Peters cornered
October 11th, 2007 at 6:22 am by David FarrarThat’s the headline in The Press.
It is very clear Peters misled Parliament. He should admit he did so, and apologise. To be fair to him, it wasn’t a deliberate lie, but a failing from his private office. But the Minister is 100% responsible for their office.
Here is what Peters was asked in August:
Parliament’s records on August 16 show that McCully had asked Peters if he could assure Parliament that “at no stage did any ministry official communicate any information to him or his office about the planned Air New Zealand charters”.
And it is clear as daylight that a ministry official did communicate information to his office.
One does wonder what proportion of reports do not get read by anyone in the Minister’s office? It is certainly not standard practice in most offices.
Related posts:
- Peters leaving Tauranga?
- Peters on Radio
- Clark distancing herself from Peters?
- Peters against foreign investment
October 11th, 2007 at 6:36 am
When questioned Peters starts blabbering in an incoherent way and he gets nasty. And neither he nor Dunne have paid back their money either.
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 6:40 am
“It is very clear Peters misled Parliament.”
I thought Parliament was the highest Court in the land , but I must have been mistaken ? In any other Court you “misled” = you commit a contempt of Court = perjury is a serious crime.
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 6:55 am
“One does wonder what proportion of reports do not get read by anyone in the Minister’s office? It is certainly not standard practice in most offices.”
Don Brash’s office used to have the same problem iirc.
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 6:55 am
It’s not a major – move on! He forgot, and of course under the standards set by the PM, “forgetting is not a hanging offence”!!
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 7:01 am
Peters’ blabbering and incoherence is best illustrated by his frequent “points of order”, in Parliament, which are simply ruled on as not points of order by an exasperated Speaker.
No other MP demonstrates this level of incompetent thrashing around.
That MMP creates the situation where buffoons can demand Ministerial appointments is lamentable.
That they are given those appointments is deplorable.
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 7:01 am
Yes move on , nervous giggle , nothing but a smear campagin , in a very deep man’s voice , stern as, she tells the media jellyfish , really I have more important things to attend too.
So the circus continues !
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 7:19 am
Could this be the driver to NZFirst and UF support for the EFB. A “Pay It Back” campaign would remind voters of the previous election overspend and could be devistating to their “sensible” and “safe” sales pitch.
Would the EFB effectively shield NZFirst from critism through their “position” on refunding the money even though it is hardly a party policy?
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 7:54 am
“One does wonder what proportion of reports do not get read by anyone in the Minister’s office? It is certainly not standard practice in most offices.”
Don Brash’s office used to have the same problem iirc.
good point, sonic but Brash resigned over his lapse of memory didn’t he? Wonder if Peters would do the same…
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 8:01 am
It is good to see National going at Peters at last. His performance has been a disgrace and this incident is just the tip of the iceberg. I hope they keep at him. We need this nasty little man taken out of NZ politics once and for all. The more people hear performances like that on National radio yesterday, the greater the chance that NZ First will remain below 5%. National better watch Tauranga, however. I hear Winston is giving a run at his old seat very serious consideration. The Nats should also remember that these attacks that are scoring real points against Winston are also further denting the credibility of the Government in general. So keep at it!
Vote:Finally, why is no one looking into what Goff’s office knew? Don’t forget that Goff as Minister of Defence gets the CTAG stuff too. Everything Winston’s office knew Goff’s office knew, at exactly the same time. And unlike Peters Goff works hard, and likes reading as much as possible………
October 11th, 2007 at 8:13 am
pacman:
“Would the EFB effectively shield NZFirst from critism through their “position” on refunding the money even though it is hardly a party policy?”
Yes.
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 8:27 am
I’d even suggest that this is why Winston, who is plainly an ambarrassment to his own Party colleagues, gets to stay while they will probably resign;
ie
“Ditch me, and I will take the Party with me.”
Interesting lack of ‘corrupt and corrosive influence in New Zealand politics” jibes though, from the left.
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 8:31 am
Perhaps WInston is asking his Perty colleagues to stick with him till after the EFB goers through then it will be a mere formality to have the non-repayment nullified. I’m sure he could do a deal…..
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 8:35 am
Come to think of it, that would be a major inventive for Dunne to give his support to the EFB too, wouldn’t it?
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 8:56 am
Is the EFB robbing Paul to pay Peters? Is it Dunne deal?
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 9:52 am
Haveing fun by yourself Lee?
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 10:08 am
Peters was prepared to let one of our most outstanding civil service managers take the rap and be hung out to dry when he knew the truth all along- it was the fault of one of his own staff.
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 10:34 am
Not Really Nick
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 10:35 am
But as Swift wrote:
“When a true genius appears in this world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him. ”
And I ain’t referring to Peters here!
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 11:27 am
No outstanding fees paid, no party nomination at election time,,
Vote:simple as that. Thats the real world.
October 11th, 2007 at 11:45 am
Re the EFB..
I just phoned Winnies office to inquire why they were supporting this appalling legislation. The office lady told me to contact Doug Woolerton via email.
However she gave me some advice. She said DO NOT put “if you vote for the EFB I will remember it in the next election” in the subject headline. Apparently Doug has had a few of these and refuses to even read them. He just deletes them instead.
Is it just me, or is the arrogance of Labour infecting their partners? Even if this was not what they wanted to hear, aren’t they supposed to be representing us?
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 11:49 am
Doug Woolertons whole persona and projections are arrogant,, no surprises there.
So much so , Winston was able to catch him on the hop and teach him about the facts of life.
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
I do hear a thru the ol grapevine – bush telegraph that Ron is not happy with Winny ?
Rear rank steady – SIR !!
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
Ron isn’t happy with Winny? That’s like saying the chickens aren’t happy with the farmer who raised them. Peters sent me down south to assess Ron Mark… I found him running some paintball outfit. To save DPF from a lawsuit I’ll refrain from repeating here my report back to Winston. That Mark made it to where he is is entirely due to Winston’s patronage (and the fact that the quality people Winston had at the time have all – with the exception of Brian Donnelly – been driven off long ago). If Mark thinks he has enough backing to go it alone he’ll join the ranks of Connelly and others in well-deserved oblivion.
As for Doug Woolerton – hinamanu has got it exactly right. There’s nothing Labour (or anyone else) could teach him about arrogance. And what’s more its that deep, ingrained arrogance – the sort that comes from knowing you don’t have a clue what’s actually going on around you, but you have to appear to have mastered stuff that’s way too complex for you. So you grab hold of a position and stick to it, refusing all debate and being dismissive of those who differ.
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 6:08 pm
As for Doug Woolerton – hinamanu has got it exactly right. There’s nothing Labour (or anyone else) could teach him about arrogance. And what’s more its that deep, ingrained arrogance – the sort that comes from knowing you don’t have a clue what’s actually going on around you, but you have to appear to have mastered stuff that’s way too complex for you. So you grab hold of a position and stick to it, refusing all debate and being dismissive of those who differ.
Rex – is Nome Doug Woolerton?
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 6:14 pm
Rex, Interesting comment about Ron Mark. “….Peters sent me down south to assess Ron Mark… I found him running some paintball outfit.” Can you tell me if Ron was “running” that paintball outfit of if he owned it.
If you choose to ignor my question that’s fine.
I confess to voting for Winston in the past. But because he hasn’t “paid it back yet”, looks like he may not be around next election.
So I was wondering if Ron was just a list spin words or whether there was a brain as well.
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
David Baigent – I honestly don’t know I’m sorry. I was never told, and did not ask as it wasn’t relevant – I was sent to assess his character, intelligence and all-round suitability as a candidate (or rather, I was sent to Christchurch on other business and asked to make a side trip). All I recall is that he was working in this somewhat shabby looking enterprise and was busy handing out equipment etc while I was speaking with him. As it wasn’t the best environment in which to have an in-depth policy and philosophical discussion I gave up. What little I heard didn’t impress me much.
I didn’t mean the comment to disparage someone who runs (or owns) a paintball outfit. When I went through the same process (and was interviewed, ironically, by Doug Woolerton) I was unemployed, having just parted company with Radio Pacific.
But I was serious enough about the process to throw on a suit, invite Doug round to my home, have a lengthy discussion and generally treat the process seriously.
I’m not sure what you mean by him being a “list spin words”… if you mean whether he’s there to make up the numbers, he’s there because two factors came into play in 1996. First, Michael Laws decimated the party’s front bench and forced out anyone whom he felt threatened by – that is to say anyone with any intellect. Brian Donnelly survived only by virtue of the high regard in which Winston held him, and his Northland connections to the Peters family. That Mark survived this cull says lots about his intellect, at least in Laws’ view. It may, in fact, be the only thing on which Michael Laws and I will ever agree.
Second, Winston likes what he sees as “men’s men”. I’ve seen him in a bar when a well known legaue player came up to us – it was like a schoogirl meeting her favourite popstar. Ex-army personnel like Mark appeal to that in Winston. An early front-bencher, Ross Gluer, was also ex-military and Winston constantly banged on about it – the irony being that he too was from Christchurch, was immeasurably smarter than Mark, and was thus driven out by Laws with Winston’s acquiesence.
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
LeeC asks:
I doubt roger can claim a record as enviable as having been a failed used car salesman, failed real estate agent and failed farmer. No wonder he won’t open emails questioning his stance on the EFB – they’re probably dangerously beyond his reading level.
And upon such shoulders does the fate of our democracy rest…
Vote:October 11th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Rex thanks for the insight.
Vote: