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  "description": "10 News Stories They Chose Not to Tell You",
  "path": "/your-daily-ten-10-2026-050/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-22T21:00:08.000Z",
  "site": "https://goodoil.news",
  "tags": [
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  "textContent": "**This is edition 2026/050 of the _Ten@10_ newsletter.**\n\nHi all,\n\nThis is the Ten@10, where I collate and summarise ten news items you generally won't see in the mainstream media.\n\nEnjoy!\n\n* * *\n\n## 1. Inside the network that got Paul Eagle’s contracts\n\nBryce Edwards\n\n  * 🧾 The scandal involving Paul Eagle has deepened, with serious allegations including a $460,000 house renovation, fabricated documents, and a forged signature, now under review by the Serious Fraud Office for possible criminal investigation.\n  * 💰 The Chatham Islands Council paid over $433,000 to Agite Consulting Limited without tender or formal contract, consuming nearly half a year’s rates for a small, financially strained community.\n  * 📑 Engagement with Agite was based on a “pre-existing connection,” with contracts signed retrospectively, no procurement process followed, and no evidence of value-for-money assessment.\n  * 📊 Funds were largely spent on “government relations,” strategy, and political influence rather than infrastructure, with no measurable outcomes or internal evaluation of the work delivered.\n  * ⚠️ Crown “Better Off Funding,” intended for community wellbeing under Three Waters, was redirected into consultancy spending, with misleading claims made to the Department of Internal Affairs about contracted work.\n  * 🔄 Agite is staffed by politically connected insiders, including figures linked to government, transport, and lobbying sectors, highlighting a strong “revolving door” between public office and private consulting.\n  * 🏛️ Former Lower Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry joined Agite shortly after leaving office, while Agite consultant Peri Zee became Mayor of Upper Hutt—illustrating tight political and professional networks.\n  * 📱 Barry’s direct communication with Christopher Luxon after joining Agite shows how political access can be quickly leveraged into influence work.\n  * 👥 A proposed subcontract worth over $100,000 to Eagle’s wife raised serious conflict-of-interest concerns, with no evidence councillors were informed—suggesting potential self-dealing.\n  * 🔗 Agite’s links to former lobbying firm SenateSHJ and its controversial past (including embedded staff within regulators) reinforce concerns about blurred lines between public policy and private influence.\n  * 🧭 Despite the scale of the scandal, both the New Zealand Labour Party and Local Government New Zealand have remained silent, raising questions about accountability and political protection.\n  * 🚨 The council has referred the case to the SFO, while government ministers including Simon Watts acknowledge its seriousness amid ongoing financial crisis negotiations for the islands.\n  * 🌐 The case highlights systemic issues in New Zealand: weak lobbying regulation, no cooling-off periods, and poor procurement standards—creating an environment where insider networks can thrive on public funds.\n  * 🧩 Ultimately, the scandal reflects a broader cultural problem where political connections, influence, and public money intersect with minimal transparency, eroding trust in governance.\n\n\n\nRead More\n\n### This post is for subscribers only\n\nBecome a member to get access to all content\n\nSubscribe now",
  "title": "Your Daily Ten@10 - 2026/050",
  "updatedAt": "2026-03-22T21:00:07.882Z"
}