second to have entered New Zealand as a refugee, is also in the mix. Szarbó stood as the Labour candidate in the North Shore electorate in Auckland in the 2014 election, and was defeated by National’s Maggie Barry. Wellington Central has been considered a safe seat for the Labour party. Wellington city councillor, Tamatha Paul is running for the Greens.

Click and collect

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• Consumer NZ lays complaint against Cook Strait ferry operators after cancellations and delays over the last few weeks

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