And even better hypocrisy
September 1st, 2009 at 3:00 pm by David FarrarChris Carter is competing with his Leader for hypocrisy. Earlier today, I quoted Phil Goff arguing against mining on the conservation estate, and pointed out the Pike River Mine on DOC land was approved in 2004 by the former Labour Government.
Now today, we have Chris Carter blogging, and he says:
The DOC estate – some 30% of New Zealand’s land area – not only brings millions of tourists to this country, but also ensures that all Kiwis have access to quality outdoor pursuits, and that we are world leaders in protecting our unique biodiversity. …
So much for Mr Key and the National Party being ambitious for New Zealand! I guess they’re being ambitious for the fishing industry, the mining industry, …
Now for those who don’t know, Chris Carter was the Conservation Minister who approved the Pike River Mine in 2004. He approved it over the objections of his own department who told him not to.
Now I think Carter made the right decision in 2004. But as he tries to portray himself as the protector of conservation lands against the mining industry, it is worth reminding people of those inconvenient facts that they hope we will forget.
Related posts:
- And more hypocrisy
- Mining and the Conservation Estate
- Open cast mining at Pike River
- Mining under Labour
September 1st, 2009 at 3:09 pm
I actually posted that he was most likely to be remembered for his shameless troughing and then playing the gay card…. that comment was removed in about 45 seconds.
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 3:18 pm
I tell you, if Oceania tries to open that mine, Eastasia is going to totally kick their ass!
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Goldstein at work, Tom, you probably meant Eurasia?
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Nope – Tom meant Eastasia
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 3:38 pm
The conditions he placed on the mine though?
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Dimmocrazy
Damn. You’re correct. What was I thinking? Those pantywaists in Eastasia want to put on conditions! Can you believe that they still think you can strip-mine without nuking the vegetation first. Pah!
Note to self: In geographical naming, must use different coloured crayons.
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 4:03 pm
At least Labour has realised they did some bad things while in Government. That is the good news.
Now the bad news is they selected the wrong bad things. Placing caps on university entrants and approving the Pike river mine were good things. The real bad things they did (and this is a long list) are:
1) Having Jim Anderton and other MPs (quite possibly illegally) remain in Parliament after they broke the law they (and Labour) voted for requiring MPs who leave their parties to resign their seats.
2) Calling a snap election because of an extra 10 minutes a day question time (due to points of order related to the above) suposedbly made Parliament unworkable.
3) Canceling the New Plymouth byelection by retrospectively changing the law to allow Harry Duynhoven to stay in Parliament, when he had no legal right to be there (due to a previous law requiring MPs to resign if they applied for citizenship of a foreign country)- a constiutionally outrageous action.
4) Spending $800 000 on the pledge card in possibly in breach of the Public Finance Act (we will never know because labour in point 8 passed retrospective legislation to stop the courts ruling on this area)
5) Choosing to breach the electoral act and have the pledge card come out an election time, putting their spending over the limit. And this wasn’t a simple mistake. THEY WERE WARNED THREE TIMES< YES THREE TIMES< IN WRITING BY THE CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER THE PLEDGE CARD WAS AN ELECTION EXPENSE.
6) broke a lie they told to the chief electoral officer the pledge card would be included as an election expense. They told this lie to stop the public knowing of their overspending before the election
7) Refused to pay the money back until a public outcry forced them to.
8) Passed retrospective legislation to make the pledge card illegal, and wipe aout a court case by Bernard Darnton against the pledge card for breaching the Public Finance Act (see point 4).
9) After all the above, had the gall to complain about National agreeing to a deal to repay GST owing on braodcasting money as escaping the legal consequences of its illegal actions.
10) When allegations first surfaced about Taito Philip Fields corruption, took no action
11) When a public outcry resulted from this, set up a toothless inquiry, into wether he acted improperly as a minister, and since taito Philip Field held no portfolio for immigration, it could only find there was nothing he did wrong as a minister, and could not look at the bad things Field did outside his ministerial portfolio.
12) When the above report came back, despite listing all the bad things Field did, labour defended him. Micheal Cullen and other MPs praised Field as a model MP. Cullen saying "the only thing Field is guily of is trying to be helpful to someone".
13) Continuing to defend Field, despite a public outcry
14) Having Field expelled from the Labour Party, not because of his corruption, but because he threatened to stand against labour in the 2008 election.
15) Phil Goff releasing notes taken in cofidentiality from a meeting between Brash and some US congressmen, including the disputed "gone by lunchtime" quote.
16) Rewriting our election rules to their partisan political advantage in the Electoral Finance Act, which was done under then Justice Minister and now Deputy Leader Annette King.
17) Defending and standing by Winston Peters, depite all the Owen Glenn claims against him.
18) Having the government spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on advertising promoting working for families, and other achievements of its, around the 2005 election (maybe to win votes?)
This list is only unethical behaviour, and does not include bad policy, like high taxews and the anti-smacking bill. And gives labour the benefit of the doubt on who leaked the Brash e-mails to Nicky Hager for the Hollow Men book, or the fact that Damien occoner had a close relationship with Field as minister of immigration, and almost definately knew about the corruption of Field, and covered this corruption up.
Whats worse, is the list is only the begining, and if it covered every issue, such a paintergate, Doongate, David Benson-Pope, the political interference in the sacking of Madeline Setchell, one could write a whole book. Oh wait, Ian Wishart in Absolute Power already has.
It must be our duty to ensure that this corrupt cartel never ever ever get near Government again.
One last thing. It should be remembered that they were elected in 1999 on a promise to bring new standards on ethics and integrety into government. That is one of the few promises they kept.
[DPF: Comment of the day]
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 4:11 pm
As well as Pike, Carter also allowed OCEANA to mine in the Victoria Forest Park on the West Coast, the mans a hypocrite of the highest order.
Vote:After reading all his achievements on Red Alert he should at least be up for a knighthood or a sainthood, he did also forget that he did manage fit in a little travel.
You lot are only picking on him because hes gay.
September 1st, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Nicholas – you forget that the Harry Duynhoven matter also was rumoured to protect someone else. The law change was written so as to cover any MPs in that same situation, rather than specifically to Harry. There was no response to questions about whether anyone else was in that situation, although there were some notable foreign born parliamentarians in that govt.
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Nicholas, a superb post. Please keep reminding everyone of the same at every opportunity. These Tossers should never be in control again, but I fear they will, in time.
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Good stuff Nicholas.
I wonder what would happen if you tried posting that at the Stranded?
Just a thought.
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Hell Nicholas you would be a top man at a celebrity roast for the Liarbore party, they must love you,not. Anyhow keep up the good work.
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Thanks for all the compliments.
PaulL- I am doubtful if other MPs were in the same situation as Duynhoven, as the previous law allowed dual nationality MPs. It only prohibited MPs changing their nationality once in Parliament.
As for the sunglass symbol, its meant to a a 9)
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 5:43 pm
One last thing. It should be remembered that they were elected in 1999 on a promise to bring new standards on ethics and integrety into government. That is one of the few promises they kept.
Zing. I do wonder if you just decided to write that out today or you just so happen to keep it on file for appropriate occasions?
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Great post.
As for the Pike river mine they have not yet mined one ton of coal. When Gerry Brownlie visited to do the big opening they got some coal from Nelson and some black paint from Greymouth or so I am told.
Looked good on TV however.
Despite all that I support the mine 100%.
Blue Coast
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Just thought you would all like to know that the Labour Party never sleeps and have no shame. Today they opened a new headquarters in Tauranga. Right opposite the new RSA in Greerton , two doors down from Macdonald’s.
Quaintly named BayLabour they had a party out front on the side of the main road, balloons (red naturally),bald heads in suits and of course the obligatory chairs for the dozen or so grey hairs that struggled up to listen to whoever was making the noise. Doubt anyone would hear for the traffic but there you go.
Unfortunately we didn’t have any showers this afternoon.
Will keep an eye on them.
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 7:14 pm
There are too many at the top of Labour who think they have an entitlement to power, that they do not need to make changes, that the public somehow had a breakdown and all Labour needs to do is watch National collapse and they will cruise back into power. I hasten to add the National Party has had its fair share of this affliction. I get the impression that Labour operates as some sort of truce. THat any attempt to change things could result in a full-on civil war. So they do nothing, and wait and hope for John Key to stuff-up.
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Chris Carter has to occasionally do something right. Mind you I have shares in Pike River and NZ Oil & Gas.
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Tom Hunter – not to sound too pedantic, but China is watching you with comments like that!
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Agree that labour are disgusting,no doubt there.
Vote:But lets not fly the flag for key and his disregard for the electorate on the anti-smacking, if thats not rank I dont know what is?
Imagine if hellen had done that if they were in power, the screams could be heard in the north pole, providing it hasnt melted or been stolen or renamed Hellens hole.
September 1st, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Gee, being back here is a replay of Animal Farm- I can’t tell the troughers from the humans. Enjoy your wallowing.
Vote:September 1st, 2009 at 11:52 pm
Speaking of The Standard, how about this for a brilliant blog….
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/national/blogs/tracy-watkins-on-politics/2823573/Must-read-political-blogs
Vote:September 2nd, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Red Alert is just another attempt by the left to re-write history – meanwhile the rest of us are getting on with life.
Vote:September 2nd, 2009 at 1:14 pm
@Galeandra – go back to what you do best with Chris Carter – at least you don’t make as much noise with your mouth full.
Vote: