Taxpayer funded Labour campaigning for Len
October 1st, 2010 at 4:00 pm by David FarrarThe Herald reports:
Labour MP Phil Twyford says he should not have used his parliamentary email to endorse candidates in the local body elections and he is sorry.
Mr Twyford, Labour’s Auckland Issues spokesman, met Parliamentary Service officials today following an accusation from ACT leader Rodney Hide about improper use of parliamentary resources.
Mr Twyford sent emails – including one to endorse Auckland super city mayoralty candidate Len Brown.
“Parliamentary Services have told me that there is a case to answer and that it has been referred to the Speaker’s Office. This was a genuine mistake. I am now aware of the rules and I won’t be making this mistake again.
Telling people who to vote for, from a parliamentary account, is no mistake. Everyone knows the rules – you an not ask for money, members, or votes.
Even worse when it is the Spokesperson for Auckland Issues. While of course Labour back Len Brown (a Labour Party member), it is not a good look to have the Auckland spokesperson actively campaigning for and against candidates – as he will have to work with some of them after the election.
Related posts:
- Labour’s taxpayer funded campaign
- Herald on Greens taxpayer funded petition
- The taxpayer funded axe the tax bus
- Greens employing eight taxpayer funded staff to collect petition signatures
October 1st, 2010 at 4:07 pm
Unfortunately it will be a case of ‘naughty boy, don’t do it again’ and then a slap across the wrist with a wet noodle. It’s not a good look but do Phil Twyford & Labour really care, I doubt it.
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 4:14 pm
He should be expelled, end of story. Fucking disgrace!!
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Twyford’s abuse of the parliamentary system was deliberate. He is calculating he will merely get a slap on the wrist. I think the Speaker should cut off his access for about 1 month with a warning it will get worse if it happens again.
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Have to agree 2boyz but none the less it sucks. However, unless we the employers of these people stand up and say enough then it will just continue and just like the embezzler it becomes easier and easier to justify their actions to themselves. Unfortunately it often takes something drastic before the employer notices and then it is often too late.
It is time we said enough of taking our money to bribe us so you can take more of our money to bribe us etc etc…
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 4:18 pm
Labour are desperate, victory for Len Brown would help boost the party morale. This is despite Len Brown declining Labour’s official endorsement offer.
There ought to be a fine line between national politics, and local-body politics. The two are distinct, and more should be done to enforce this distinction.
p.s
I have voted for Len Brown.
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 4:20 pm
bad form, but taxpayer FUNDED, really? Is the cost of sending those e mails really the issue?
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 4:27 pm
Well done Rodney…come out fighting….vengence for Garrett! ;-0
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 4:30 pm
How dare he pretend it was a mistake-he pretty much tried to put the boot into Rodney as well. How Twyford cope I wonder, being an electorate MP, looking after Ministerial portfolios overlooking a major change in Auckland AND leading a party where his caucus colleagues are acting like childish prats undermining him constantly?
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Oohhh, an MP wrote something that we already knew in an email. Shock horror! This is the political scandal of the year.
We’ve already had Key endorse Banks, and just yesterday Paula Bennett endorsed Banks as being “best for the west” on Radio Live.
Christ, it’s not as though Twyford is covering up the theft of a dead child’s identity or anything….
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 4:34 pm
He doesn’t care, it’s not his money he’s wasting
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 4:38 pm
ooo ooo ooo ooo
What’s the emoticon for DPF dancing from foot to foot?
Taxpayer funded? yeah right! How muc did the emails cost to send?
How DARE a party politician actually have an opinion and even worse, want to share that opinion? What next? Child molestation?
How much has it cost us to have JonKey running around Christchurch spruiking for Bob “let them shit in the street” Parker?
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 4:41 pm
MNIJ
So what you are really saying is that Parliamentary rules should not apply to those on the left.
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 4:42 pm
Christ, it’s not as though Twyford is covering up the theft of a dead child’s identity or anything….
Yes those dirty Labour/leftist tricks from the 80′s aren’t wanted here….
;-0
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 4:44 pm
Well fot, I like this quote in the Herald article, from Rotney
“It is vital to maintain local government’s democratic independence and to act in accordance with New Zealand’s important democratic principles,” he said.
“As such, individual MPs should not use their taxpayer provided resources to influence local government elections in any way.”
Far better to bypass democracy altogether, sack the council and appoint a junta. But you support that, don’t you?
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 4:47 pm
James “Yes those dirty Labour/leftist tricks from the 80′s aren’t wanted here….”
Yep that dirty Leftist bastard Garrett only started to act like a nomal human being when he stopped being a Lefty
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 4:49 pm
If Len Brown wins, I can see the tax payer in later years bailing out Auckland from Bankruptcy. Like California.
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 4:55 pm
This is a scandalous development in the local election. That email must have cost the taxpayer a fortune. I wonder how many first class trips to Canada and the United States and the United Kingdom could be purchased for the cost of an email? Rodney might know?
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 5:16 pm
This is a scandalous development in the local election. That email must have cost the taxpayer a fortune. I wonder how many first class trips to Canada and the United States and the United Kingdom could be purchased for the cost of an email? Rodney might know?
The protection of the democratic process is worth far more than a hundred first class trips to the US/Canada. I’d call it priceless.
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 5:33 pm
I can’t see what the issue is; there is an obligation on taxpayers to fund people who want to spend ever more taxpayer money. Rules such as the one broken by Twyford are only there to impede people who do not wish spend ever higher amounts of tax (or rates).
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 6:06 pm
it’s simple .. the prat broke the rules and I would bet dollars to donuts that he knew it was against the rules .. end of.
Vote:The fact that it would have cost sod all is irrelevant.
October 1st, 2010 at 6:07 pm
Interesting – no comment from Farrar about Boag’s misuse of a company email (recruiting for the Super City no less) actively campaigning against one of Bank’s opponents. Sure, no use of taxpayer funds (how much does it cost to send an email anyway, 0.01 cents?) but a clear conflict of interest. Has there been any comment on this blog? – of course not.
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 6:13 pm
ttibbs says:
Yep, have to agree. So if he’d sent it from an @labour.org.nz email address it’d be okay? If he’d used Parliamentary postage to send snail mail, then it’d be an issue. But emails?! Does no one here use their employer’s electrons to send personal messages?! Or to comment on blogs?
The “cost” is so negligible as to be irrelevant. As for the advisability of endorsing some people when you have to work with their opponents… that’s politics. It’s a tactical decision you make and if you judge wrongly, you pay the price.
Outrage over trivia (whether or not that outrage is real or manufactured) just dilutes the effect of the real outrage that is, and should be, expressed when an MP makes a serious transgression.
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 6:18 pm
MNIJ
Since when have you been interested in democracy?
Steal 850k of tax payer dollars…..just legislate to make that theft legal…
You lefties are all the same, it is only ever an outrage if the right are caught breaking the rules, as far as you lot are concerned the rules are there to be broken and anything can be justified just as long as you are the ones breaking the rules.
It never ceases to amaze me at the way you lot can bend over back wards to justify any theft or crime when it is committed by one of your own.
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 6:19 pm
When are you going to criticise National MPs who have used their capacity as MPs to promote Banksie?
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 6:41 pm
“Is the cost of sending those e mails really the issue?”
No RRM. The issue is you’d have to be a slack-jawed yokel type of parliamentarian not to realise you can’t do this under any circumstances. It’s not even politics 101, it’s politics Primer one.
For Twyford to claim he didn’t realise is disingenuous in the extreme, for the media not to excoriate the wanker is abrogating their responsibility.
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 7:09 pm
When are you going to criticise National MPs who have used their capacity as MPs to promote Banksie?
Depends. Did those National MP’s use parliamentary resources to distribute campaign material for John Banks?
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Where should the line be drawn? Should MPs send politicking emails by any email system during work hours? Should they do any politicking using their profile as an MP? Is this all getting too PC?
Boag’s misuse was more potential commercial impropriety (dealt with by the company, up to them how they handled it) – it is hardly a surprise what leaning of candidates she might promote.
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 7:28 pm
Dear dear… What next!
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 8:00 pm
“Where should the line be drawn?”
Pete it’s not rocket science, unless you’re obfuscating.
“Should MPs send politicking emails by any email system during work hours?”
Who cares, that’s an employment matter, isn’t it. Too bad MPs like most of us don’t have a manager to answer to, on that. Perhaps Parliamentary Services should employ a few dozen Army RSMs to keep all the MPs in line, while they’re at work. In fact, no perhaps about it.
“Should they do any politicking using their profile as an MP?”
