Still in denial
NZ Herald Court Reporter Andrew Koubaridis is having a look back at high profile trials from last year, including former Labour MP Taito Philip Field:
Taito Phillip Field was charged with 35 offences that were alleged to have occurred when he was a Labour MP and minister outside the Cabinet.
He was eventually found guilty of 11 bribery and corruption charges and 15 counts of wilfully perverting the course of justice and sentenced to six years’ jail.
Apart from marking a spectacular fall from grace for Field, this trial was significant because it was the first time a New Zealand politician had been convicted of bribery and corruption.
He continues to deny any wrongdoing and is appealing against his conviction and sentence. An appeal date has yet to be set.
Field is not the only one who continues to deny wrongdoing. Not only has no one from Labour apologized for their defence of his corruption, they have refused to even state that they now admit he broke the law and was corrupt. The most they could bring themselves to do was say they acknowledge the verdict – not even that they accept it.
January 5th, 2010 at 11:50 am
An interesting case.
What concerned me the most about it was not so much that the man was in fact corrupt (he’s probably not the only one, and none of us is perfect), but the implicit idea that it was part of his culture to expect and accept gifts, even on such a grand scale. Mr Field enjoyed all the privileges of an MP, and more. Because he is a Samoan or with a Samoan background, some people suggest that’s OK.
Its called one-way multiculturalism, and it reeks.
I had hoped Mr Field would have learned from his mistake, but your report of his intention to appeal indicates he hasn’t.
January 5th, 2010 at 11:57 am
And I expect his Appeal to be successful. Afterall, no lesser person than the then Deputy Prime Minister said that the only thing the Taito was guilty off was trying to help others.
And if Labour said that then surely it must be true …. musn’t it?
January 5th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
labour over the years of being dominated by Dame Helen never admitted mistakes. In all her years the only hint of an error that she ever gave was sitting back and doing nothing in the 80′s .. the Douglas years.
I see it continues now even though she is gone.
You can not tell them anything and they don’t know how to go forward. I have offered some suggestions but na. They see me on Redart as a right wing capalist pig but that’s ok.
I see they are on damage control with Maori by sending Philin (and wife) plus other MPs to the East Coast for the Pa wars.
They are in real danger of losing the last two seats to the Maori party but won’t admit their attendance is a desperate attempt to save the seats.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Atleast he wasnt pissed and mistook his daughter for a bank and robbed her blind.
Hell that wouldve been a laugh,RIGHT FELLOW COMEDIANS.
January 5th, 2010 at 1:44 pm
What an idiot Field appears to be!
Does he not realise parole will not be forthcoming unless he accepts his guilt? the fool could be released from the clink in the spring of next year if he only stopped taking the piss.
As for the attitude of the Labour party, well, it is in great contrast to the following….
1. Dennis Marshall’s resignation over the ‘Cave Creek’ tragedy… oh! hang on…
2. Jim Bolger’s resignation over his appalling and insensitive comments about nails and the tragedy …oh! hang on…
3. New Zealanders will all (*ahem*) remember Sir Robert Muldoon’s famous television confession and apology for destroying the New Zealand economy…oh! …hang on
4. Duncan Macintyre’s tearful apology as he began a long prison sentence for corruption over the ‘Marginal Lands Affair’…oh!…hang on…
5. The ‘honourable’ National party caucus repudiated corruption by not electing Macintyre Deputy Prime Minister a few weeks after the Marginal Lands Affair as we all fondly remember former Deputy Prime Minister Derek Quigley…oh! hang on…
6. Bill English resigning over a deliberate (yet unsuccessful) attempt to rip off the taxpayers over a housing allowance …oh! hang on..
…and let us not forget Sir Keith Holyoake’s dramatic accumulation of wealth and assets between 1957 and 1972 whilst Prime Minister of New Zealand despite being paid $200 per week.
Yes, clearly the only crooks are in the Labour party
http://www.nightcitytrader.blogspot.com
January 5th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
Wasn’t Donna Awatere Huatawa an Act MP at the time of her corruption convictions? (so does that make her the first MP?)
January 5th, 2010 at 4:10 pm
Eligah … pathetic attempt at threadjacking but go2it if that gets you going. Your attempt at innuendo vs reality doesn’t cut the mustard with me and to take just one of your henious crimes so stated, so what if KJ Holyoake made a pile … he had a second income as a farmer at a time when farmers were doing rather well and remind me please, just how many properties in NZ and o’seas did one Helen Elizabeth Clark accumulate in her time as a Parliamentarian and is she to be defamed for that also?
No, your and yours just cannot accept the fact that a Labour Cabinet Minister was judged guilty of corruption by his peers and your beloved Party still holds to the line the only thing he did was to help others..
One hears of more corruption trials in the pipeline this time over the infamous dosh for citizenship rort with ex Ministers Barker and/ or O’Connor and/or Jones and/or … and/or having to do some explaining.
Oh dear, how sad, never mind.
January 5th, 2010 at 5:49 pm
Ross Miller 4:10pm …. ummmmm…???
Not sure whom you are meaning about “[me] and [mine] just cannot accept the fact that a Labour Cabinet Minister was judged guilty of corruption…” as I and everybody I know was delighted at the guilty verdict of Field; corruption is something I personally consider quite horrid (and it was about time he was put in his place).
I am quite lost about ‘[my] beloved party’; I have voted a couple of times for the Libertarian party and I doubt they have any sympathy for Field.
http://www.nightcitytrader.blogspot.com
January 5th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
Nobody could have any sympathy for Field, who is a complete and utter crook, a corrupt politician who deserves every harsh penalty that comes his way.
He was caught red-handed and must pay the price for his vile actions. Unfortunately, many of his colleagues get away with it.
January 5th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
Elijah … hmmmmmmm Libertarian!!!! One might observe that if you walk like a duck, quack like a duck, swim like a duck and have feathers then your invective against National might well have you identified as as a Labour Party acolyte.
Are you quite sure that in hiding behind a pseudonym you are not following the dictate of Trevor Mallard to Labour Party Parliamentary Staffers to post under pseudonyms and assumed names?
January 5th, 2010 at 8:29 pm
Why didn’t Field just pass validations to kill off the court case before it finished – worked for Helen…. Remind me again who the really corrupt MP from Labour was ?
January 5th, 2010 at 9:10 pm
sure Burt..that was one H E Clark MP for Mt Albert and PM .