Latest news with #BrendanBoyle
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
What will the changes to Sport New Zealand actually mean?
Photo: Explainer: The news landed with a thud within, and outside, the walls of Sport New Zealand. When the then-minister for sport and recreation, Chris Bishop, ordered an independent rapid review of the crown agency in November last year , the nervous rumblings were felt immediately across the sector. The purpose of the review, according to a statement from the minister's office, was to "provide assurance and visibility… that the use of public funding by the Sport NZ Group is efficient and effective". One sports official with knowledge of the review told RNZ there were concerns that Sport NZ's funding strategy had become a "cash free-for-all". The move was interpreted by many as a signal from the government that fundamental changes were coming for the way Sport NZ operates and funds both elite and community level sport. Last week, the long-awaited findings of the review landed with barely a whimper. Mark Mitchell, who took over as minister for sport and recreation in the cabinet reshuffle at the beginning of the year, said the findings of the independent review highlighted the "effectiveness and efficiency" of Sport NZ . Far from the brutal overhaul many had feared, the report's recommendations focused on potential changes to the institutional and governance arrangements of the agency. The review, led by senior public sector leader Brendan Boyle, gave Sport NZ a tick of approval when it comes to the agency's operations and performance. The findings also dispelled concerns over Sport NZ's financial performance. Boyle found Sport NZ's corporate and operating costs were in line with public sector benchmarks. Sport NZ chief executive Raelene Castle said the findings of the review reinforced the work her agency does. "The biggest thing is that all of the measures of how we're performing as an agency - the headcount we have versus our revenue profile, the number of contractors we have - all of those things that are really big for a government organisation came out very positively and at the lower end of the guidelines," Castle said. "So, the sector and our partners can be assured that we are always wanting to make sure we have the right headcount to support the sector. But also we're always thinking about what we can do to cost save, so we can invest as much as we can into the people that are doing the work on the ground." Minister for Sport and Recreation Mark Mitchell. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi The key action Mitchell is taking following the review is to move the strategic policy function to the Ministry of Culture and Heritage (MCH). The review highlighted an anomaly with Sport NZ's set-up in that the agency serves as both the policy advisor to the government and a decision-maker on funding. Boyle pointed out there were potential conflicts of interest in this arrangement. "As a Crown entity, the operations of Sport NZ are at arm's length from the minister. However, Sport NZ is unusual in that it also includes the policy function that is typically included in the monitoring agency, providing independent policy advice and line of sight to the minister," the report reads. "The current arrangements create a potential conflict of interest for Sport NZ in being both policy advisor as well as the decision-maker for funding." The report also noted that this arrangement means that Sport NZ is not as well-integrated into the wider government policy network and agenda as it should be. The minister is also advancing "minor amendments" to the appointments process for the High Performance Sport NZ and Taumata Māori boards. Sport New Zealand chief executive Raelene Castle was pleased with the findings of the review. Photo: Photosport Castle said Sport NZ's partners and wider stakeholders won't see much of a difference in how the organisation operates. "There won't be a significant difference. It's more back house operational policy and relationships between government departments is where that change in responsibility will sit, but actually the implementation on the ground won't change," she says. "It means that going forward, the big pieces of strategic policy that get developed will be led by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage. They will hold the pen, if you like, but they will work with [Sport NZ] to seek our input to understand the impacts for the sector. So, we'll still support and contribute to those processes, we just won't be the lead agency. "Then, once the high level policy stuff is determined, that then comes to deliver that piece of policy and put in place the operational things around it." A working group of Sport NZ, MCH, Treasury and Public Service Commission officials has been established to work through how the final structure will look. Castle says it is likely some staff from Sport NZ will move over to MCH. The strategic policy function is intended to move to MCH by 1 October this year. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Fast Company
6 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
Trump's big bill will add $2.4 trillion to deficit and leave 10.9 million more uninsured, CBO warns
President Donald Trump's big bill making its way through Congress will cut taxes by $3.75 trillion but also increase deficits by $2.4 trillion over the next decade, according to an analysis released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The CBO also estimates an increase of 10.9 million people without health insurance under the bill by 2034, including 1.4 million who are in the United States without legal status in state-funded programs. The package would reduce federal outlays, or spending, by nearly $1.3 trillion over that period, the budget office said. 'In the words of Elon Musk, this bill is a 'disgusting abomination,'' said Rep. Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania, the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, reviving the billionaire former Trump aide's criticism of the package. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he called Musk late Tuesday to discuss the criticism but had not heard back. 'I hope he comes around,' Johnson told reporters. Trump pushing Congress to act The analysis comes at a crucial moment in the legislative process as Trump is pushing Congress to have the final product on his desk to sign into law by the Fourth of July. The work of the CBO, which for decades has served as the official scorekeeper of legislation in Congress, will be weighed by lawmakers and others seeking to understand the budgetary impacts of the sprawling 1,000-page-plus package. Ahead of the CBO's release, the White House and Republican leaders criticized the budget office in a preemptive campaign designed to sow doubt in its findings. Republicans criticize the CBO White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the CBO has been 'historically wrong,' and Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the CBO was 'flat wrong' because it underestimated the potential revenue growth from Trump's first round of tax breaks in 2017. The CBO last year said receipts were $1.5 trillion, or 5.6% greater than predicted, in large part because of the 'burst of high inflation' during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. White House Budget Director Russ Vought said when you adjust for 'current policy' — which means not counting some $4.5 trillion in existing tax breaks that are simply being extended for the next decade — the overall package actually doesn't pile onto the deficit. He argued the spending cuts alone in fact help reduce deficits by $1.4 trillion over the decade. Democrats and even some Republicans call that 'current policy' accounting move a gimmick, but it's the approach Senate Republicans intend to use during their consideration of the package to try to show it does not add to the nation's deficits. Vought argued that the CBO is the one using a 'gimmick' by tallying the costs of continuing those tax breaks that would otherwise expire. Leavitt also suggested that the CBO's employees are biased, even though certain budget office workers face strict ethical rules — including restrictions on campaign donations and political activity — to ensure objectivity and impartiality. 'When it comes time to make prognostications on economic growth, they've always been wrong,' House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said at a press conference. Asked if it's time to get rid of the CBO, Scalise did not dismiss the idea, saying it's valid to raise concerns. Alongside the costs of the bill, the CBO had previously estimated that nearly 4 million fewer people would have food stamps each month due to the legislation's proposed changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP. What's in the bill The bill, called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act after the president's own catch phrase, is grinding its way through Congress, as the top priority of Republicans, who control both the House and the Senate — and face stiff opposition from Democrats, who call it Trump's 'big, ugly bill.' All told, the package seeks to extend the individual income tax breaks that had been approved in 2017 but that will expire in December if Congress fails to act, while adding new ones, including no taxes on tips. It also includes a massive buildup of $350 billion for border security, deportations and national security. To help cover the lost revenue, Republicans want to slash some federal spending. They propose phasing out green energy tax breaks put in place during Democrat Joe Biden's presidency. New work requirements for some adults up to age 65 on Medicaid and SNAP would begin in December 2026 and are expected to result in less spending on those programs. Republicans argue their proposals are intended to make Medicaid and other programs stronger by rooting out waste, fraud and abuse. They want the federal funding to go those who most need health care and other services, often citing women and children. But Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said those claims are bogus and are simply part of long-running GOP efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, as most states have expanded Medicaid to serve more people under the program. 'They just want to strangle health care,' Schumer said. The package also would provide a $4 trillion increase to the nation's debt limit, which is now $36 trillion, to allow more borrowing. The Treasury Department projects the debt limit will need to be raised this summer to pay the nation's already accrued bills. CBO aims for impartiality Now in its 50th year, the CBO was established by law after Congress sought to assert its control, as outlined in the Constitution, over the budget process, in part by setting up the new office as an alternative to the White House's Office of Management and Budget. Staffed by some 275 economists, analysts and other employees, the CBO says it seeks to provide Congress with objective, impartial information about budgetary and economic issues. Its current director, Phillip Swagel, a former Treasury official in Republican President George W. Bush's administration, was reappointed to a four-year term in 2023.
RNZ News
28-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Shake up of Sport New Zealand in the pipeline
The funding of elite athletes means trade-offs need to be made, says an independent review of Sport NZ Photo: Photosport / AFP A shake up of Sport New Zealand is being undertaken following an independent review into the organisation which is responsible for sport and recreation nationally. Sport New Zealand also includes High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ), which funds elite sport and has an annual budget of $194 million - $84 million of which goes to HPSNZ. The review was carried out by Brendan Boyle, who has is a former chief executive of the Ministry of Social Development, Department of Internal Affairs and Land Information NZ. Boyle suggested there should be a review of Sport New Zealand's current strategy, stating the organisation faces strategic choices and trade-offs when it comes to investing in the likes of Olympic medals and success versus national sports participation. The main recommendations focus on potential changes to governance arrangements, which Sports Minister Mark Mitchell said he will follow through on. The review noted "current arrangements create a potential conflict of interest for Sport NZ in being both policy and advisor as well as the decision-maker for funding." It added "(that) make(s) it difficult for Sport NZ policy to be well integrated into the wider government policy network and agenda." That will see Sport NZ's policy function move to the Ministry of Culture and Heritage from October. Mark Mitchell, Police Minister, Minister for Sport and Recreation Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi "Shifting the strategic policy function to a government agency will ensure a more consistent and integrated approach on government priorities and other policy decisions across portfolios like education and health," said Mr Mitchell. The review also recommended disbanding the HPSNZ and Taumata Māori boards and consolidating them into a single board and creating HPSNZ and Taumata Māori advisory groups. It noted though that rationalisation was unlikely to provide any cost savings and "any change would be driven by strategic reasons rather than an expectation of savings." The government has rejected that recommendation, opting to keep the current three board structure of a Sport NZ board, an HPSNZ board and the Taumata Māori Board. Boyle said questions raised during his review the indicated a strategy review was also needed to ensure "whether funds are all aligned to government priorities." "This will also aid in clarifying what the minister wants the focus and core business of Sport to be and by implication what it should not be spending resources or funding on." Boyle pointed out Sport NZ proposes to stop the funding of Hawaiki Hou, a community-led programme to improve physical activity levels among children and young people. This will free up $9.5 million that can be reprioritised into other sport and recreation programmes.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmaker Says Trump Is ‘Literally Yelling' at Republicans to Make Them Fall in Line
A Democratic lawmaker said the tense standoff over Donald Trump's signature bill has given him flashbacks to how the president used to whip Republican lawmakers into submission. In a Wednesday night interview with MSNBC's Chris Hayes, Philadelphia Rep. Brendan Boyle said he has witnessed 'time and again' how House Republicans would indicate that they are voting against a bill, until 'suddenly they get a tap on the shoulder.' 'They're dragged out of the House floor and back into the Republican members' cloak room, and they're handed a cell phone, and it's Donald Trump literally yelling at them and cursing at them,' he said. 'I tend to think that that history will repeat itself, and that one way or the other, they'll be able to get the votes. I hope I'm wrong. I pray that I'm wrong.' Trump showed up on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to ramp up the pressure on warring factions of his party to unite behind his long-promised 'one, big, beautiful bill.' Several hardline conservatives earlier refused to support the measure until specific changes were made, but House Republicans moved late Wednesday night to bring it to the floor. 'I think we're a very unified party,' Trump said. 'It's the biggest bill ever passed, and we're going to get it done.' Boyle said the massive bill was 'the entirety of the Republican agenda, not just for this year, not just for this term in Congress, but this term of Donald Trump's presidency.' 'What else do they have other than 'Fight Woke'?' he said. 'They really have no other agenda than this. So I think the pressure on them to pass this will be enormous.' Boyle, a ranking member of the House Budget Committee, said he asked the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office to verify whether Trump's bill would trigger Medicare cuts. The CBO confirmed that millions will become uninsured with the Medicare reforms currently in the measure, which could force almost $500 billion in cuts to Medicare spending starting next year. But Trump has denied that his bill would cause Americans to lose health insurance, insisting that the legislation would only cut 'waste, fraud, and abuse.' Privately, however, he reportedly told lawmakers: 'Don't f–-- around with Medicaid.' Lawmakers are expected to vote on the bill's passage at dawn on Thursday. 'I'm going to fight like hell to make sure this awful policy doesn't become law,' Boyle said. 'But I've just seen them fold too many times before to believe that they won't fold again this time.'
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump's ‘big, beautiful bill' will lead to Medicare cuts: CBO
The House GOP's 'big, beautiful bill' will add so much money to the debt it will force across-the-board spending cuts to Medicare, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO). CBO late Tuesday said the legislation will increase the debt by $2.3 trillion over 10 years. That will trigger as much as $500 billion in Medicare cuts starting as soon as 2026. The congressional scorekeeper was responding to a request from Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), ranking member of the House Budget Committee. Current law requires the White House to 'sequester' certain mandatory spending programs. Reductions in Medicare spending would be limited to 4 percent annually — or an estimated $45 billion for fiscal 2026. The cuts would total roughly $490 billion over the 2027-2034 period. Sequestration isn't a given. Congress can ignore the rules requiring mandatory offsets or pass legislation later that will cut the deficit. President Trump campaigned on not cutting Medicare and promised his signature policy legislation would not touch the program. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
