Liar Liar Pants on Fire
August 28th, 2003 at 1:19 pm by David FarrarWhen Corngate hit the news during the election the PM swore black and blue that she hardly knew anything about it and promised full release of all documents.
It has transpired that not only did she ring her brother-in-law (a scientist) to get advice on the issue, she also received a detailed briefing from one of her advisors on the GE scare. The advisors said that they could not be certain the corn was not contaminated.
Despite the promise of full disclosure, her own Chief Executive suppressed the memo from public release, even over the strong objections of the author. He claims he did this without the PM’s knowledge.
One has to wonder why such a respected civil servant would not comply with the public assurance given by his boss to release all papers. Why he persisted in this even after he received a strong complaint over the supression. Could it be because he knew the political consequences of releasing a memo showing the PM was fully informed of the issue, just hours after she had denied it.
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August 28th, 2003 at 10:35 pm
The real question is whether our PM, who has made lies and half truths an artform, will be held to account over this? No doubt the spin machine is already putting the word around that this was, at worst, an administrative error and it is petty politics to attack the hard working ministry staff over it.
A prediction – if the polls show that the public are concerned (and it seems unlikely – just another politician lying, so what?) Mark Prebble will have to fall on his sword.
As for Saint Helen, no doubt there will be important business in the “regions” – I wonder if she has bumped into her Minister of Maori Affairs?
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