Mike's Minute: The BSA legislation should have been delivered sooner
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Why does Mike criticize Paul Goldsmith’s timing of the BSA legislation?
If I was generous, I would let him off, given he's got more portfolios than anyone else. But Paul Goldsmith has delivered to the Parliament the bit of legislation that will finally finish off the Broadcasting Standards Authority. He did it with a flourish of slightly embarrassing bonhomie. He said its delivery as being the delivery of a promise. The promise being we would get legislation in the House before the election. Technically, of course, then, he is correct.
How could the BSA repeal have mattered under different political circumstances?
More realistically, it means nothing, given Parliament is finishing today and the legislation goes nowhere. Under a different set of circumstances, at a different time, in a different election campaign, this sort of thing might have mattered, the same way the Waitangi Tribunal review that will go nowhere would have mattered. or the Mappas Medical School Review that will go nowhere would have mattered. Saying stuff and delivering on it should matter and this government's weakness has been talking up big games all over town and not quite getting them across the line. Reality though, it won't matter because in the grand scheme of things these issues are not in play for a majority of voters this time around.
What does Mike say about the government’s overall performance and voter impact?
This time around, it is merely about the hole the government has been digging us out of. Did they do enough? Is the Labour damage repaired enough for you to believe that the current collective should be allowed to carry on? That is the beginning, the middle and the end of this election. Whether we have a BSA or not, we'll not shift one vote, not even mine. And I'm one of the more exercised on this particular issue.
Why does Mike compare the BSA removal to changes in earthquake‑prone building laws?
The same way... They changed the law on earthquake-prone buildings the other day. The removal of the BSA won't change the world, but the world will make more sense without it. It was irrelevant. It was wasteful. It didn't change a thing.
What would a more efficient handling of the BSA legislation have looked like?
No one was better because of it. All it did was eat up hours and dollars of broadcaster's time filing reports from board agitators who wanted to cause trouble. If Goldsmith had been more efficient and actually done it properly, it would have been a nice Term 1 parting gift. As it stands, it's at least something I guess to look forward to next year. For more from the Mike Hosking Breakfast, listen live to News Talk ZB from 6 a.m. weekdays or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
Why does Mike criticize Paul Goldsmith’s timing of the BSA legislation?
0:00–0:25
2
How could the BSA repeal have mattered under different political circumstances?
0:25–0:59
3
What does Mike say about the government’s overall performance and voter impact?
0:59–1:19
4
Why does Mike compare the BSA removal to changes in earthquake‑prone building laws?
1:19–1:30
5
What would a more efficient handling of the BSA legislation have looked like?
1:30–1:57
Speakers
1 identifiedMore from The Mike Hosking Breakfast
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