Police execute search warrants on Field’s office
October 27th, 2006 at 3:09 pm by David FarrarNewstalkZB reports (in fact first reported in blog comments) that Police have raised Philip Field’s office and removed documents under a search warrant.
UPDATE: Good God, they also raided his parliamentary office. This must be a near first for NZ – to have an MP’s office in Parliament raided. All done according to protocol and with the Speaker’s agreement. But still very rare.
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- How many Police was that?
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October 27th, 2006 at 4:15 pm
DPF, was that a Freudian slip? If only they could burn the bloody thing down!
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 4:19 pm
Let’s see if we can’t get Jordan to use the “C” word, just this once.
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 4:36 pm
I believe any evidence will be long gone. That’s what the police are moving now, or more likely, have been asked to move now – the day before the Labour party conference kicks off.
Having a trusted police force find nothing when this whole thing has been smelling like a skunks armpit for ages make a mockery of investigative due process. Instead our leaders are covering lies and deceit with more lies and more deceit.
Why have we NZer’s allowed this Govt the latitude to plumb these new depths of ethical depravity?
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 4:38 pm
Its gonna play real well in Rotorua with the attempt to make the “lets not get distracted by trival matters” speech the major news item over the weekend.
Gotta say the police do have timing,
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 4:54 pm
Hey Andrew did you notice top cop stammer and say “police… err service” on TV last night.
So PC he can’t even say force any more.
But you were right, Police Force is what it is and it’s part of the Armed Forces by heritage.
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 5:00 pm
Anyone been tasered yet?
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 5:06 pm
Murray – no didn’t see this but can believe it.
Our at-the-coal-face police, er… force, are a great team.
The passing waft of politcal manipulation only becomes a vile stench at the top of the pay scale.
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 5:12 pm
Field would indeed be very foolish if anything incriminating was left lying around. Surely an MP wouldn’t be that stupid – then again, it’s Taito Philip Field we’re talking about……
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 5:29 pm
Andrew is right. Yet another labour ‘red-wash’.
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 5:38 pm
Andrew.,,”Why have NZ’ers allowed this Govt. the latitude….etc”. Overheard last night in an eatery…”Doreen,this steak is so tough I can’t get the knife through it.I’ll have to leave it.Oh what a shame,I was so looking foreward”. Waiter shambles along and asks if the meals were satisfactory. Doreen and Ina both pipe up in unison,”very nice dear,thank you”. Part of your answer lies here;it’s the Kiwi way.btw,my husband had to practically hog-tie and gag me to avoid “creating a scene”.
yeah OK, eateries that attract Doreens and Inas are not known for the quality of their cuisine,but that’s not the point!
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 7:55 pm
Some of you need to step away from your computer and get out and get some fresh air. This is the last thing Labour need on the weekend of their conference. More nails in the coffin of Helengrad – the cops would not be taking unprecedented action like this without good reason. Joe blow Kiwi is way past having enough of this BS from the govt – we have interesting weeks in front of us.
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 8:06 pm
Mr Field welcomed police investigation of the matter (“if” he has been trying to influence testimony of others to the polic,e he has gone down the watergate path, which would explain the validitiy of Labour having already risk managed this by separating themselves from the MP).
Thus this occurence has little to do with politics of left or right.
And this is unilkely to have any bearing on voting in 2008.
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 8:39 pm
The timing has more to do with the aggred on protocol. The police don’t carry out the search while parliment is sitting.
This was probably the earliest they could carry it out under the requirements of the protocol.
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 8:50 pm
So did the police advise the speaker some time ago of their desire to execute a warrant?
Did she tell anyone?
Or;
Did the police second guess the speaker and wait until Parliament has risen to ask….?
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 8:57 pm
What kind of protocol crap is this?! They should be able to search parliament any time, parliament’s nothing but crap anyway. Why are they treated better than everybody else?
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 9:00 pm
What kind of protocol crap is this?! They should be able to search parliament any time, parliament’s nothing but crap anyway. Why are they treated better than everybody else?
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 9:03 pm
And if the Speaker had prior knowledge, was anyone forewarned? After all, she didn’t tell ANYONE what was in the AG’s report, did she now? Yeah, right!
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 9:13 pm
Some of you need to step away from your computer and get out and get some fresh air. This is the last thing Labour need on the weekend of their conference. More nails in the coffin of Helengrad – the cops would not be taking unprecedented action like this without good reason. Joe blow Kiwi is way past having enough of this BS from the govt – we have interesting weeks in front of us.
Posted by casual watcher | October 27, 2006 7:55 PM
Which begs the question…What are YOU doing here..?? Obviously, you have little or no idea of what goes on in the corridors of power. I’ll wager a bet that this raid is an orchestrated charade. Why didnt this search happen weeks ago before the myth of trinity (ie. Clark/Wilson & Co) collabarated on their stories, and before a sweep could be made to ensure that no incriminating evidence was left behind that would implicate Taito? Perfect execution by Labour. I can just hear the Labour’s spin doctors now….????!!! Cynical perhaps or, just a realist..???
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 9:38 pm
Some have no idea and others imagine they know what has been happening.
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 9:46 pm
It is very hard not to get compassion fatigue when feeling sorry for the NZ voter – really and truly.
Can one of you own up and say why in your wildest nightmares would your ever vote for these turkeys?
Please, I really want to know. Now retrace your steps, you went to the polling station and got your ballot paper and went to the booth and then… Don’t tell me you were forced to do it because you were still half way up your political masters (*oops sorry Mur) because one of the few remaining freedoms we have is to go into the booth alone. You got the pen in your hand and you made a tick beside the labour candidate’s name – remember now?
WHY?
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 9:54 pm
I would be doing so, if it was a choice between Labour and National like in the good old FPP days.
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 9:55 pm
Imagine the irony…A poor, old, Thai tiler’s testimony and an honourable judge (easier said than found), finds against Field and that he has committed an act of perjury. Judgement leads to possible down fall of Labour govt…
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 10:00 pm
If legal circumstances result in the MP’s going, Labour would still win the electorate seat.
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 10:25 pm
It was perfect execution by Labour. How many ordinary citisens would have a nine month toothless inquiry and a few extra months to get their house in order. It’s a whitewash. It’s disgusting and it’s a further insult to the ordinary Nu Zaylanders.
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 10:30 pm
Its not crap, those that make laws and those that enfoce them need to be kept seperate for very good reasons.
The agreed upon protocol is based on that used by NSW.
You can’t have cops going around kicking in doors of MP’s in parliment.
If you have such an aversion to parliment and legal process could I sugest North Korea or possibly Iran to you. They seem to be on the same wave length about the whole due process thing.
SPC seems to have missed recent events relating to who is getting elected in Mangere and who aint.
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 10:49 pm
Yeah I suppose there’s an outside chance given that a R&R candidate just won in the local body position. And stranger things have happened – Remuera did go marginal in 87 so clearly there is no correlation between money and brains.
So SPC you do waste your vote propping up this government (by voting for one of the other parties) because you cant bring yourself to vote national. And I waste my vote by always strategically voting against the incumbent party n matter what. We must be very despaerate. Isn’t there any way that the rational people of NZ could get together and say hey – we’re sick of these guys laughing at us on the cocktail circuit and we’re sick of NZ being turned into a laughing stock, and at least come to some accord?
Come on – surely there’s a way. Surely New Zealanders deserve better than this. Surely there’s a way to pull together as one nation?
Oh there goes poor old porc again – must have been sniffing the rarefied stratosphere above Rotorua
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 10:53 pm
I understand that Field is currently in Vanuatu and Labour lost the local council election in Mangere – SPC may have missed this. Is it possible that Field has emigrated?
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 10:56 pm
I understand that Field is currently in Vanuatu and Labour lost the local council election in Mangere – SPC may have missed this. Is it possible that Field has emigrated?
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 11:05 pm
It’s not uncommon for people who vote Labour in central government elections to vote otherwise in local government. It’s more then a matter of the people not the party.
Electorate voting is more of a party issue. If anyone disagrees, I am quite willing to have mein host broker betting on the issue.
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 11:07 pm
With all due respect, that’s more crap than I’ve heard on the Labour party site, Murray. Are you in NZ in the 21st century or are you communicating through a portal from la la land. The political aristocracy in this country thinks they are above the law because Kiwis never challenge them. They use our own money and our own judiciary against us on a regular basis, viz the events of the last few weeks. If for once the police had acted in a timely manner then I am not going to criticise them. We’ve got plenty of checks and balances and don’t need NSW or mother England or whatever to tell us how to run our country. I for one can understand why New Zealanders find this whole process insulting. Even though we should be used to it since we’ve had to put up with it from successive governments for decades.
Your political masters and their pet politicians have laughed at us for years – lol hey how much do we have to prod these bozos to get a reaction lolol; you couldn’t get these buggers to react if you put 40,000 cow fart generated volts through tiny pricks ha ha ha.
Let us have the only laugh at them we’ll get this century in peace, even if SPC is probably right about Mangere.
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 11:12 pm
I vote Greens and thus to a degree prop up the government.
I admit (before being prompted) to thinking their former position on free trade was wrong (they are reviewing it) and admit to being embarrassed by Locke from time to time (if police turn in those misusing pepper spray, this is no cause to review it’s use by police) and not to supporting some other of their policies.
But I find them a valuable addition to the mix. The longer term vision and their principles are something other parties should emulate.
“Come on – surely there’s a way. Surely New Zealanders deserve better than this. Surely there’s a way to pull together as one nation?”
I admit to thinking we are not as well served by United and NZ First as our two centre parties as we might be.
Neither has any real potential to challenge Labour or National as a vehicle for a new centre.
Vote:October 27th, 2006 at 11:43 pm
Who said centre is the place to be, it’s current fashion, no more no less.
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 8:17 am
Nice answer SPC, thanks for your honesty. We agree on a lot of things there. Me, I vote against strategically the incumbent government in the vain hope they will stop sodomising me long enough to get a rebore, but each to their own., “its still a free country”.
Lets think about the Greens for a moment. They are really just far left in robin hood clothing (wow, if ever a book needed to be banned that one does eh?). So if you are a member of the political aristocracy or if you don’t mind paying 95% tax once your pay creeps over the poverty line by all means vote for them. [I know this isn’t in their manifesto but then again taxing cows eructations wasn’t in Labours either].
I find the best way to argue with anti-globalisationists is to ask them is Christopher Columbus existed or was that a NASA conspiracy. Too late by about half a millennium mates and matesses. I’m writing a book for them entitled “Alternatives to globalisation” – it blank so they can use it as a diary to keep their what if the worlds population was still 100M thoughts.
And as for conservation. Ok in order not to cause offence I ask – could all genuine people who give their money and time freely to conservation please close your eyes.
The conservation movement has been institutionalised for years – the government/iwi/charitable trust access have their snouts in that feeding trough and their not taking on new customers. Some greens might genuinely be trying to get in but its going to be a hard row to hoe. Take for example the proposed zones where highly destructive dredge trawling is going to be banned – not all trawling just dredge trawling. Providing proper marine reserves and designated use areas is too hard because you’d have to use a few hundred million of our precious surplus to now so that we could reap the few hundred billion in sustainable fisheries later.
We could pay for it with a new tax –hey bureaucrats I’ve thought up a really good new tax for you – want to here it.
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 8:26 am
Oops – strategically against that is.
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 10:10 am
Having an MP on leave for sleeze is outrageous. The time has come for this seat to be declared vacant because Field is simply not representing his constitutents in the House, which is the whole point if not the key role for a member of parliament.
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 10:28 am
I am so fed up with all this corrupt crap. What happened to governing the country rather than covering up labour’s dirt. I cannot believe what they have got away with – it is so bad it almost has to be admired but I’m afraid it says more about the NZ public than government that we let them get away with it.
What are the police going to find after all this time – day 1 he would have been advised to destroy incriminating evidence, and the speaker knew beforehand…. well go figure.
I feel appalled at the situation NZ is in – clark has to go she is at the point where she believes she is above the law and all she can do is attack National & Brash while at the same time covering up for her party and her own personal charade.
She has lost the plot
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 10:53 am
Cheer up virgin; at least there IS a process under way to actually get to the facts of the matter.
1. The guy is no longer a Minister. Hasn’t been since the allegations first surfaced.
2. Since the QC reported and more allegations surfaced…he has been suspended from Parliament.
3. The Police ARE conducting an investigation, and exercising unprecendented powers of search in doing so. He ain’t getting the kid glove treatment.
4. When they have put together all the relevant facts, then our opinions will be sustained by some facts.
5. Even if he isn’t charged, the Mangere electorate will get their chance to vote on their man, probably sooner than later.
