Meurant, the Velas and Peters
November 1st, 2008 at 7:53 am by David FarrarThe integrity of decision making in the Clark/Peters Government has been seriously undermined by two stories in the Dominion Post today. Firstly from the first story:
Money was paid to NZ First through former National MP Ross Meurant – who later accepted a job as a policy adviser to Mr Peters, private papers obtained by The Dominion Post show.
Mr Meurant brokered donations from Philip Vela, a senior member of the wealthy Vela family, before the 1999 election, when NZ First was in a coalition government with National, and after that time.
Mr Vela was told by Mr Meurant that he would have an opportunity to frame friendly policy in business areas to which Mr Vela was connected. The Vela family, worth an estimated $180 million, is involved in the fishing and horse racing industries.
So these documents detail the understanding that the Velas would donate to NZ First and in return have the opportunity to frame friendly policy in business areas of interest to them.
Some documents have parliamentary letterheads and include notes from a meeting at which Mr Peters said he had saved Vela interests “millions in tax liability”.
And in return they have donated hundreds of thousands it seems.
At the centre of the saga is Mr Meurant, who worked for Mr Vela and then worked as an adviser to Mr Peters from 2000 to 2004. In this job he received a taxpayer-funded salary – but he also sought a “top-up” from the corporate sector, including from Vela interests.
Mr Meurant told Mr Vela that he had “direct access” to Mr Peters “at all times”. His work included “major input” into Mr Peters’ speeches and he was “principally responsible for policy development in fishing and thoroughbred industries and `taxation’,” the documents show.
OK let us be clear on this. The staff member who wrote the party’s fishing, racing and taxation policies was being paid directly by corporates who happened to benefit from those fishing, racing and taxation policies.
When The Dominion Post revealed the scale of Vela donations to NZ First in July, Mr Peters said the money had no bearing on his party’s racing policy, which he said was written in 1993.
NZ First sources said the policy was introduced in 2006 – after Mr Peters successfully sought the racing minister portfolio in a support deal with Labour – and was substantially written by Mr Meurant while he was advising Mr Peters.
The Dominion Post revealed in July that the Vela family has donated at least $150,000 to NZ First or the Spencer Trust.
It is also worth remembering that $40,000 of that money paid off Winston’s debt to Bob Clarkson. This happened while Peters served as a Minister on Helen Clark’s Government. He needed her express permission to keep this donation. By not refusing permission Clark stands implicated as condoning this.
A box of documents sent to the newspaper this week shows that Vela interests made donations to NZ First as early as 1999. Mr Meurant suggested to Mr Vela that this provided the opportunity to give “input” into policy areas in which the family had business interests.
Mr Meurant sought money from Vela interests to travel as required in his taxpayer-paid job to liaise with Mr Peters, and for when he was “required to provide NZ First with material for debates in Parliament”.
He wanted help from Mr Vela “when required to show my face in Parliament to thrash out policy positions which I will have already developed with your people on taxation, fishing, thoroughbred with Winston’s bunch”.
The relationships between the Velas, Meurant and Peters sounds extraordinary. These documents make it sound like NZ First was the political arm of the Velas business empire.
In their second story:
Winston Peters repeatedly demanded that the Vela family provide him with a free helicopter to use for campaigning during the 1999 election, documents show.
And what if they did not obey?
On October 28 and 29, Mr Peters called Mr Meurant wanting the helicopter, the documents show. They include a transcript Mr Meurant made of the second call.
Mr Peters: Meurant, tell those bastards I need a helicopter. Don’t give me this crap about the machine needing repairs.
Mr Meurant: Come on, Winston, he has offered you his pilot. That’s a grand a week … he has personal reasons for not giving you his machine. He socialises with people who hate you.
Mr Peters: You gotta do better than that, Meurant. Don’t these people know how dangerous I can be [laughs]. [Mr Peters then says something to effect of Mr Vela having been saved millions in tax liability by Mr Peters.]
“Don’t these people know how dangerous I can be?” Sounds like a scene from the Godfather.
Mr Meurant: Come on, he is the only guy to give you funding.
Mr Peters: I have other funding. Don’t you worry about that.
But I thought Winston knew nothing about funding issues?
In December, after NZ First’s poor election showing, Mr Meurant advised Mr Vela to tell Mr Peters: “I have delivered. Two lots of 10 grand and the provision of a helicopter … it is time for you to produce something … make good on your commitment on Ross and engage him as your research manager.”
Which Winston then did.
Now remember that not only has Helen Clark not sacked Winston for any of his multiple misdeeds to date, she has explicitly said she will have him back in Government if NZ First makes it. Never mind the overwhelming evidence that he solicited the $100,000 from Owen Glenn, lied about it, and tried to get Glenn made Consul. Never mind the personal and party donations from the Velas and these documents showing the influence on policy it gained them.
Are there any people of conscience left on the left who think that putting Peters back into power would be a betrayal of everything they have railed against when it comes to money and politics? If so, how can you be voting Labour?
And once again the Greens refuse to say anything stronger than “we would have problems working with Winston” using the excuse their members would decide their bottom lines. That doesn’t stop them going much stronger and saying “The Greens Caucus has resolved to unanimously recommend to our members that we will not give confidence and supply to any Government that has Winston Peters in it”. They are keeping their options open because they will happily trade all their lofty rhetoric over political donations for some baubles of their own. By refusing to rule Peters out as strongly as they can, the Greens will be hypocrites if they ever try to lecture on political finance again.
John Key has ruled out Peters in Government. No ifs and no buts. As individual voters we can not affect whether or not 5% of the population will vote for NZ First and put Peters back into Parliament. But you can affect whether or not he gets to be a Minister again, by voting only for National, ACT or United Future. Any other vote may put Peters back into the Ministry.
Related posts:
- $150,000 from the Velas to NZ First
- A time-line of corruption
- $200,000 more from the Velas
- Dunne also implicated in Meurant papers
November 1st, 2008 at 7:56 am
Helen’s Hydra will die of multiple organ failure before election day unless it gets some emergency surgery.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 7:57 am
Helen’s Hydra needs incarceration in a maximum security prison.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:05 am
cough cough neutron bomb anyone?? and its been delivered to national on a plate!! LOL no taxpayer money spent digging up this one it seems.
looks like people are lining up with evidence against the mad old cow and bull on a daily basis
so why would you tape conversations of this nature unless you knew who would need to save things up for a rainy day later?
why has ross suddenly decided to release them? was it his plan all along to kneecap winston before this election? what a truly spectacular move if that is the case. talk about long term game!!
this week is going to be very interesting!! bring on the champagne on saturday night
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:12 am
Bloody Hell – Meurant has squealed like a pig. This is corruption at the highest level of government – with documentation to prove it.
And Clark must have known how much of Winston’s funding came from the Vela Family.
The question remains – What has Winnie (most corrupt of all politicians) got on Clark????
This story and Clark’s protection must remain the story of the week –
National Land-slide around today week.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:14 am
I vote to delay the election, so the show goes on a little longer. Brilliant stuff!
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:16 am
Rumours about this have been doing the rounds for quite a while now.
No accident methinks that it appeared 7 days before election day.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:20 am
Note to Mike Williams.
THIS is how it’s done!
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:25 am
Any lefties out there want to wager $100,000.ooNZD on a 55% + party vote Natioal?
You can always get the party to re-imburse you!
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:25 am
The story about the helicopter makes it even worse:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/4745901a23917.html
I’ve blogged on this part of the story:
Bogeys at 12 o’clock
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:28 am
Ye Gods – this is explosive.
…Mr Peters said he had saved Vela interests “millions in tax liability”.
Surely this is the coup-de-gras for Luigi this time.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:30 am
It has all the hallmarks of being long prepared Utu! Eat that!
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:32 am
Even respected commentators like Michael Bassett have hinted at this story in his one of columns on his website about 5 weeks ago.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:36 am
Lots of ammunition for the head to head debate!
Jut need Labours assault and battery expert to try and chin JK now.
Luigi need to retire, and one less Hydra feature.
Would love the Greens to get rumbled over their share interests.
Voice and documents on Luigi. Implicating the evil witch up to her scrawny neck.
Sonic, and all the other retards having a bad hair day?
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:40 am
I hope the MSM do their job and get on Peters tail today and ask him some questions.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:43 am
I trust these documents were delivered in a wine box.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:44 am
Owen , delivered documents come via black and white helicopter!
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:47 am
Luigi will really be sweating now!
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:48 am
Remember this election is about trust!
We trust Luigi to be slippery, and Helen Clark to be Cancerous and Corrosive.
Perhaps the old ‘Tent Boy’ wanted to take some of his suppoorters for a thrill ride.
Mike Williams must be scoring the airpoints for his useless efforts!
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:53 am
The media needs to ride hard on the other hydra leader responses. What does Jim Anderton think about being in govt with Luigi? Fitzsimmons? Turia? Put the blow torch on them to comment on suitability of Peters as an MP – let alone a minister!
I wonder who is shouting around the home right now? Poor Mr Davis/J Tizard/H2 – not!
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:57 am
Cash for honours, cash for policies (multiple), cash for boxing, cash for arts sake, cash for the sake of cash?
Luigi should go to prison.
Let’s see Labour spin this one, and so sweet after Luigi was so smug! The H bomb wasn’t really any use at all.
Sweat you bastard!
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 9:05 am
Oh goody – the show will go on after the election at this rate…… in court. Come on John, time to announce that your first act on Nov 9th will be to set up a inquiry into this governement and that you expect where illegality has occured for charges to be laid and prosecuted, you also now have the perfect excuse to repeal reams of crap legislation and do what is needed for this country. I got it wrong the other day, its not the dementia unit that Helen and Winston are headed to, its a comfortably padded cell, oh and there will be no wondering what the hell hit them, that will be carefully explained and detailed – in court.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 9:07 am
Winston arranged for betting tax relief for Racing that amounted to $30 million plus a year to go into stakemoney.
Plus substantial breeding depreciation gains for breeders amounting to millions per year.
There are three major breeding operations – The Velas, Patrick Hogan in Cambridge and the Chitticks in Matamata.
The extra millions boosts bloodstock prices and hence certain people’s wealth. Not hard to follow the money trail really.
Cash for policy!
CORRUPTION!
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 9:12 am
and i hear these families are large investors in nz art – huluns art portoflio increases.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 9:14 am
Shock horror.
This could get expensive.
Has the nice Mr Henry still got Mr Glen’s phone number? I hope he wrote it down somewhere before losing his business records.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 9:16 am
What would Winston Spencer Churchill say?
@ Dilbertian – absolutely the other leaders should definitely be asked for an immediate and unequivocal answer on where they stand on their willingness to be associated with a cash for policy parliamentarian. In fact, every candidate should be asked, and their responses made public.
Vote:John Key has passed the test with flying colours already, of course.
November 1st, 2008 at 9:18 am
Who cares? This is now the accepted behaviour of politics.
After all, we are one of the least corrupt countries in the world, jeez, i wonder how bad the other countries are?
I actually care, and a few others but most of the voters seem to thick to understand anything.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 9:19 am
Helen is now really between a rock and a hard place.
She has to provide unwavering support for the little ‘Tent Boy’ criminal.
She believes that she will need his support to govern.
That will screw her own parties vote completely.
Or if she tries to distance herself, the Luigi will go feral and spill the beans on all her involvement.
And stuff he has had to help out and be quiet about.
The Greens might be thing they acted in haste now?
Maori have played a very intelligent Game, and it is easy to see how they will want to be part of the influence on a JK Government.
Game over Venal Corrupt Labour!
Don’t you just love it when a plan comes to-gether
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 9:20 am
Are there any illegal moves here or has he just broken all the rules…… again?
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 9:20 am
Lindsay Addie says:
“Helen’s Hydra will die of multiple organ failure before election day unless it gets some emergency surgery.”
Well, if its an emergency, they’ll need to go overseas to get it.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 9:20 am
Pertinent question to be asked of Helen Clark whilst on the campaign trail:
With regard to the well-documented revelation that Mr Peter’s unequivocally took money in exchange for forming policy; that to paraphrase Mr Peters “he had saved Mr Vela millions in tax liability” – If you win the election, do you have confidence in forming a coalition government with Mr Peters and his party NZ First? If not, why not.
And then listen as she tells us “we wait until after the election to negotiate”.
Follow-up question:
Vote:Would you negotiate with a former Minister of Racing, who has evidence against him that proves he took cash for policies? If not, why not?
November 1st, 2008 at 9:20 am
The only time Winston does any “work” is at election time. Meurant was right about one thing, calling them, “demonstrably lazy bastards”.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 9:31 am
A very clever move by Clark at this point would be to sack him. She may just re think the whole thing and decide he’s not going to make it back so lets get some brownie points.
Vote:In saying that, what she will do is say…. There’s only one week to the election, let the voters decide.
November 1st, 2008 at 9:43 am
“Maori have played a very intelligent Game”. They have played a very stupidly transparent game that doesn’t build much trust.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 9:44 am
hulun has set her course – it was all or nothing. kamikaze klark. the kamikaze run failed though, a fat useless cunt called williams weighed the plane down.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 9:45 am
In an article on his website on the 24th September 2008 Dr Michael Bassett wrote this:
The full article by Bassett is here.
It’s time to sit up and take notice of this issue after reading Bassett’s comments.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 9:46 am
Just sent democracydad over for a paper.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 9:46 am
Clark can’t sack Peters now. It would prove everyone else was right.
Vote:Where would the trust be then?
They must cling to each other as they go down.
November 1st, 2008 at 9:46 am
“A very clever move by Clark at this point would be to sack him.”
That would be normal, and the right thing to do.
However this is not a normal relationship.
Remember that Peters is an honorable gentleman still!
Even though she knew all about the cash for honours scandal
She will have known about all the treats ‘Tent Boy’ has extorted out of the tax payer for his bent friends.
She also knows that he can be dangerous! His Mafia style words.
She also can’t afford for him to breakdown and blab.
That’s prison for both of them and quite a few others!
CORRUPTION IS WHAT WE TRUST
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 9:48 am
@ Michaels “A very clever move by Clark at this point would be to sack him.”
That is not a “clever” move – it is the very least that any leader with integrity would do.
Vote:Some quick money to be made on iPredict perhaps, but I don’t think I will chance it with Helen as the leader.
November 1st, 2008 at 9:53 am
I do not think she dare sack him. Winston would bring Labour down to 15% if he goes gang-busters on her, and they will have a hard enough time rebuilding the party after the deadly trifecta of H1 H2 and Williams have finished with them.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 9:57 am
If the man had a shed of integrity left, he’d fall on his sword!
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 9:59 am
During one of the leaders debates this coming week Key should wait till Helen is having one of her hissy fits and announce a major priority for him in government is to have a full investigation into corruption.
Then she’ll shit herself.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 9:59 am
There is a family name of Simunovich missing from the roll of honour on this header.
We are of course fascinated to know how many hundreds of thousands of Dollars fell into Winstons sticky little mits
from that fine upstanding organisation. Scampi anyone?
And still the nasty little fucker plays games with the $158k he stole off us.
You are going to prison sunshine! And we should all take great satisfaction that your corrupt and deluded game is now over!
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 10:01 am
A trial.
A fair hearing.
Evidence.
A Decision.
Then PRISON
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 10:01 am
Clark is in check mate. Sack him and it vindicates everything her opponents have said over the past 6 months. keep him and she is guilty by association. She should have had the balls to sack him 3 months ago. It would now be a non issue, by now
History will show the self appointed chief strategist has really fucked this up
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 10:04 am
Alledgedly this may be the real problem.
“She should have had the balls to sack him 3 months ago.”
Perhaps they just don’t work!
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 10:07 am
DamnedAngry says:
“If the man had a shed of integrity left, he’d fall on his sword!”
Welcome home. It seems that you have been holidaying on another planet for the last twenty years or so.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 10:08 am
Where are our good friends from the left this morning?
Did they all read the Dom Post this morning? Perhaps they sitting on their dunnies because they’ve all got a dose of the shits!?
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 10:11 am
Our dear friends from the left are probably worshiping at a Shinto shrine, getting ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for dear leader.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 10:11 am
Straight from the ‘League of Gentlemen’ BBC comedy.
What are they going to do when they become dole scum?
2 choices:
Baby Sitters or
Bramble Pickers?
The brightest one(not) might want to be a fireman!
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 10:13 am
The substandard is having second thoughts on Winston now all to late.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 10:14 am
getstaffed says:
“A trial.
A fair hearing.
Evidence.
A Decision.
Then PRISON”
Look, I accept the need for due process and all that, but in light of these trying economic times, wouldn’t be better to save the taxpayers a few bucks on steps 1 to 4 and just go straight to step 5?
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 10:24 am
“During one of the leaders debates this coming week Key should wait till Helen is having one of her hissy fits and announce a major priority for him in government is to have a full investigation into corruption.
