Libz declare today Banana Republic Day
The Libz are declaring today Banana Republic Day, as Parliament under urgency and without proper scrutiny looks set to pass a special law which will protect the PM and Labour MPs from a lawsuit which is currently before the Courts. Hopefully the majority of MPs will vote for an amendment which preserves the lawsuit.
David Slack at Public Address blogs on what is happening in Parliament, comparing it to what Muldoon did 30 years ago, with a “haughty disregard for democratic niceties” .
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October 18th, 2006 at 1:33 pm
DPF, you seem to forget this legislation is to tidy up form election spending since 1989!
DPF, Labour have said they will pay back the money!
So whats the problem?????
October 18th, 2006 at 1:35 pm
The problem is Cadmus that without this issue National have nothing left to talk about,.
(BTW will we soon havd to call you Provenco?)
October 18th, 2006 at 1:45 pm
The problem is they are ramming thru this bill in urgency with absolutely no justification. There is plenty of time to consider the best way to handle things.
MPs are bad at writing law at the best of times and the select committee process helps to identify unintended consequences – and prevent them. It also gives the public a chance to have a say.
In this case the bill goes way too far and by being voted thru by MPs with a vested interest in the outcome is just plain wrong.
October 18th, 2006 at 1:46 pm
No, the problem is we now have a corrupt fascist government that is undermining freedom and democracy by passing a law to legalize its theft of taxpayer money, allow it to steal more money in future and place itself above the law.
October 18th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
DPF
Cadmus is correct, last year I had a tax audit and some expenses that I have claimed for years were deemed to be not allowed for business expenses. Things like home power bills etc and of course some advertising for myself. (not my business)
Now the IRD were going to go back through my last 17 years of accounts and total it all up and present me with a massive bill, and I was going to be forced to pay it, but at the last moment they changed their mind and validated it. Now I have till 2007 to reevaluate what I can claim, and I can pay additional tax if I feel so inclined. I had said to the auditor that if I was assesed I would pay, but I have no obligation now. Phew – thanks for the last minute change to the TAA going back 17 years, the power is still flowing into my house, at the expense of my clients. Ain’t politics wonderful, almost as good as banana’s !
October 18th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
The bill does specifically state:
This Appropriation Bill has no effect on the criminal liabilty of any person
October 18th, 2006 at 1:48 pm
Well, the AG has signed off PS spending in the 1989, 1990 etc., up to 2004. But without the legislation he cannot sign off the current year books for the Parliamentary Service as there are invlaid expenses that he is aware of.
Regardless, the legislation is technical only – but passing it in urgency risks unforseen intentions as we saw with Winston’s 2002 Local Govt Amendment Bill (passed under urgency, despite the known problems) which allowed for designated areas that councils can ban possessing alcohol, but ended up making it illegal to possess alcohol in any public place. (Including transporting it from the supermarket to home.)
October 18th, 2006 at 1:59 pm
Danyl – and as it is a civil lawsuit, that means nothing in regards to Darnton v Clark.
Do you reaLLY approve of what Labour is doing here Danyl?
October 18th, 2006 at 2:01 pm
The problem is like most things Labour does it smells very fishy, leaves a bad taste in our mouths and is probably most unhygenic to boot.
As for you thieving lefties actually paying up?
Lets wait and see on that one shall we? I certainly would not put any money on the promise to pay being kept.
The silver lining to all of this is that Labour have probably broken the straw on the publics back on this one and its not long till we get our say again and I CANT WAIT!!!
Your stale old chewing gum in 2008 aint changing my mind.
October 18th, 2006 at 2:24 pm
When Labour loses people like David Slack – usually a massive Labour cheerleader and defamer of Don Brash – then you know they really have crossed a line.
October 18th, 2006 at 2:56 pm
I don’t approve of passing the legislation under urgency since that’s always a bad idea and I don’t really understand why they’re doing it.
Then again, most of Labours decisions of late have been utterly baffling to me.
My only real concern here is that New Zealand First will use it to avoid paying back the money they owe. It’ll kill them come the election, but they’re dead meat anyway so what does that matter?
But I do admire the mad frenzy (our democracy is dead!) you’ve managed to whip up amoung your devoted followers.
October 18th, 2006 at 3:37 pm
Danyl – I have been careful not to make such claims. I have even said that some validating legislation is desirable and have criticised National’s approach to the bill. What I am vocal on is the urgency and the killing off of the lawsuit.
I have also resisted linking to the governor-general petition.
October 18th, 2006 at 3:38 pm
Now that Darnton v Clark has been killed by retro legislation we will see this device employed in the future on the grounds that it has set a precedent. To those who say NO I say never say never I will wait with amusement to remind them of their words.Any political party in the future can tidy up a situation no matter how unethical immoral or as in this case just plainly illegal and say Well Labour did it in 2006. It was good enough for them then so its good enough for us now.
And forget about them being tossed out at election time. Most voters cant remember what the government did to them last month let alone last year or the year before. AND the Socialists are sitting on a pile of cash ready to spray it around in 2008 and buy the election using OUR money.How dumb are the peasants in NZ Real dumb And Clark and her fellow traveller know this all to well.
October 18th, 2006 at 4:50 pm
I have instructed my kids that when ever they see Dear Leader on tv they are to jump to attention, click their heels together, throw out a stiff right arm and shout Heil Helen, easier to teach them before they get to old.
October 18th, 2006 at 7:09 pm
It is a well known fact that Helen wants NZ to become a Republic. I guess she just forgot to mention the banana bit.
October 18th, 2006 at 7:53 pm
Ouch! My son’s fourth term Humanities curriculum is on NZ Politics. He has just told me that his teacher was a little bemused today when, during a general discussion on our politicians, he told her that Clark was a lying, bullying, thieving lesbian.
I was going to suggest that he apologise for the ‘lesbian’ bit, but then, on reflection, the Left do like to encourage free speech.
October 18th, 2006 at 9:53 pm
I’d stay away from any bananna’s that either H1 or H2 have had their hands on if I were you.
October 18th, 2006 at 10:12 pm
Murray, surely we can call them B1 and B2 now?
October 19th, 2006 at 3:52 pm
“I have instructed my kids that when ever they see Dear Leader on tv they are to jump to attention, click their heels together, throw out a stiff right arm and shout Heil Helen, easier to teach them before they get to old. ”
Good Idea don’t let them decide for themselves, free will is overated and complicates things!