At the end of it Feild will be exonerated or not, and due process will have taken it’s course. What is the objection to this process? It is fair and sane..all the rest is partisian moral panic.
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 10:59 am
From Stuff this morning: [Fields] lawyer, Simativa Perese, said he was given five minutes warning.
Sounds like positioning here. When the Police find nothing the public will be reminded that the lack of warning prevented destruction of any evidence. To a casual observer this would support no charges being laid and the matter being quietly closed.
Of course the more cynical amongst know that he’s had months of warning to get his house in order (as it were!) before this raid charade.
Fields alleged corruption is just a proxy for everything that’s wrong with this, and other long-term governments: Abandonment of public service in pursuit of personal gain.
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 11:04 am
I agree there seems to have been a process and therein lies the problem. It has been superficial and toothless – the QC had no real investigative powers and it was a sham inquiry to placate – nothing more.
Yes the police are now involved … months later – once again having had time to get his house in order ( as in the case of the kahuis) Having had this search approved by the speaker… gosh what will they find…. yeah right
Yes he has been suspended ON FULL PAY while holidaying in Vanuatau ( gosh it’s a tough life as an alleged corrupt MP)
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 11:16 am
RedRag – Due process?
I’m sorry…. but the meaning of the term has been twisted beyond recognition.
The only process being followed here is one handcrafted to keep the lid in things and to keep Fields vote in the house.
It’s outrageous. I wish NZ would wake up and see that we’ve all been conned
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 11:20 am
Yes red rag- can the Labour Party explain to the public why they have put one of their MPs on “leave for sleeze” and totally ignoring the constitutents in Mangere having representation in Parliament.
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 11:24 am
Red Rag:
He did remain a Minister after the allegations surfaced. Clark defended him. She failed to reappoint him to Cabinet at the traditional post election reshuffle but that was six weeks or so later.
And his suspension from Parliament was not in relation to teh QC report which he claimed exonerated him and had Clark talking down. It was the Police inquiry which led to his suspension.
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 11:26 am
Oh yeah, as virginblogger said he’s on full pay on holiday in Vanuatau while the Labour party conference is on!
Why is is that some MP’s simply disappear from the public eye when the heat is on? Think of Helen when the AG’s report was released (and countless other sticky moments over her term)
Field is a Labour MP. The Labour party conference dates have been known for ages. His non-attendance is evidence of his, and his party’s woeful spinelessness
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 11:34 am
It’s sad that labour are continuously pulling the wool over people. They are so busy digging themselves out of the proverbial while making it seem that they are doing the right thing.
Why can’t NZ see through this?
The inquiry is a sham. labour break the law (they don’t deserve a capital letter)and then change the law to make the illegal act legal
Clark apparently used political powers to resolve her husband’s dodgy situation in the US
Clark is never around when the going gets tough
Why has it taken almost a year – again ON FULL PAY to investigate Field
I could go on but i would only get more depressed….:(
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 12:48 pm
Redrag – There was a enquiry into Field’s corruption. He lied to it. This was proven by file footage from TV. Labour have tolerated this man lying to an enquiry into his own corruption. (Surely that is in itself corruption, by definition). This has nothing to do with the Police investigation – it is purely a matter of parliamentary standards.
If Labour expel Field, they lose their parliamentary majority. So they have *made a choice* to use the vote of a corrupt MP to keep their grip on power. That is shameless.
If Labour will tolerate corruption to stay in power, they are themselves corrupt. All legislation passed with Field’s vote is tainted.
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 1:08 pm
It’s unbelieveable that Nz is drowning under the sea of lies and deceit that labour continue to poison us with.
How convenient almost a year on to ‘suddenly’ search Field when anyone with an ounce of brain matter can see it’s a charade to make it look like labour cares about the truth.
Any evidence is long gone while Field has been sunning himself in Vanuatu on full salary. God – any business that conducted this kind of incompetent inquiry should be ashamed of itself, never mind the government. The fact is that is has suited labour’s agenda to ‘buy’ Field’s vote and try to distract the public from its quagmire of rotten corruption.
The answer to everything is to ‘buy’ it. I cannot believe a word that comes out of anyone. I want to see a government with integrity not a series of lies, cover ups and more lies.
