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Thomas Winn.
There is no doubt that government travel is absolutely necessary, but it must not be treated as a blank cheque without public scrutiny and a review that is balanced with the many pressing issues facing communities, writes Thomas Tarulongo Winn.
When my parents were hospitalized with dengue, we knew we had to bring water and blankets for them, and another blanket for my dad who was in the other bed. We knew the hospital budget was tight and they were trying to make the best use of what they had, to make the most of it. Because that’s what limited budgets do, it pushes people to make the most of what they have, not spend it like they have an endless amount of money.
If I remember correctly, when I worked at Tereora Academy, its operating budget was about $100,000 per year, and now it is $144,000, of which nearly half goes on electricity, just to keep the lights on. Normally, we limit photocopying and rely on parents to help when the budget is low, because as usual, the response from the institution is “we simply don’t have the money”.
At Alora College, we face similar constraints but with a much smaller operating budget, supplemented by fundraising and the ingenuity of faculty, students, and administration. We are learning from home, knowing that money is tight and we all need to do our part and make the best of what we have.
The Government manages the national budget and I have worked on several budgets in New Zealand and have organised ministerial travel overseas. The justification for any travel is high as it needs to meet clear national priorities. The New Zealand Prime Minister’s Office conducts rigorous reviews to ensure travel is fit for purpose and has clear benefits for the country.
The more common answer is no, and that’s because traveling to places like Mongolia, Brussels, etc. to attend regional conferences or other parts of the world is not in the country’s best interest, nor is it consistent with public scrutiny or justification.
We always recognise that this is public money, public time and first and foremost the public interest. Just because there is an invitation to travel and it is within the parameters that are permitted, it does not mean that it is right or that it is balanced with the pressures of the time.
Therefore, just because a decision, action or expenditure is legal, it justifies it, does not mean that it is also the right decision.
What we call expediency is mentioned in the Bible, especially in the teaching of the apostle Paul. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:12, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are expedient or beneficial. All things are lawful for me, but I will never be subject to them.” This verse reinforces the idea that just because something is permitted, legal, or allowed, it doesn’t mean it is beneficial or moral—or that we think it is the right choice in all situations.
The means cannot justify the end. We must never allow an action to be justified simply because it is legal or in compliance with the law.
Decisions based on a profound sense of right and wrong have not only shaped the course of history, but also offer lasting lessons for principled leadership, who remind us that true progress and justice are achieved by standing up for what is right, regardless of the cost or alleged benefit.
There is no doubt that government travel is absolutely necessary, but it must not be seen as a blank cheque, without public scrutiny or weighed against the many pressing issues facing communities, such as policing, health, education infrastructure and wellbeing.
Scrutiny should not focus on reporting once travel has commenced. Reporting should be done before booking flights and packing bags to travel anywhere in the world – obviously, what is in it for us tax paying citizens – before you leave and not after. Just because it is legal, does not mean it is right.
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