User Pays: the eventual conclusion

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Superman, for hire? Not quite right, is it…

Of course, we rightly view such a scene with aversion.  Some things, we just don’t expect to see with a  price levied.

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Our British cuzzies recently discovered this on Monday, when it was discovered that the governing UK Conservative Party’s top fundraiser Peter Cruddas, had been selling access to senior British government MPs and Ministers. The full story is worth reprinting,

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“ In a sting operation, ‘The Sunday Times’  secretly videotaped fundraiser Peter Cruddas  discussing donations. The film showed him telling undercover reporters: “200 grand ($317,000), 250 is premier league … it’ll be awesome for your business.”

If donors met Cameron, Cruddas claimed in the recording, “within that room, everything is confidential and you will be able to ask him practically any question that you want.”

‘We will listen to you’
He suggested they could even influence party policy, saying: “If you are unhappy about something, we will listen to you and we will put it into the policy committee at (the prime minister’s official residence).”

Cameron responded by saying Cruddas’ actions had been “completely unacceptable.” Cruddas, a millionaire, resigned within hours of the report.

Cruddas made the remarks to two journalists he thought were international financiers and who were accompanied by a lobbyist.

“Because we depend on donors so much we have to be careful” to show “you cannot buy access,” he said according to The Sunday Times. But, he told the undercover reporters, if you donate “you could well be at a private house having a private dinner with George Osborne, David Cameron, William Hague, the chairman around the table.”

Osborne, the cabinet minister in charge of economic and financial matters, and Foreign Minister William Hague are both members of Cameron’s center-right Conservative Party, which leads the governing coalition alongside the Liberal Democrats.

Embarrassing
The funding issue is embarrassing for Cameron, who promised before coming to power in May 2010 to curb corporate lobbying, saying it was the “next big scandal waiting to happen.”

Following the report, Cameron admitted he had used his official home at 10 Downing Street to host dinners for Conservative donors.

The scandal threatened to undo Cameron’s efforts to shake off his party’s image of being too close to the interests of business and the rich as Britain undergoes an austerity program to cut its budget deficit.

“This is not the way that we raise money in the Conservative party, it should not have happened,” said Cameron. “I will make sure that there is a proper party inquiry to make sure this can’t happen again.”

While there were also tax cuts for lower earners, the government’s recent budget went down badly with many Britons, giving the impression the government was looking after the wealthy and cared little for those suffering rising unemployment and falling incomes as the economy struggles to recover from recession.

Previous attempts to reform the political funding system have foundered on the Conservatives’ reluctance to cap donations from wealthy individuals and the opposition Labour Party’s desire to avoid limits on contributions from unions. ”

Msnbc.com’s F. Brinley Bruton and Reuters contributed to this report.

Acknowledgement for source: MSNBC World News

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By the next day, Britain’s Prime Minister and Leader of the UK Conservative Party, David Cameron, admitted what ‘The Sunday Times’  had uncovered,

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Full Story

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The article further states,

“ Of a dozen couples or individuals who dined with Cameron, including eight who were at a post-election celebration in July 2010, six were financiers, including three hedge fund managers, and two were property magnates. Two run manufacturing firms.

The Chequers list included the names of party treasurers as well as the millionaire property developer David Rowland and Lebanese businessman Fares Fares...

… As other parties offer supporters and donors access to meetings and debates with leaders and senior officials, the Conservatives have a system for encouraging political and financial support. Their Web site offers a hierarchy of “Donors Clubs” where minimum levels of donation give increasing degrees of contact with party officials and representatives.

For the 50,000-pound ($80,000) annual membership of the “premier supporter group” – The Leader’s Group – “members are invited to join David Cameron and other senior figures from the Conservative Party at dinners, … lunches, drinks receptions, election result events and important campaign launches”. “

Cameron was at pains to reassure British voters that,

“We are more transparent than any government and any prime minister have ever been. We behaved properly.

“What Cruddas was doing was totally unacceptable.”

We have a saying here in New Zealand for that kind of statement,

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Of  course, such things don’t happen here in New Zealand. Our own National Government does not do “favours” for cash donations to the Party…

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Full Story

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From the Electoral Commission webpage,  “Returns of party donations exceeding $30,000“,

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Source

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From the Electoral Commission webpage,  “Returns of party donations exceeding $20,000“,
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Source

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Those are the facts, as presented from various sources.

I invite you, the reader, to draw your own conclusions, regarding the individuals; companies; their donations  and their links  to National.

(Note: The Electoral Commission webpage on returns of party donations includes donations to Labour, ACT, The Greens, and NZ First.)

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Priorities?

National Government priorities:

Amount spent by government on the Rugby World Cup: $39 million

Total amount of public spending: $200+ million

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Amount spent on  ‘plastic waka’: $2 million

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Extra amount spent on “party fanzones” to cater for extra crowds: $5.5 million

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Amount spent by government on 34 new ministerial BMWs: $???   (“Commercially sensitive” – but retail cost, $200,000 each.)

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Amount spent by MPs on accomodation and travel  in just six months: $7.69 million

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Amount required to keep five people alive, who suffer from the rare Pompe disease:  overpriced  (according to the government),

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It seems that this government can spend millions on rugby, party zones, luxury limousines, ministerial travel and other perks – but spending money to save the lives of our fellow New Zealanders is “unaffordable?

Well, at least this illustrates the priorities of this government like nothing else does. It is obvious what is more important to John Key and his colleagues in the National Party.

What makes this tragedy even more ghastly is that in 2008, John Key campaigned on behalf of  women suffering from breast cancer for Pharmac to fully  fund herceptin. Pharmac at that time had decided to fund only a nine week course – whilst campaigners were demanding a full 12 month period of funding.

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Source

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Perhaps the difference between Mr Hill’s case, suffering from Pompe’s disease, is that 2008 was an election year and National was campaigning hard against an incumbent Labour government, led by an experienced, politically savy,  and fairly popular  prime minister.

National of course, won the 2008 election and Key “made good” on his election promise to force Pharmac to extend funding for herceptin,

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This year, is also an election year – but National is high in the public opinion polls and John Key is considerably ahead of his nearest rival, Phil Goff.  John Key therefore has no need to “play to the public“. He can afford to be “somewhere else” when a dying man knocks on his office door.

This is a shameful state of affairs. This government can find money to spend on luxury items; spend-up large on a rugby tournament and party zones; etc – but $5 million is somehow “unaffordable”?!?! Only the most soulless government could behave in this manner.

How craven for a Prime Minister not to have the courage to meet a dying man. And how gutless to have security guards do the Dear Leader’s dirty work in turning away Mr Hill.

Perhaps it’s not the sort of photo-op that Mr Key favours?

Mr Prime Minister – I challenge  you to  extend full treatment to Laurie Hill and other sufferers of  Pompe disease. I challenge you to do for sufferers of  Pompe disease what you promised for breast cancer sufferers in 2008.

Hell, I’ll even close down this Blog if you do. It’ll be one less critical voice niggling at you and your government.

Are you up for the challenge, Mr Prime Minister?

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+++ Updates +++

An email sent to the Prime Minister and  Minister of Health,

from:    [email]
to:    Tony Ryall <tony.ryall@parliament.govt.nz>,
Prime Minister John Key <john.key@parliament.govt.nz>
bcc:    [email]
date:    Sat, Oct 22, 2011 at 10:28 PM

Sirs,

You may be aware that there are five people in New Zealand who desperately require assistance to treat their condition, Pompe’s disease. These people are dying from their illness and require a treatment of myozyme to survive.

Three years ago, you campaigned to have herceptin extended from a 9 week treatment, to a full 12 months – effectively over-ruling Pharmac. This was done at the desperate request of women suffering from breast cancer.

I ask that you do the same for sufferers of Pompe’s disease. I’m sure you know who these people are.

You are your colleagues were only too happy to spend $36 million on the Rugby World Cup. Plus another $5.5 million on extensing the “Partyzones” in Auckland. Well, we now need that same generosity of spirit to help save five lives.

You may do it from a senseless of generosity and knowing it is the right thing to do.

Or, you may do it because it is hardly the sort of election issue that you want clouding your campaign.

The important thing is that  the right decision is made – there are five people counting on you.

Regards,
-Frank Macskasy

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Useful Email addresses

Prime Minister, John Key

john.key@parliament.govt.nz

Health Minister, Tony Ryall

tony.ryall@parliament.govt.nz

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Additional reading

Editorial: Behind a penguin on priority list

New Zealand Pompe Network

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Acknowledgement

Thanks to Sharlene for bringing this issue to my attention.

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