This will likely see kickback
from those who attack anyone who dares to criticise spending when
it relates to indigenous matters.
The
media won't touch it. But, frankly, unless we take on these sorts of
rorts, New Zealand's reputation for accountable government won't last
long.
Remember when we told you about the whale music being played
to trees to 'cure' Kauri dieback? 🐋🎶🌳
A few months ago the Taxpayers' Union went public
exposing the taxpayer-funded "science" project our researchers
uncovered to (and this is no joke) record whales, mixing those sounds
with recordings from healthy Kauri forests, to take into unhealthy Kauri
forests, play back the audio recordings and assess whether the whale
music could be effective in 'soothing' Kauri trees and beating myrtle
rust and Kauri dieback.
You
really couldn't make it up.
To
recap, it was part of the "National Science Challenges" which
are to bring together "the country's top scientists" and use
"the best science to address the Challenge[s]".
One of
the challenges relates to protecting New Zealand's biodiversity,
including our iconic trees.
Recall
that MBIE officials insisted that as part of the project, "matauranga
Māori" (i.e. traditional Māori knowledge) must be on the same
footing as "colonial science" (their description, not mine!).
MBIE's justification for this project is that
according to Māori legend knowledge, sperm whales and kauri
trees are brothers.
The
hypthosis taxpayers are forking out to test, is whether the whales have a
"calming" effect on the trees, and therefore help the trees
resist disease. (We're not making this up, it's literally on
the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment website!)
They spent HOW MUCH?! 🤯
After
we blew the whistle on the project, officials spent months playing games
and refusing to answer our basic questions on the "Oranga
(wellbeing) project".
It's
all rather murky complex (the project is managed by MBIE, but the
actual payments are from Landcare Research) and after much determination
(i.e. staff time! 😠 ), James and the
research team have finally got to the bottom of how much was spent on
the Ngā Rakau
Taketake project.
Officials are still refusing a line-by-line breakdown
(I wonder why...) but, in total, this matauranga Māori-based
"research" cost taxpayers $4,027,020.
FOUR MILLION DOLLARS to mix music for trees 🎧
That's
right, four million (plus GST) was paid to investigate whether recording
whale sounds, mixing them with recordings from healthy Kauri forests, and
playing them to unhealthy Kauri forests and other nonsense such as
"The language of the domain of Tāne" – all in the name of
“healing” them and "science".
Here's
what the four
million paid for:
Sonic tapestries of rejuvenation and well-being
About the project
The Oranga (wellbeing) project was set up to
fight against kauri dieback and myrtle rust and consisted of five
“research projects”.
1 Rongoā solutions for kauri ora
2 The language of the domain of Tāne
3 Hapū solutions for myrtle rust
4 The sovereignty of seed
5 A ‘Critical Friend’ approach
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The
whale song feeds into the first two points of the project, and the
project was carried out by an organisation Te Tira Whakamātaki
Limited (which received the funds).
So who is Te Tira Whakamātaki Limited? 🧐
As part of this investigation, we've uncovered that the
"research" was outsourced to a private "not for
profit" company: Te Tira Whakamātaki Limited.
And
that's when we came to a stunning realisation – which now explains why
the departments have been so cagey about giving us information on the
project...
According
to Te Tira Whakamātaki Ltd's website, its "Co-funder and
Trustee" is Melanie Mark-Shadbolt.
And
here's the startling thing: Ms Mark-Shadbolt is also the
Co-Director of the very same BioHeritage Science Challenge Science –
i.e. the Government initiative funding the project!
I had
the team work through the finances and Charities Commission records of Ms
Mark-Shadbolt's company. The company's costs are almost entirely salaries
(surprise, surprise!), and its charitable purpose is merely "Provides advice, information,
and advocacy".
Nice
work if you can get it.
Why aren't the media asking questions? 🚨
It's bad enough that this taxpayer money was spent in the first place to
"research" what we all know is nothing more than a myth (whales
being brothers of the Kauri, and that they're able to communicate with
each other).
But when the provider
of these nonsense projects (playing music to trees) is also one of the
two Co-directors of the overall "science challenge" what hope
is there the taxpayer will get value for money or scientific knowledge
will be advanced?
And
here's the kicker: The project leaders openly admit that this isn’t even
real research. They describe it as a way to give Māori knowledge equal
footing with science, claiming it doesn’t need to meet scientific
standards because it’s about “restoring mauri (life force)” rather than
achieving measurable, effective results.
And
yet, MBIE continues to call it “top science quality” while burning
through millions of taxpayer dollars.
So,
instead of putting resources toward actual science and solutions, this
project uses public money to fund what can only be described as mystical
performances in the forest.
Only the Taxpayers' Union are willing to call out this grift 📣
In the ideal world, the media (and Opposition political parties) would be
all over this. But no one likes calling-out government waste if it
relates to indigenous projects. We will no doubt be labelled things even
for sending this email.
Because
it is Māori related wasteful spending, newsrooms fall over themselves not
to cover it. We even get individual journalists contact us about some of
our stories saying they'd love
to pick them up, but their colleagues and editors would go berserk.
We cannot buy into making apologies. If anything shows that the
Taxpayers' Union continues to be needed to find, expose, and fight
wasteful spending it's this.
The Government has no money. Families are struggling. New Zealand is
literally getting poorer. The Taxpayers' Union must continue
to shine sunlight onto wasteful spending, no matter what the PC brigade
would rather we not talk about.
We want to go to the Auditor General and ask him
to investigate the process and prudence of paying millions to Te
Tira Whakamātaki to play music to trees.
The Taxpayers' Union doesn't waste money playing whale music to trees. But to expose and embarrass
Wellington to cut the waste, there is no polite way to put it: we can't
do the work if we can't keep the lights on. New Zealand Taxpayers' Union Inc. · 117 Lambton Quay, Level 4, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
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ReplyDeleteNo pardon for Fauci. He needs to have been charged and found guilty of a crime against America which has not happened so far therefore no pardon is Constitutionally possible. Go get the lying murderous little p****.
ReplyDeleteVery well said thank you for putting it into very clear words.
r
ReplyDeleteJust another Nazi, and should be dealt with accordingly
ReplyDeleteIt makes a mockery of equality before the law. Societies will not function for long with separate classes of citizenry, even though there has never been a utopia of this, we should always be seeking to attain this as a fundamental goal.
Exactly
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ReplyDeleteJulie your drivel is starting to peeve me off. Ahem. Stick to praying trusting God and endeavouring to do good in the world guided by the beatitudes. Entreat God to handle the rest. Stay open to who or what comes across your path and act accordingly and if you have to consult your husband so be it. Dont explain away doing nothing productive to meet a situation as " just my humour" (yours) and suchlike. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen "Thank you, Dr. Fauci"? I watched it last night.
DeleteDear Frances, I think I understand where you're coming from. Yes, I must pray, trust God and endeavour to do good, guided by the Beatitudes, especially by "Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake".
This blog is my best attempt - however inadequate - at doing good, with the talent God gave me. I can't bury it.
God bless you and please pray for our PN friend, who is currently in the hospital's mental health unit.
DeleteFrances Wilson not quite sure why you would think that exposing the truth is not good? Ephesians 5:11 "Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them."
DeleteFrances Wilson I don’t know you from a bar of soap but I remember having my mouth washed out by a nun in Palmerston North when I was 10 years old for saying one swear word which I’d inherited from my mother because she used it every time she dropped something.
Julia is a Pearl journalist and is unique in NZ because she has put on her battle armour and fights for the rest of us. We may not agree with every word she writes but to call it “drivel!”
Maybe you need that cake of soap and not Julia. Cheers
DeleteYes i always pray. Cannot help otherwise as i cannot reach her. Doesnt want to know me as ur aware. Yes you have a talent however somehow it has moved into another sphere of almost depravity leading to racism being judgemental and kind of foul mouth/ed. If God movess me i might find myself writing on issues. Oh dear. Anyway as Fr Cahill said would you do that if they were Jesus then added...then whats the difference. Cheers. Frances.
DeleteFrances Wilson yes I know that praying is as natural to you as breathing. But I'm surprised that knowing me as you do, you speak of racism. If 'they' were Jesus there'd be no need for me to be 'judgmental'.
If God moves you to write, your comments are always welcome here. God bless you, me old china! And pats for da Fonz - I hope he's still with you.
DeleteThank you Julie for keeping us informed and for saying it how it is.
As for the comments from Frances Wilson, just ignore him!!!
ReplyDeleteIf he had committed no crimes, why did they pardon him? Unbelievable
DeleteJane Young ask yourself who got millions from this then many politicians at a high level all into it all sold their souls to this scam
ReplyDeleteSeriously sunk to depravity...
ReplyDeleteGod sees everything!
ReplyDeleteCan a pardon be over turned?
DeleteLuke Nathan Gardner Speaker Mike Johnson has announced that Congress will investigate Joe Biden’s pardons of his family members. FAUCI TOO.
ReplyDelete💯
ReplyDeleteIt’s okay he is an old man near the end of his life. We can still go after almost every single person who was ever associated with him in the crimes.
DeleteIt’s ok. Your picture is totally awesome n amazing 🥲
DeleteRachel Trinidad that's what I thought! A speaking likeness ..
ReplyDeleteI hope God, Life, Trump, Karma delivers the perfect retribution to this evil man. He and his cohorts worldwide will have their day. "The mills of God grind slow but they grind exceedingly small" tI is very hard to let go of the intense anger over this intentional atrocity by the people who are meant to look after our welfare. but this phrase gives me some level of peace. Justice will be served
Would it be fair to suggest that Fauci (probably a catholic) is responsible for numerous deaths? I'm just wondering how many deaths these 'Mairi grifters' are responsible for? I wonder what makes you lump the 2 in the same basket?
ReplyDeleteWhat about the local 'grifters', the so-called experts who benefitted from govt grants to themselves or organisations during the c19 experience here in NZ?
I think I've suggesed in previous posts that Dr Faustus Fauci is responsible for millions of deaths. See for example
ReplyDeletehttps://juliadufresne.blogspot.com/2023/09/but-doc-youre-paid-to-tell-me-to-take.html
It's not responsibility for deaths that these particular Maori grifters share with Fauci, but they do indirectly affect Kiwis by misappropriating taxpayers' dollars desperately needed for public health.
You'll find plenty in earlier posts on the 'experts' who milked the government - and also the part played by the MSM in the Covid scam. There's only so much one can state in any one post ...
Fauci was raised a Catholic and wouldn't you know it, taught by the Jesuits. But he now calls himself a humanist and sees "no need to practise the faith" QED.
ReplyDeleteThe court cases and sentences were pretty real
ReplyDeleteI didn't know Mr fauci had been convicted of a crime don't you have to be convicted to get a pardon
DeleteLeelee Aotea Exactly and it is so stated in US law, the whole exercise is a bullshit pantomime to cover up what has really been happening and to make it difficult for Trump to unwind.😎
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ReplyDeleteIt’s OK. Treason isn’t pardonable and has no statute of limitations. A State can still charge for a crime committed.
Fauci isn’t safe from the Judicial Process.
ReplyDeleteHey wait a minute Should she be approving taxpayer money to go to her own charity which apparently pays out mostly salaries Should this not be referred to the Serious Fraud Office
Karen Latimer well exactly. That's why I call her a grifter.
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