Then she’ll shit herself.”
Vote:Hear hear.
November 1st, 2008 at 10:27 am
I hope the sender of the documents put them in a wine box.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 10:30 am
Michaels (424) Vote: 1 0 Says:
November 1st, 2008 at 9:20 am
Are there any illegal moves here or has he just broken all the rules…… again?
__________________________________________________________________
IMO the Crimes Act should cover the basic tenet of Peters’ corruption
Crimes Act 1961
S.102 Corruption and bribery of Minister of the Crown
(1) Every Minister of the Crown or member of the Executive Council is liable
Vote:to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years who corruptly accepts or
obtains, or agrees or offers to accept or attempts to obtain, any bribe for
himself or any other person in respect of any act done or omitted, or to be
done or omitted, by him in his capacity as a Minister or member of the
Executive Council.
November 1st, 2008 at 10:37 am
Meurant had me puzzled at first: I’ve read a couple of his books written in the 80s which portray him as being on the side of truth, justice, and the rule of law during his time as a cop (click on the link below for a quote from him). Then a few years later he’s involved in the purchase of political favours: were his books a series of lies, or was he corrupted by his time in parliament (late 80s), I wondered.
http://kiwipolemicist.wordpress.com/2008/10/01/election-2008-the-labour-party-is-a-leopard-that-doesnt-change-its-spots/
Then I remembered that the essence of being a policeman is enforcing the power of the rulers, so being a policeman then assisting one of the rulers (Winston) is not incompatible: it is easy to think that the police are helping the citizens and forget that they are the enemy of the people:
Vote:http://kiwipolemicist.wordpress.com/2008/09/15/who-are-the-police-really-serving/
November 1st, 2008 at 10:38 am
From The Herald today
“On October 13, an anonymous blogger posted to Labour Party-affiliated website The Standard. The blogger, calling himself Batman, is believed to be a senior official, most likely party president Mike Williams, although he has denied it was him.”
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 10:42 am
A portrait of this masked crusader ‘batman’ is here:
http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/?q=content/batman-mike-williams
Hat tip: Whaleoil
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 10:44 am
I’ve read the Dom Post article several times, and far be it for me to sound like Dail Jones, but I’m afraid that the transcript of the conversation between Meurant and Peters just looks totally bogus. It is ludicrous beyond belief. “I WANT A HELICOPTER! GET ME A HELICOPTER!” “No, Winston, we can’t do that, because the man who has the helicopter has friends who hate you.”
This looks like misinformation to me. Unless the DomPost can produce the actual tapes of the conversation, it wouldn’t surprise me if Kitchin was being set up with bogus transcripts to make Peters look like he’s being victimised.
My reasoning for that is that the conversation is just too preposterous for belief.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 10:58 am
“I WANT A HELICOPTER! GET ME A HELICOPTER!”
Sadly this does sound like something Peter’s would say. It has just that ring of arrogance, vanity and petulance that I have come to expect from him.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 11:02 am
Tim
The more we get to see in terms of the public image vs what makes these greedy corrupt bastards tick, the more you have to start believing that the word “preposterous” has fled the language and has to be redefined as “probable”. It would seem that the hallmarks of the Red Team are:
Accuse others of your own biggest failings and denigrate them while claiming self-purity
Tell the biggest lie possible then stick to it through thick and thin, deny personal wrongdoing, denigrate or silence critics, mobilise all the state’s resources for the purpose
Constantly and consistently lie, smear, sneer and snarl about your biggest threat. (actually makes it easy for us to identify the threat doesn’t it?)
Just contemplate what you would take from the phrase “be relentlessly positive during the campaign” then compare with the actual.
Even the use of language has been corrupted absolutely.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 11:06 am
With profound apologies to The Bard:
“A helicopter! A helicopter! My kingdom for a helicopter!!”
From the play Winston III
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 11:12 am
this on frogblog: http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/11/01/peters-donations-scandal-gets-deeper/
I am also concerned about Peter Dunne and his record in supporting the Tobacco industry: http://www.ash.org.nz/index.php?pa_id=63
Vote:If the Greens denounce Peters, surely they should also denounce Dunne? and likewise National should denounce Dunne?
November 1st, 2008 at 11:21 am
Peters should probably consult his MFAT database of non-extradition treaty countries, and check his passport and long-haul fares… because it will take more than a helicopter to get him to safety.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 11:33 am
A timeline from Phil Kitchin:
Vote:http://www.stuff.co.nz/4746800a23917.html
November 1st, 2008 at 11:33 am
Phil Kitchen reminds me a bit of Crocodile Dundee……
……“Now THAT’s a Neutron Bomb”
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 11:38 am
Patrick,
Yup, that timeline is devastating for Peters.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 11:59 am
Question is who gave the documents to Phil? Was it from a Liarbore source, doing what has been speculated, sabotaging Peters to get rid of the albatross?
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 11:59 am
The headline is “Peters and the Money Man”. This is clearly a play on the title of the Traveling Wilbury’s song “Tweeter and the Monkey Man” the chorus of which goes:
“And the walls came down all the way to hell
Never saw them when they’re standing
Never saw them when they fell”
Very appropriate.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 12:02 pm
A public notice should be placed in every rest home in the country;
“A Vote for Winston may be result in charges being laid against you under Section 66 of the Crimes Act; Aiding and Abetting”
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 12:10 pm
reid,
It wouldn’t be Batman he’s doesn’t know how to smear anyone properly.
It could be Labour but logic says it’s most likely to be someone from the right.
Though politics doesn’t always follow logic…..
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Poor Taito. He must be wondering why he’s where he is and why Winston’s where he is. Still maybe one day, somewhere .they’ll meet again.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Well logic depends on the premises you have. You can make a logical argument whereby pigs fly if your premises don’t fit the real world.
I dunno if it’s the right, as you could argue from their perspective it better to let Peters waste up to 4.999% of the vote. Depends what their private polling is saying about Tauranga and the preferences of the 5% of the truly insane.
Equally you could say that the above is too risky and to really nail it, let’s sink the bastard once and for all.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 12:30 pm
I’m listening to Trackside Radio (as usual on a Saturday). They are playing election adverts for Winston endorsed by several live recomendations from various racing personalities. The adverts were obviously made before this story broke.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 12:32 pm
nig – apple Vs. peanut !
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Have you noticed how none of our resident Labour bloggers have rushed to defend Winston or Helen on this one.
Perhaps they are too busy packng up office.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Baxter
I doubt it would make one ounce of difference to those involved in the throughly corrupt racing industry.
Nearly all of those bastards are right behind Winston irrespective of his corrupt activities.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 12:49 pm
If only you had followed IrishBill’s sage advice and not put up those billboards DPF: “Pick an issue that is current, not two months late…. The Winston stuff was never a big story outside of the beltway and is now past history.”
Here’s what the front page looks like: http://i37.tinypic.com/8wft74.jpg
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Nah Ross, I suspect that there is a crisis meeting being held. The question will not be “How can we salvage our position?”, I suspect that it will be “We have 6 days to destroy John Key, brainstorm everyone, How?”
The problem is that the last session ended in a brainfart but you’ve got to remember that this is PERSONAL, not idealogical and it will continue to be so until Saturday next.
Watch out for BIG lies, innuendo, and sleazy tactics – its all they know.
If I was Key I would ensure that my DPS was pretty close at all times. Its going to get ugly
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Winston Peters: A man who have spent countless hours in bars is soon to find himself behind bars !
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Well someones got to stick up for Winston and play Devil’s advocate.
“This whole story is a vile conspiracy between big business interests with bucket loads of covert cash determined to undermine the foundations of our democracy and influence governance arrangements”.
Oh goodness whose side was I on!
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Winston WILL get back into parliament. Tauranga is predominantly right wing, but also has a large elderly population. They always voted Winston when he was a Nat, and won’t change their vote. They support the man, not his principles or policies.
That’s why he has such a strong following here. Very difficult to get them to change their vote, or their views on him.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 1:21 pm
I can’t see what the big fuss is all about.
If someone offered me a shit load of cash to grease the wheels I’m sure I’d have my hand out quicker than a Kiwi on election day.
Who cares about what’s right? What’s in it for me? Money talks, bullshit walks (sometimes trips too).
Show me the fuckin spondoolies or piss off.
Big Daddy N. Keepin it real, aaight.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 1:23 pm
and if winston is gone – who will be the next to happily accept money from the racing and fishing industries? Nats or Labour? or will fishing and racing place a buck each way on nats and labour?
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 1:34 pm
The Nats will make a coalition with the Maori Party and they will at least have fishing. Don’t know about the racing. Perhaps they will ban all forms of gambling??
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Come in Rex. Come in Rex. Come in Rex in Australia . Rex are you receiving me over? Did you do this? Did you keep a little winebox of papers of your own to shaft the asshole for what he said about you? Even if you did not do it if I was you I would claim the credit and the knighthood when our party gets back in.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Kinda makes you wonder if this is the evidence the SFO found and passed on to the police?
(Nig – that would possibly be Sue Bradford – with all her connections)
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Peanut said:
Winston WILL get back into parliament. Tauranga is predominantly right wing, but also has a large elderly population. They always voted Winston when he was a Nat, and won’t change their vote. They support the man, not his principles or policies
That’s why he has such a strong following here. Very difficult to get them to change their vote, or their views on him.
Sorry you are wrong Peanut. His constituency is Dying -literally!
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Sure they are old, Colin, but they still vote.
Vote:Whether or not they know what they are voting for is another question.
I live in Tauranga and know the mood. He totally charms the oldies and they fall for it. If he roughly needs 120,000 votes to get his 5%, he can probably get half from here!!!
November 1st, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Sorry peanut even if all the franchised in the benighted burg of Tauranga voted Winnie First it would not total 60,000.
NZ is just a little place in the scheme of things you know.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 2:19 pm
It’s a shame that the global economy has tanked.
Winnocent could have travelled the world making a fortune selling dodgy time shares to coffin dodgers.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Why isn’t this being covered by TV1 and TV3??? Fucking amazing, all they could lead with was a beatup about an Indian National candidate possibly making an improper offer to another Indian…FFS!
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 6:21 pm
I think the accusations are to big to ignore. I suspect that the media will take them up on Sunday and Monday, so lets wait and see.
That said I place prostitutes higher on the moral ladder than journalists. They are biased liberal gutter scum, and they may try to avoid this fatal blow to Labour by focusing on meaningles trivia.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Peanut, you’re dreaming.
Vote:Even his electorate committee have deserted him. Granted there are still a few oldies that think he can do no wrong but not enough to make any difference.
The real contest in Tauranga will be the next election when Crosby quits the mayoralty and takes on the Labour banner.
Pankhurst is only going to get votes from the red squad that simply cannot vote for anything but Labour.
Bridges will be the Tauranga MP.
November 1st, 2008 at 6:24 pm
DamnedAngry – I agree.
TV3 lead with a smiling Clark surrounded by families whose mortgages have been saved by her ‘mortgage guarantee’ scheme. Garner was gushing in his praise, saying this really did put her campaign back on track
Then 3 mins later the next ‘story’ was Hide and Key having coffee… and Garner repeatedly trying to pin each down with definiative, binary statements that would show them to be in disagreement.
Then at 6.5mins we’re off to the US elections….
I’m disgusted.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Pondering about things fishy, overseas homes, flash Yachts, living in exile and such, how far is it from Geneva to Monaco,
Vote:and could one make it in a black and white helicopter?
Or again just pondering, could BATMAN go the distance??
Now there’s a jet trail in the sky!!
November 1st, 2008 at 7:15 pm
The TV question – C’mon guys, it’s not TV’s story (TVNZ or TV3) – it’s the Fairfax papers who are pushing it.
Same as Wishart’s story – not their story so it has vanished off the news.
Key needs to make a big deal of it with a few punchy headline statements before it will get legs in the wider media.
And he seems to be trying to avoid stirring the personality campaign pot.
Fair enough, but the Nats have repeatedly shown they are not media managers to compare with Labour – of course Labour has a vast tax payer funded media team, and Helen doesn’t hesitate to follow up.
Maybe Rodney should step in as the doberman again, to keep these issues alive.
Vote:November 1st, 2008 at 8:09 pm
The TV one bulletin was fronted by Fran Mold. This is another hack that needs to come with a Labour party authorisation statement!
Vote:November 2nd, 2008 at 8:41 am
I heard Richard Griffin on ZB about a week ago deriding the “right wing bloggers” who had made such a storm in a teacup re Winnie and his funding.
I would be very interested to hear him on talk back now! I wonder what he would have to say.
Vote:November 2nd, 2008 at 8:52 am
Griffin is one of the poodles best mates……..
Vote: