Ben

Text screenshot saying: Setting the highest standards It almost goes without saying that the public service must set the highest standards. For me, that means doing the basics well and sticking to core business. It means being competent at what you do, upholding political neutrality and delivering free and frank advice, being efficient with taxpayers’ money, being corruption-free and – above all – delivering results for the people we serve. Keeping it simple is also being efficient and respectful with the use of taxpayers’ money. Taxpayers trust us to use their resources wisely, and we can not, in the fog of daily pressures and challenges, lose sight of that. Here’s a simple question I would urge you and your staff to ask themselves: if this was my money, would I spend it this way? This is the simple question that I ask myself when I am making funding decisions. It’s what I need you to do and to enforce. Think of the sharemilker up at the crack of dawn every day whatever the weather. Think of the aged care worker doing their best to give our elderly the care and respect they deserve in their twilight years. Think of the bus driver. The taxi driver. The truck driver. All these people want – and deserve – to know that their money is being spent in a way that delivers the services they need in the best way possible. They want results. They don’t want flow charts, frameworks, roadmaps, or bubble diagrams. They are inherently practical people who want to know that you are helping make their country wealthier, and safer. They want you to treat their taxpayers’ dollars as though it came out of your bank account. Not doing so can harm the reputation of the government, an agency and the public service. Building trust and confidence, as you know, is a slow and laborious task over many years. But it can be destroyed with one seemingly innocuous act.

Judith Collins gives this speech and what I hear is: youtube.com/shorts/OqXCM...

This photo* is the most spectacular image of a downburst I've ever seen. Taken from Arthur's Seat on the Mornington Peninsula outside Melbourne yesterday.

*Not my photo. Copyright Toby Anderson via Facebook www.facebook.com/share/15ZWEv...

I fucking hate being right

I will not have my planet's fate decided by a comeetee

Twitter screenshot of a post saying "All of us watching The Phantom Menace back in 1999: "Why does any of this matter? Who gives a shit about the taxation of trade routes?!" George Lucas in February 2025:" then three images of George Lucas laughing.

THIS IS WHAT I KEEP SAYING

This one was a tough one!

"And so, on the fifth of March, make a lasting impression!" (4)
⚪️🟣🟣🟣🟣
I scored: 2 under par
www.minutecryptic.com?utm_source=s...

I love government spending so replacing all these speed limit signs after a couple of years is a good thing, ackshully.

Loans of digital and physical books both on the rise in Wellington The number of physical and digital books borrowed from Wellington’s library increased in 2024, although hard copy loans are rising at a slower rate.

Readers in #Wellington are borrowing more #books from local #libraries, both physical and as ebooks.

I borrow books on paper and books in the cloud, depending on availability and sometimes weight! 😍📚

Loans of digital and physical books both on the rise in Wellington
www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3605...

Text from house resolution designating Antifa a “domestic terrorist” group

This is normal behavior for a democracy right 🫠

legiscan.com/US/text/HR26...

My dad was tortured by the Gestapo for 4 days and thrown in a concentration camp for being in the Norwegian Resistance. Growing up, he would tell me things he learned in the Resistance. I thought, I'm never going to need this stuff. Here's some of those things #Thread

Rendered image of a Metlink articulated bus coming through the Karori tunnel.

Our new articulated buses will be able to drop off a maximum of 112 people 8 times an hour. Conversely, four 30 minute car parks will drop off 20 people, twice an hour. So a route 2 bus stop will deliver businesses up to 896 people an hour vs four car parks bringing 40 people an hour. Simple maths.

I used to do that.
Then the spring broke.
Now I'm a security liability with my card in my pocket, but nobody has called me on it yet.

"lanyard" is fantastic

Wellington huh.

Prime Minister
Political Science (a mistake)
Public Policy (more applicable)
Generic public service

And glad to be well, well off-course from the original objective.

he's been hit by, he's been struck by

This may be one of my more common forms of content in the coming days.

I've been doing these in recent days because apparently I'm approaching middle age more rapidly than 1yr/yr and want to learn how crypitcs work.

Minute Cryptic - 20 January 2025
"Dank memes on Instagram sent to principals" (5)
⚪️🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣
I scored: 1 under par
www.minutecryptic.com?utm_source=s...

Happy birthday Dr Dré!

Hi! Not to be overly sentimental, but I've missed you mate!

I've followed my usual pattern of being a slightly late adopter.
It's been really nice to feel like I'm back in the tweetsphere of yesteryear, though 😊
Hello familiar faces!

Ah, you going hard on the Chiefs.
Good to see something never change.