Today’s Worthy News
June 9th, 2009 at 10:00 am by David FarrarFirst Audrey Young reveals that the deleted texts are being sought:
The Auckland Indian woman who has accused MP Richard Worth of sending vulgar messages to her is trying to retrieve some deleted messages from Vodafone. …
One of the deleted text messages is alleged to be advising the woman where to buy a particular see-through garment in Hyderabad in India, where she was visiting last December.
Mr Goff said last night the woman yesterday requested the texts from Vodafone and had been told that after three months, only the police could request them. Vodafone did not return calls to verify what a customer’s rights are.
This sounds like an admission that there is no evidence amongst the non deleted texts, and may explain why they are refusing to hand them over.
Mr Key disputed Mr Goff’s claim that in their May 6 conversation, that Mr Key had said he had heard rumours before about Dr Worth and that was why he had not been made Speaker.
Mr Goff’s file note of the conversation states: “Key indicated he had heard rumours before the election – reason why Worth had not been made Speaker. Had raised it directly with Worth who had denied it …”‘
The file note is headed 6 May 2009, 9.45 – 9.55pm. Mr Key said “That can’t be right because I got off the plane at 10pm.”
Goff has been shaky on many of the details – such as the e-mails that never were etc, and looks like he even has the time wrong.
And as to the probability that the PM would tell the Leader of the Opposition that he did not make someone Speaker because of rumours about women – well it isn’t high.
John Armstrong writes:
There, surely, could be a way found for Key to have a squiz at the texts without him or Goff imposing conditions the other will not accept.
Key has imposed no conditions except that they be shown to his COS first. Goff is advising the woman very badly by insisting that she not hand them over until the PM meets with both her and him. This is akin to a Police complainant going to a Police station, saying they have a complaint, but refusing to provide details until they meet with the Police Commissioner personally.
Labour has no reason to compromise. It suits Goff to drag things out. He will be delighted that questions on Worth’s past and future consumed most of the Prime Minster’s weekly press conference yesterday.
Why would Labour be in a hurry to hand over the text messages and phone logs allegedly showing Worth’s calls when they are of assistance only to Key?
Labour is playing a bigger game here – one that is really all about pulling a popular prime minister off his perch and making him look and behave like just another politician.
Armstrong has it right. This is now totally about politics – not about helping the woman complainant.
You have to say that as a sexual harrassment advocate or advisor, Goff is not going to be your first choice in future. Look at the record:
- You approach him days after the alleged harrasment starts. He doesn’t even advise you to keep the messages, or make notes at the time of the phone calls.
- He doesn’t give you any advice on how to get the harassment to stop, Amazingly he lets you endure 100 unwelcome phone calls and text messages over three months, without telling you how to get them to stop.
- He waits three months until after the last message to then raise the issue.
- In raising the issue, he doesn’t ask for copies of any of the messages, does nothing to compile a bullet proof case. He just makes a phone call.
- When the other party”s boss comes back in a week saying no action can be taken as it is denied, you accept this and do nothing.
- When it then goes public, he mixes up key details.
- He then labels the complainant as “strikingly attractive”
- He advises the complainant that she should bring him along as a support person to a meeting – so it is all about him, not her.
- He advises the complainant not to hand over the text messages, despite having complained previously they were not asked for
Whatever job Goff will be doing after politics, it won’t be as a sexual harrassment counsellor or advisor!
Related posts:
- Young on Key/Goff
- Goff knew back in November 2008
- How long did Goff sit on complaint?
- Mobile termination rates coming down
June 9th, 2009 at 10:07 am
A Christchurch jury would be sure to find reasonable doubt.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 10:14 am
This isn’t the first time that Goff has plucked some notes of a meeting out his ass to attack the leder of the National party with.
And no one at the meetings in question could remember any such comment other than the labour party stooge.
Careful Phil, you could be gone by lunch time if you think this is going to make you the next PM.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Still hard to reconcile why John Key won’t provide any reasons for what he now calls his sacking of Worth.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 10:18 am
“This isn’t the first time that Goff has plucked some notes of a meeting out his ass ” – perhaps someone should buy him a briefcase.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Higher economic growth will do more to make future superannuation affodable, than the Super Fund.
Something must be done now other than slashing the Super Fund and wishing for a brighter future.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Goff is the political equivalent of a nagging spouse.
Vote:The major difference is that you can turn off the TV every time he speaks.
June 9th, 2009 at 10:28 am
How dare Goff be political. Didnt he hear Johhnys statement that it was a private matter which was closed on day one.
What is the country coming too if anybody questions JK. We all know he has a photographic memory, and can remember what time a plane arrived months back. he shown this repeatedly.
And as for the real reasons for sacking my old friend Dickie Worth, que sera. At this level its all about the sort of handshake, and can not be repeated to others
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 10:33 am
And the latest incarnation of a left funded troll is…
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Why did Key bring up her complaint in the first place? If he had kept her complaint between the three of them he would have saved himself a whole lot of grief.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 10:54 am
When this is over, Phool Goof is gonna have egg all over his face.
Vote:He’s doing this sooooo badly.
June 9th, 2009 at 11:00 am
Phil thinks he is milking this one on all four tits.
Me thinks he is milking a bull. Not cutie cutie.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 11:01 am
It doesn’t make sense that Key passed over Worth for Speaker because of his sexual sleaze reputation and [DPF: deleted and 50 demerits - lucky not to be an instant ban]
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Whos going to blink first – I think the preacher will keep riding it as he has nothing to lose – he wasn’t popular to begin with.
Key has to snuff this one out – watch for some sort of comprimise from him today…
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 11:07 am
If it was anybody else but fill-in Phil, you’d expect the sequence of events to read something like this:
1. Complainant contacts Her Party Leader (HPL) in November 2008 to advise of first unWorthy approach.
2. HPL suggests entrapment: collect texts, tape phone calls, avoid entanglement.
3. Undesirable behaviour continues until March 2009. Worth finally gets the message to back off.
4. HPL approaches PM, implies problem, no hint of evidence.
5. PM approaches Worth, emphatic denials. PM accepts word of his minister.
6. Affair blows up. PM defends Worth.
7. HPL triumphantly presents evidence of Worth wrongdoing. National gets egg on face.
Thankfully, nothing like that happened. Who knew that Helen’s greatest legacy would be the total incompetence of her successors?
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 11:09 am
Can he confirm he got off the plane at 10pm? The last flight is scheduled to arrive at 9:30pm – although obviously they can be delayed sometimes.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Even if it did get in at 9:30pm that doesn’t give much time to get from airport to office for meeting with Goff at 09:45pm – unless Helen’s old driver was involved.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 11:26 am
Even if it did get in at 9:30pm that doesn’t give much time to get from airport to office for meeting with Goff at 09:45pm – unless Helen’s old driver was involved.
Something tells me a phone call from Phil Goff is nowhere near as important as an All Blacks game!
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 11:30 am
mobile phone in a car- it was a phone meeting.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Is one to assume that one of the most serious transgressions is that a man{minister) advises a woman where she could buy some seethru underwear if she chose in a foreign country. That this demands the pre-occupation of the Prime Minister is ridiculous. He should do as suggested by Liabour’s Mike WILLIAMs on Q&A, delegate the responsibility to some-one else, I suggest the Police Minister who in turn could delegate one of her minions. Richard GRIFFIN suggested the Whips should have handled it from the outset.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Coolas at 11.01pm makes allegations [deleted by DPF]. What has that do do with the Labour-supporting Indian woman’s allegations and arrogant demand for a personal interview with the Prime Minister? She should try to get a meeting with the Prime Minister of India, not that India stands out as a champion of women’s rights.
Careful Lefty Coolas! Do you want to widen this debate to the orientation of the recent Labour Prime Minister and her support coterie and to the lesbians and male homosexuals of Labour? It’s hardly the party of macho males, except for puff-and-wind Mallard.
Only the MSM, particularly TVNZ (TabloidteleVision NZ) are taking Mr Gaff’s desperate campaign seriously.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Once again a leftie is trying to impress us not with what they have but with what they SAY they have.
Put up or shut up Goff.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
# He then labels the complainant as “strikingly attractive”
Vote:# He advises the complainant that she should bring him along as a support person to a meeting – so it is all about him, not her.
then they go for a coffee….and three months later Phil Goff finds himself on ‘gardening leave’…
June 9th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Certainly turning into a political circus (which Key is looking strong out of and Goff weak), Dr Worth should save everyone the effort and resign now as his political career is over anyway…
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
That’s right, it’s all Goff’s fault! If Goff were the PM and this occurred under his watch, it would be. John Key has played this one badly. The story is now all about him and he needs to get himself out of the story. His advisors have let him down – are they all green? Looks like incompetence in the Beehive.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
get a grip tui – goff’s performance is like that of a lobotomised armless juggler.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Only on Kiwiblog could you find out just what a triumph for decisive leadership this is for john Key
I use the Murray test to work out how rattled our right wing chums are, they more he screams about people being paid to disagree with the Nat line, the worse things are getting
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
I acknowledge that chroic at least is not paid to be a shrill sycophant of the left. He does it for the love of socialism and is consequently an amature troll in the truest sense.
He just bludges off his employer.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Goff Right, Key Wrong: http://blogs.nzherald.co.nz/blog/audrey-young/2009/6/9/goff-right-key-wrong/?c_id=1501219
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Who cares ???, it’s yesterdays news, Worth is gone & no tears shed there, let’s just move on.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
http://blogs.nzherald.co.nz/blog/audrey-young/2009/6/9/goff-right-key-wrong/?c_id=1501219
Goff was correct in his recollection. John Key was wrong.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Well that annoying mosquito Goff is at it again! Wheres the raid.
Now hes saying this…
Phil Goff has just retrieved his own phone records of the call made from his desk at Parliament to Key’s cellphone. The call started at 21.49 (11 minutes to 10 pm) and lasted 8 minutes and 30s. That means that Goff is substantially correct.
“I just don’t know what’s in his head,” Goff said this morning. “Why would he have made a bizarre claim like that that he was still on a plane?”
I know why Johnny got confused , why I even cant remember which shops Ive been to at the end of the day.
But who cares where you have been when its what you are wearing that counts.
That mozzie Goff is getting wearing as well.
But Johnnys strategy to change the facts everyday is a bit risky , not to be tried when you have had a good lunch with the girls. Im even confused was Dickie sacked or is he on gardening leave? . Does it mean I wear black when calling or go for floral ??
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
So Phil can find his phone records, when are they going to find the ones that count.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Well the thing is, my dear Falangites of KB, is that Mr. Goff has an annoying habit of, you know, keeping records and stuff. I suppose it comes from a lifetime in public service. But who knows? It could just as easily be a subtle external manifestation of Phil Goff’s guilt in this affair.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Tom, or it could be that Goff was laying a political ambush rather than just helping some helpless and defenceless young innocent. Did he tape the call as well?
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Forget what Worth did or didn’t do. This is all about Goff laying a political trap for the Prime Minister in order to create the question “what did the Prime Minister know and when did he know it ?” It is straight out of the Profumo scandal in which Harold Wilson wrote to the Prime Minister Harold Macmillan alleging the scandal and then Macmillian did a poor investigation accepting the man’s word when he was lying like a flat-fish, (adulterors generally do – they have to), but later copped the blame in the subsequent Denning report. I fear a similar situation has occurred here – though the offer of providing validating material by Goff has not been followed through.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
tvb ,thats his job darling. Our job is to make him look vacillating , clueless and indecisive, rather than the other way around. My gin bottle is getting empty very fast
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Yeah we don’t call each other darling here. Its not a chardonnay slurping gossip column.
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Don’t blame the countess sweetheart, she was on a plane when she wrote that. (or was she!)
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
well John, I hope you’ve learnt an important lesson – you know what to say next time Goff phones……. “Fa Goff”
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
’50 demerit points and lucky not to be an instant ban’ for pointing out an uncomfortable truth.
Look forward to seeing how this blog handles the matter I spoke of when the shit hits the fan.
[DPF: And that is a further 20 demerits. Take your smears elsewhere]
Vote:June 9th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
I get the message. It’s okay to ‘smear’ Labour but not National.
Vote:Fair enough. Blogs are personal property & owners can rule them as they wish.
June 9th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
omg Key could not remember when he got off a plane some months ago. Oh that slippery man. Goff is a hero of the people. Hurrah!
Vote:Seriously, this saga has become a sad joke. Worth has been sacked. Move on.