Lianne and Donna both hanging on
February 19th, 2004 at 10:54 pm by David FarrarDonna Awatere-Huata is now just two steps away from being the first (and probably the only) MP to be expelled from Parliament under the Electoral Integrity Act after losing her bid for an injunction.
She claims the judgement means “a leader can sack anyone that they don’t like and that’s intolerable in a democracy” which is not totally untrue and that is exactly what the law passed by Helen Clark and Jim Anderton allows. If you don’t like it, blame Clark and Anderton.
Meanwhile I was staggered that the Prime Minister has refused to accept Lianne Dalziel’s resignation. The Minister twice blantantly lied to the media – this was not a mistake or an error of judgement as they try to spin it. This was someone who is the Associate Minister of Justice looking down a camera lens and telling blatant untruths which she *knew* was wrong.
Other MPs who have been caught out deliberately lying such as Moyle and Laws actually had to resign from Parliament totally. If this is not a resignation offence, then this will set a new low in standards for NZ. Being “hard working” does not mean one can lie and get away with it. Well not unless you are Helen’s friend.
No tag for this post.
February 20th, 2004 at 9:58 am
David –
John Armstrong has an acidic piece in today’s O’Herald about Dalziel. Much as I hate to praise the O’Herald, Armstrong has Dalziel nailed — and is predicting that not firing her could come back to bite Hell-zilla in the arse.
Vote:February 20th, 2004 at 10:04 am
“Hard working” has its own hooks as well. Does that mean Dalziel is back to freaking out under pressure in politically sensitive portfolios? Anywhere else, I suspect her removal from the the shadow Health portfolio (in 97?) would have got a lot more media attention. This might be the time Lianne’s luck runs out.
Vote:February 20th, 2004 at 3:26 pm
John Armstrong’s comments were right on the money. Opposition parties will never let Labour – and the public, come election time – forget that Dalziel cannot be trusted to tell the truth. Dalziel’s transgression is very similar in degree of wrongness to Ruth Dyson’s drink-driving. At least Dyson paid a price for her silliness.
Vote:February 20th, 2004 at 4:56 pm
I just wrote a letter to Helen Clark calling for her to fire Lianne Dalziel.
The last letter I wrote to a sitting Prime Minister was to David Lange, so you can probably guess that I don’t do it that often.
Vote:February 20th, 2004 at 5:46 pm
Stick a fork in her – she’s goneburger, crispy fried! But Clark still look weak and indecisive letting this drag on for the best part of two days. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer person.
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