Comments on: DBP Update

By: Dale

Dale — Wed, 07 Dec 2005 06:01:08 +0000

Now that the “I dont remember.I cant recall.” excuse has been abused to the extreme,the rest of the Labour caucus must be gutted. Their best bullshit lines have been tainted for good!

By: side show bob

side show bob — Wed, 07 Dec 2005 05:22:26 +0000

I would the assume the labour party would be treating Mr Coleman with a great deal of respect at the moment, maybe an extra bonus in his severance pay for keeping mum.Just a dumb question, if DBP was to get the big “a” would that force a by election and what would this mean to the present government?.

By: Graeme Edgeler

Graeme Edgeler — Wed, 07 Dec 2005 03:24:51 +0000

“So what happens when Coleman tells his employer ‘My boss asked me to do it,’ thereby avoids dismissal…?”

Unfortunately for Mr Coleman, he is not in trouble for leaking the document (which he was instructed to do) but in trouble for denying leaking (or denying being instructed to leak) the document (which it appears he was not instructed to do).

By: tim barclay

tim barclay — Wed, 07 Dec 2005 02:50:30 +0000

Perjury trap is not a defence Craig it is a way of putting someone on the spot and then they have to lie to get out of it. The best reposnse is to say “I cannot remember”. Helen uses it all the time and Don Brash used it skillfully in the “gone by lunchtime remark”. Ministerial Services has no real power over who works in Minister’s offices, Coleman is a scapegoat no doubt about that. They will go through the motions but he will lay down his life for Benson-Pope.

By: Gooner

Gooner — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 22:58:10 +0000

Adolf said: “So what happens when Coleman tells his employer ‘My boss asked me to do it,’ thereby avoids dismissal and then leaks that to the media?”

Adolf, I thought you would know the answer to that.

Benson-Pope issues a press release (a day after leaking selective parts of the prepared one to favourable media) saying he refutes the allegation and then a few more days later, after his staffers say they can recall the instruction, says of the 100 or so people who work for him he is one of the 17 who either cannot recall the instruction to leak or says it was never given.

By: gd

gd — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 22:36:22 +0000

Hanging his press secretary out is just another example of the venal and cowardly nature of this little bully boy I wish Id gone to the same school where he was a student.Saw and was involved in giving his type a little of their own medicine.And in all cases they can dish it our but they cant take it.Bit like Socialists really

By: Craig Ranapia

Craig Ranapia — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 21:44:53 +0000

Tim & AF:

Well, I think this has a way to run. Unlike their political masters, Ministerial Services doesn’t decide serious employment matters via press conference, ‘off the record’ chats and selective leaks to friendly hacks. If nothing else, Ministerial/Parliamentary Services doesn’t like spending any more time than absolutely necessary in the Employment Court or paying out settlements to make unjustified dismissal claims go away.

And, Tim, I just don’t believe that anyone can be “trapped” into telling a lie. The whole “perjury trap” defence is the political equivalent of a serial killer screaming “The Devil and a subscription to Barely Legal made me do it.” Even disgraced former-Tory minister Jonathan Aitken now admits that he didn’t go to prison because he fell into a “perjury trap” baited by the media and his political enemies. He was convicted for knowingly, wilfully and repeatedly lying under oath in an attempt to pervert the course of justice.

By: M'lud

M'lud — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 21:13:42 +0000

DBP is going through the shredder, and a good job too. Hopefully Coleman will quickly reach the point at which he cuts DBP loose.

The answer my friend, is swinging in the wind…

By: tim barclay

tim barclay — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 20:29:39 +0000

Coleman is expendible, it does not matter what he says, he is a gonner. Hopefully DBP can be trapped into misleading Parliament about his role in authorising the selected release.

By: Adolf Fiinkensein

Adolf Fiinkensein — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 20:22:07 +0000

So what happens when Coleman tells his employer ‘My boss asked me to do it,’ thereby avoids dismissal and then leaks that to the media?

By: culma

culma — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 19:57:14 +0000

Had to laugh watching his reactions in the debating chamber on 1 news Tues night, It was like watching a tortured child hiding behind his mothers skirt, That’s right the Fraulein doesn’t wear skirts! If the coverage was linked to a guilt meter it would have hit the red line. Need to do something about that nervous twitch son!

By: Murray

Murray — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 19:41:16 +0000

This fool is a walking clusterfuck but I see it’s a staffer that’s getting the chop.

Given her history I asumed Hullen had given him instructions on leaking, even if “by definition” she can’t.

By: tim barclay

tim barclay — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 19:39:05 +0000

The focus has now shifted to what was he getting up to on sunday when he leaked a selected version ahead of the general release by the Police on Monday. That mistake is acknowledged but DBP is hanging his press secretary out to dry. No one doubts the presser acted on instructions of the Minister and that should now be the focus of the parliamentary scrutiny of the Minister.

By: Peter McK

Peter McK — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 19:30:32 +0000

Benson-dope is nothing more than a liability – attachs will continue for ages. Did anyone notice the “twitching” on the news – I would have thought that this would be a behaviour pattern consistent with lying and stress.

I wonder how many of his “friends” in labour also want him sacked.