To be balanced, integrity of course could be questionable with Brash , though i hate to say it. However I do think from a business of governing the country rather than personal life, give me Brash over Clark any day. Her approach to personal & governance reeks.
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 2:30 pm
re integrity – everyone has skeletons in the closet. setting aside those that are glaringly in the public view, i’m sure some of Dear Leader’s other skeletons are coming out soon
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 3:15 pm
The oddest part about the Police Enquiry apart from the time it has taken to show any progress and that the Tiler still hasn’t been spoken to except by the media is that the officer leading the enquiry has not been identified. Statements are issued by Police spin doctor Jon Neilson. No reporters appear to have asked who is in charge of the enquiry. Why Not?
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 5:08 pm
A good question.
I’m guessing that the chain of command for this ‘investigation’ is somewhat irregular with the strings being pulled directly by top coppers.
Come in Ian… any chance of Investigate investigating?
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 6:11 pm
Oh dear, more moral panic for the sole purpose of partisian grandstanding.
You are all pontificating on the basis of 20/20 hindsight. The original investigation was primarily setup to look at the Cole house affair, which incidently cleared him on that matter. However the inevitable fishing expedition occured and other matters turned up. Pretty much as they would for just about any business person or politician. Everyone has some skeletons in their closet…and if you go looking for them you find them. There are no perfect people. Not even the fastidious Dr Brash.
Now you have a Police investigation. How about awaiting the outcome of the referee’s decision? I note however you are all positioning yourselves to attack the outcome if it isn’t the one you want. Still that is pretty much how it goes in here. The AG gives you the result you want and he is the pinnacle of probity and courageous wisdom; the Police don’t and they are corrupt nincompoops. Oh well what goes round comes round..hehe.
Note also that if Feild goes, then it should not be too hard to gain agreement from the Greens to assure confidence and supply. Dunne and Winnie would just have to smile sweetly and hold their noses.
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 6:20 pm
Get a confidence and supply agreement from the Greens and ask Field to resign. Have a by-election, though it is not a done deal Labour would win. Labour now know that, they will be spooked by the Manukau City by-election. So Field will continue to be on sleeeze leave and his constitutents will continue to be ignored in Parliament.
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 6:22 pm
RedRag said: Note also that if Field goes, then it should not be too hard to gain agreement from the Greens to assure confidence and supply
Agree. That’s why our Dear Leader is suddenly singing green at the conference. Nothing about commitment to the green cause you understand, but everything about clinging to power
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 7:00 pm
Redrag: . “How about awaiting the outcome of the referee’s decision?”
I see you still haven’t addressed Field being caught lying to the Ingram enquiry. No need to wait for the outcome there. He is convicted out of his own file-footage mouth.
Gaining agreement from the Greens to govern is fine. JUST GET RID OF FIELD NOW. Waiting until it costs nothing isn’t principled – it is a complete lack of any principle.
BTW – In the past I would have thought an additional arrangement with the Greens wouldn’t last long, due to UF and NZF problems. But the need to pay back parliamentary services money should now make for wonderfully stable government!
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
>>I see you still haven’t addressed Field being caught lying to the Ingram enquiry. <
If being caught in deception outside of Parliament is now an essential criterion for expulsion from the House, I suggest that the half-life of most MP’s might be dramatically shortened…on all sides.
I look forward to applying this principle rigorously in future.
Vote:October 28th, 2006 at 9:51 pm
Deception by degrees….
Deal the harshest judgement to those who use their position of power & privilege, or worse taxpater resources, for their own personal gain.
Yes, let’s apply this principle and ensuing judgement very rigorously!
Vote:October 29th, 2006 at 2:27 am
IF we were following NSW’s precedent then we would have an Independent Commission against Corruption – with the power to cite politicians for corruption. Politicians so cited are immediately and permanently removed for public life with no appeal possible or necessary. Further proceedings through the courts can determine criminal liability but not effectively contest the commission’s findings (e.g. Greiner).
Such a commission in NZ could easily be established e.g. comprising the auditor general, solicitor general and chief electoral officer, requiring a unanimous vote to remove corrupt politicians from public life or to disestablish a corrupt political party
Under the NSW system, Taito Field, indeed the whole labour cabinet and party executive would be in jail for corruption and the labour and NZF parties would no longer exist
That is democracy. That is justice. This is nothing but a farce.
Vote: