And Winston gets his attack wrong

Winston has been attacking the media for several weeks alleging they have their facst wrong, the Herald editor and political editor should resign in disgrace etc.

So you would think Winston would be careful when he accuses others of wrong-doing. But no displaying the same wrongness he accuses the media of, he targeted Craig Foss:

Mr Peters attacked National MP Craig Foss, tabling Companies Office records in which Mr Foss was listed as owning 2,524,750 shares in Cynotech Holdings.

Mr Peters questioned why Mr Foss’ shareholding was not listed in the Register of Pecuniary Interests in which all MPs are required to declare their financial interests.

Hmmn, well this could be an issue. But …..

In a statement to Parliament, Mr Foss, said the shares were registered in the name of the Foss Family Trust, and this was included in his disclosure of interests.

He also tabled a statement from the share registry confirming the trust had owned the shares – worth about $423,000 at yesterday’s prices – since April 2003.

So if we use Winston’s own rhetoric, shouldn’t he apologise and resign as he kept demanding the Herald do? I suppose the difference is the Herald story was true.

Peters also targeted former Green MP Ian Ewen-Street:

Mr Peters, who has come under hard questioning from the Green Party over the donations, also brought up the case of former Green MP Ian Ewen-Street and his partner Sue Grey.

In 2003, Mr Ewen-Street stood down from a select committee inquiry into the scampi industry, citing potential conflict of interest after he began a relationship with Ms Grey, who was a lawyer appearing before it.

Yesterday, Mr Peters described it as “improper behaviour”.

Now on this issue, Peters is correct that it was improper behaviour. I said so at the time:

I’m shocked that Green MP Ian Ewen-Street absents himself from hearing evidence on the Scampi inquiry due to a conflict of interest, yet took part in the final deliberations.

Considering the conflict of interest was that Ewen-Street was rogering the lawyer for one of the parties, I’m amazed he felt he could take any part at all in the deliberations.

But two wrongs do not make a right. The actions of Ewen-Street in 2004 do not mean Peters can do what he likes in 2008.

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