Everyone saying Peters will be suspended today
August 29th, 2008 at 7:02 am by David FarrarThe gallery seem united in their view that Helen Clark will suspend or stand down Winston Peters today. She would be silly not to. In fact the SFO investigation has been fortunate timing for her – it lessened some of the focus on her personal lnowledge of the Owen Glenn donation.
Paula Oliver in the Herald says:
The Serious Fraud Office probe into New Zealand First’s finances announced late yesterday makes Winston Peters’ suspension as a minister unavoidable.
Claire Trevett reports that most of the party leaders are calling for Peters to be stood down.
Facing mounting pressure to deal with Peters to stop his multiplying crises tainting Labour by association, Helen Clark now has the perfect excuse to stand him down from his ministerial portfolios without his having any valid reason to complain.
Tracy Watkins in the Dom Post:
Phone calls between the Clark and Peters camps late yesterday ahead of a meeting today point to mounting pressure on Miss Clark to stand her foreign affairs minister down.
NZ First insiders insisted yesterday there was no prospect of him standing aside voluntarily.
His position appears virtually untenable after the SFO yesterday started an investigation into claims that donations allegedly solicited by Peters from Sir Robert Jones and Vela family interests did not reach New Zealand First.
I expect it will be announced before midday.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:16 am
The comedy continues.
I followed this issue on TVNZ’s late news last night, before switiching over to The History Channel to record episode 21, about the final collapse of Germany, on The World At War. It was fascinating.
As the forces of right close in, a tyrannical leader retreats to their bunker to plot the final defence. All they have left is a small band of fanatical supporters, united by megolamia and a willingness to destroy their country rather than hand over the reins of power. As the situation becomes ever-more desperate, they finally turn on their friends, before destroying themselves.
Anyway, enough of Wellington, 2008. The World At War episode was also very interesting.
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 7:45 am
going going soon maybe ,um still going going going ???????
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 7:52 am
Gone by lunchtime? I thought it was more like gone by Tuesday so I can get my ETS passed.
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 7:58 am
In the meantime, Trevor Mallard valiantly attempts to protect Peters on behalf of Labour. The Maori Party and The Greens admit they’d like to say something, but only if Mummy says it’s ok, since their meal ticket in inside her apron pocket. Shameless. Disgusting. Anti-democratic. Cowardice.
MMP – it has to go.
Who would deal with any of these corrupt fools?
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 7:58 am
If Winston is suspended, what does that mean for the government and bills they want to pass? Will that prevent them from passing any bills or will NZ first bring another list MP in to parliament?
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 8:19 am
Dear Helen, please don’t sack Winston. The polls are getting better- go on, you can turn this around, c’mon three more years are there for the taking if you just hold on, just brazen it out, nobody is paying attention, just the political hacks, you’ll be able to fool the public again,don’t falter; UN glory awaits you, you can do better than Seddon you can outlast them all, c’mon Muldoon was in longer- you want to beat him, don’t you?
Maybe there will be more constituency Labour MPs than party preference votes; I got canvassed last night and was told by the eager young Labour student [I am in Dunedin North] that I should vote for Mr Hodgson, and choose my own party vote. Either she is off the briefing papers or they have one line for doubtful voters and one for supporters.
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 8:20 am
Helens dilemma – you have to fire Winston – but if you do watch him go feral on her. Imagine the dirt he has on her. Who knows, they both have so much hubris they will self destruct each other, but maybe Phil Goff will tell Helen she herself has to go or else Winston will spend the next month torturing her line by line by line and Labour will plummet more and more as their traditional voters are turned off by the increasing stench of her corruption and lies. Watch for Phil and those who care about Labour more than their own egos to get Helen to step aside gracefully for the sake of the party or else they will boot her out. This 12 months ago she may have bluffed and blustered through, but not now, weeks out from an election. its terminal for her and for Winston.
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 8:26 am
GMM>Maybe there will be more constituency Labour MPs than party preference votes;
That’d be cool… an overhang caused by Labour!
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 8:27 am
I have just listened to Sir Robert Jones and then Winston First on Morning Report.
Vote:What a morning of dirt and subteferge !! Bob Jones denied any contacts with Winston’s mob in the last two days and Winston contradicts that. Typical of Winston, he rubbishes anyone who dares disagree with him.
Winston ducked,dived,changed the topic and never made a straight reply. What a man to have as New Zealand’s face to Nations internationally.
Clark is wounded quite mortally. One only has to remember in 1999 when she hung,quartered Shipley over lesser matters.Now that currently pasty faced leader has to show her real feelings.
On what is happening look for Labor to poll in the mid to late 20% figures. Damage done by Williamson etc has been well and truly buried in the last week.
However, a massive vote to National and a weak and divided opposition is not good for New Zealand. Clark did most of her damage during the first two terms until National got its act together. Labor just barged ahead.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:28 am
Die you bastard zombie political undead creature of the damned. DIE!!!!
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Winston is really starting to throw his toys out of the cot:
The SFO and unnamed groups are plotting against him!!! Get over it you paranoid little prick.
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 8:46 am
On the timing- maybe it went something like this – “please Mr SFO boss, if we withdraw the legislation abolishing you, will you jump to say you are going to investigate Winston over the Bob Jones and Vela family donations? Leave out the Owen Glenn one, because that’s just a bit too close to home. If you can do that, your rewards will be rich. For starters, you’ll still have a job”.
Vote:I wouldn’t put anything past Madam Muck.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:50 am
Isn’t accusing the SFO of a political conspiracy just a tad on the side of being blitheringly stupid stunt?
Well of course not if you have no experience with being held accountable I guess.
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Murray,
Winston Peters and ‘stupid’ seem to go together rather well at the moment!
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 8:57 am
Prediction. WP will step down but after a gentle spin cycle – it will be because it is not fair on anyone to have to perform in a Ministerial role when they are under this much stress. He and the PM will remain civil to each other. There will be no dirt flying to and fro. And NZ First will continue to support the ETS legislation.
And, I can’t say I’d be too wound-up if it were dealt with on this basis. Let’s fact it, who of us would be able to function properly in our jobs under this much strain? Better to say that you’ve freed up WP so that he focus on the various investigations and maybe, just maybe, for the first time in recorded history, provide straight answers to simple questions. Or not. But either way, that’s the most pragmatic way for any PM to regain control of the agenda.
And, I recommend that should John Key be faced with a similar incident involving one of his Ministers, he deal with it as a stress management issue. Bugger the “honourable thing to do” brigade. This is about realism and the ability to perform properly.
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Arkhad – Gone by High Noon?
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 9:03 am
To be honest, i wouldn’t malign the SFO, I think they do a grand job. Also, even if decommissioned, they would have to remain in some way for all their current investigations to be completed – a couple of years or more, with all the court actions etc. But I still think the timing is rather weird. I mean, how ‘lucky’ can Madam Muck get? She hasn’t acted, all through the times when she should have done, then suddenly, when John Key comes out and says what has needed saying for a long time, she is rescued by the SFO. She can stand Winie down now, look strong, hope it will all go away and …. but it won’t go away.
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Oh to be a fly on the wall at today’s meeting – Helen will be blathering on about the SFO investigation/standing him down etc….the Pooh will be reminding her of how he helped her bury the LAX “incident”…this will be a fascinating acting out of the MAD (mutually assured destruction) theory.
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 9:09 am
3-coil: oh how deliciously right you are!!
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 9:13 am
Meanwhile, the EPMU has been revving up the many-headed, rambling rhetorically about ‘workers rights’ and the evil National Party. Don’t know how much traction they would have got at their meeting, but it’s all rather been overtaken and buried under the Winie scandals. Hopefully, even the many-headed will be able to get a handle on what is important for their future an that of NZ.
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 9:18 am
DPF, are you able to tell me why Rodney would make an allegation about TVNZ that was so clearly incorrect? This gives Labour the ability to divert attention away from the issue and puts a dent in Rodney’s credibility after he’s restored a lot of it.
Vote:I’m wondering if there’s a wider game plan that I’m not seeing, possibly forcing TVNZ to admit the tapes do exist perhaps?
August 29th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Just heard John Key on “9-12″ National Radio with Katherine Ryan.
Vote:I applaud his low “key” approach to the whole thing. I think that he makes the point well that Helen Clark bears the greatest responsibility with the fact that she knew about this matter back in February.
For HC to say “no one asked me” is just nonsense, because all the time when she said there was disputed evidence between Glenn and Peters, SHE KNEW. To me this is rapidly descending into a Watergate type of scandal with the incumbent leader(Nixon then and Clark today) trying to use raw ugly power to get them out of the “poo”
I have never voted Labor in my life, but I did have some reluctant admiration for HC. Now she is shown to be just another individual, all for HC and no one else.
Roll on the election. Only flat earthers could vote for NZ Last and Labor supporters will stay at home and not vote.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:56 am
Sack Pooh and risk the him detonating the LAX vest Clark is wearing and have the ETS ship, complete with her UN hopes, sink… or stay the course and sustain the flak.
I guessing she’ll sustain the flak
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 10:07 am
Right now if we can get National to NOT pull their usual penis fingers stunt of fucking things up by touching things better left alone we’re all set for a fun election.
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Everyone seems to know about the LAX “affair” but there is also something else to do with Thailand….
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Prediction, Winston won’t resign and Clark won’t sack him, today. Some form of words may be worked out, probably suspended with full pay and privileges, that is not “stood down”, and Winston will sort of stand aside next Wednesday. The ETS will be passed, the Parliament will be dissolved to prevent the Privileges committee from summoning H1 (and if they dare, H2) to testify before it, thus preventing any further leakage of information.
Is this utterly cynical and manipulative, yes, and who seriously expected anything else.Helen Clark and Winston Peters are classic examples of the adage “When first confronted with unexpected information, the first instinct of a politician is to lie”. I recall the media getting lectured by one HC about a distortion of this quite recently, must be sticking in their throats right now.
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Midday has been and gone. Surely she won’t be daft enough to let this charade continue (can we be this lucky)? Winston is starting to crack. The “vile conspiracy” lines are reminiscient of nuclear subs in the cook straight – just less believable
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
And San Francisco tulip.
Vote:August 29th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
What is this inneuendo re San Francisco and Thailand?
Vote: