It’s unfair to rubbish an outfit as dysfunctional when it happens to be a kaupapa Maori service

It looks like a bunch of bureaucrats is lamentably lacking in understanding that our indigenous citizens are entitled to special treatment because they are special people.

That means any service they might provide to their indigenous kith and kin should be subject to special measurement standards. Applying the standards that apply to any similar service is simply inappropriate and may be contrary to the letter if not the spirit of The Treaty.

Accordingly it is thoroughly out of order for health officials to have written a damning report on the country’s only Kaupapa Maori intellectual disability residential care provider.

According to this report at the Herald, the officials have found the organisation is “seriously dysfunctional” and recommended urgent action to protect patients and staff.

Further insensitive details are provided in a more comprehensive report and backgrounder at Stuff.

Ethnic people seeking more political clout will be finding they lack something important – a treaty

Ha! The ethnic communities that want a decision-making role within the Auckland Council look likely to learn fast that they are not “indigenous” and therefore they are not special.

Maori – on the other hand – are indigenous, they are special, and therefore they are accorded rights which are denied the rest of us.

They have special representation that allows unelected appointees to sit on Auckland Council committees, among other arrangements that debase our democratic arrangements.

Bugger all that election stuff. Too hard.

If you are special you can play the race card.

A boisterous Opposition is noisy enough – but now they want their bawling brats in there too

If you can’t stand the heat, as they say, get out of the kitchen.

And if you don’t like the hours, get another job.

That’s Alf’s advice to Labour’s Nanaia Mahuta, who has been sounding just a tad pathetic while braying about it being unfair to expect nursing mothers to be in Parliament late into the night.

It’s good to see The Boss has climbed in on this issue, saying (here) he does not believe Parliament’s hours should be reduced to make it more “family friendly”.

Having children while in Parliament was “challenging but do-able”, he said, and it was up to each party to ensure nursing mothers had the support and time out needed.

It may well be challenging.

But more important, it was a matter of choice, presumably, that Ms Mahuta opted to become a mum as well as an MP.

Nobody had to find who flung dung at the royals because Sam was nabbed before he could fling it

Alf was riled more than once by the same bit of news (here) about a tosser – well, he was almost a tosser, because he didn’t quite get around to throwing a bucket of horse manure at the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall during their tour of New Zealand.

First, it is galling that anybody would want to toss horse manure at the Prince and his missus, or throw anything at them or do them harm in any way.

Second, it it galling he was fined $200.

That’s pathetic.

The trouble with budgets is that the Opposition can’t see what’s good for us

Dunno why the wretched Opposition doesn’t pack up and go home.

If they did that, then Alf could pack up and go home too.

As it is, Parliament has moved into urgency to debate legislation introduced to enact changes announced in the Budget this afternoon.

Here’s how Radio New Zealand explained things for those who weren’t glued to their TV sets watching the proceedings.

The blot on Aaron’s copybook means he has missed out on Paula’s patronage

Poor old Aaron Gilmore should be kicking his own butt. Hard.

He only had to keep his nose clean and we Nats would have rewarded him with a nice job somewhere whenever he decided to give up politics.

That’s what we did with Dr Jackie Blue, who recently was appointed the Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner.

Aaron didn’t keep his nose clean, of course, and he is quitting in unhappy circumstances.

Alas, he therefore shouldn’t expect to be rewarded with a job like…

Maurice’s modesty might keep him at home – so who knows a much more immodest MP?

Nah, we can’t see Maurice doing this…but we can suggest a replacement.

Alf tonight has done his mate Maurice Williamson a big favour.

He has written a nice letter to the producers of the Ellen DeGeneres show, who seem determined to do a programme with the focus on him.

But Maurice – being the modest fellow we know and love – is having none of it.

He wants the focus to be on New Zealand.

The Herald reported on Maurice’s problem today (here):