Thar she blows...MoBIE report on white elephants?

Further to the reports released by MPI on Maori land productivity comes a negative report on MoBIEs performance on, among other tings, the Business Growth Agenda (BGA. Page 24 notes 'no sense of the extent to which these actions are contributing, or will be sufficient, to achieve the BGA goals.'

Say what?!

As for direct engagement with Maori, 'MBIE’s approach is embryonic and needs to clarify what the right role for government is in helping promote Māori economic development in the post-Treaty settlement phase. While MBIE is more focused on this issue than its constituent agencies, has better links with other agencies and has an advisory panel to help it still needs to refine its approach, develop its relationships with Māori business and build its internal capacity.' (p. 26).

So situation normal then.

Further, 'Expectations need to be well anchored in more refined deliverables or there is a risk they 

will get ahead of what government either should be doing or can actually deliver.'

The trick is to have zero expectations and then be relieved when they spell your name right.

MoBIE is behind other Ministries in '[s]ector collaboration and partnership' which are 'particularly important to realise the benefits from accelerating Māori economic development, particularly given MBIE’s starting place. MBIE has much to learn from organisations, such as MPI and NZTE which got an earlier start.' 9p. 53).

I'm not convinced 'accelerating' our economic development is possible in the vacuum of Pakeha leadership in this point in time and space.

Pardon the cynicism but it's Xmas. Gordon Campbell of Scoop discusses this and other 'bad news dumps' to herald the close of the year.