No. Any MP doing any politicking at all for themselves or anyone else, should be required by the RSMs to wear those glasses with the false nose and mustache. If they don’t, the RSMs should be able to make them do the SAS Assault Course until they can get round it in less than 60 seconds. For each and every offence. Note that “politicking” includes every single public appearance and interview, at all, even on Radio. Any member of the public should be allowed to dob them in and the dobber’s word should be taken as read, without question, by law. This should be written into the Electoral Act.
“Is this all getting too PC?”
You better believe it. Personally, I wanted to execute them if they didn’t do this, but Mum wouldn’t let me. Fuck it.
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 8:26 pm
I think that Phil should pay back 20 times the cost of sending out these emails. $1 should be more than enough.
Are you serious?
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 9:11 pm
How much does sending an email cost? If he sent them from his Labour Party Addy it would be ok.
Silly of him to use his parliament address but hardly a cost to the tax payer
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 9:35 pm
It’s not about cost, although DPF mentioned it obtusely in the headline.
It is about the rules, and you simply are not allowed to do what Phil Twyford has done.
He has lamely said it was a mistake, and now he has apologised. He isn’t saying he was allowed to otherwise he wouldn’t be apologising.
The point is that a) he did it b) got caught and c) will get away with it because the sanctions are likely to be light.
I don’t doubt that the pinkos would be spraying all over the place if a staffer of a national top ranker sent out a 1000 emails saying don’t for Lenny the slapper.
And I know I would be abusing the national staffer that did just such a thing. I wouldn’t be making excuses like the pinkos are here.
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 10:16 pm
…prima facie…not in the…SSDC (that’d be same shit different campaign)
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 10:28 pm
Come on Cameron
Perk buster Hide spends $10k taking his girlfriend to Disneyland.
Twyford spends 0.05c sending an email supporting Len for Mayor.
And these things are the same???????
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 10:40 pm
For all those who claim there was no cost in sending out the E-mail, there was.
The Herald story said the e-mail was sent to 1,000 recipients. Shit, when I send an E-mail to 10 recipients it takes about five minutes just to enter their addresses in the “To” field.
You can bet Twyford didn’t type in any of the addresses, he would have got one of secretarial staff (paid for by you and me) to prepare the list, and it probably took all day to enter.
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 10:43 pm
Money schmony. I’ll donate the 5c it cost.
The real question is Who is going to pay a scant bit of attention to what Twyford says anyway? (Even his own Party won’t support him in any electorate in NZ.)
A nobody says nothing to no one. Who cares?
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 11:08 pm
“The point is that a) he did it b) got caught and c) will get away with it because the sanctions are likely to be light.”
I was real disappointed to hear Rodney tonight on Radio Left Wing say in effect: “it’s a fine line” and that’s why he wasn’t going to be pushing on Twyford.
Electioneering and “seen to be interfering” aside, if YOU, Rodney, weren’t prepared to stand up and call this for what it obviously is, why not put someone on who is prepared to?
I mean, WE’RE NOT ALL FUCKING STUPID.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a lot of crap. Newsflash Rodney and all other MPs. It’s not a fine line. It’s not complicated. It’s not “gray.” It’s just that you guys are venal, grasping and desperate and we – the ones who pay for it – are SICK OF IT. PERIOD. DON’T FUCKING DO IT, AT ALL, EVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, EITHER SIDE, EVER, AND WHEN ONE OF YOU DOES IT, PROSECUTE THEM TO THE MAX LEST WE [THE PEOPLE WHO PAY YOU] BEGIN TO THINK THAT BOTH SIDES ARE COLLUDING ON THIS POINT AND PUNISH BOTH SIDES ACCORDINGLY.
Period.
I mean, this is not YOUR democracy, this is our democracy, we’re not stupid, treat us accordingly. Yes, we noticed.
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 11:08 pm
Chris2
But when an IT savy place wants to send an email to 1,000 recipients some tech savy person takes the wordsmithed text and slams it into a list from a database and hey presto. Job done just about $1,000 wort of IT nerd time cost recovery charges. The job also attracts a portion of infrastructure overhead costs and I couldn’t possibly guess that. Oh and don’t forget the wordsmith department recovery costs. So, that 5c… she grows.
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 11:10 pm
bhudson
Where were you when $800,000 was outstanding.
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 11:18 pm
burt,
I was baying for their blood, the thieving, lying evil bastards that they were (and still are.)
What is more, and sickens me to the core, is that we get a bunch of academics banging on about ‘rule of law’ over the King Gerry Act, when where the hell were they when Labour was changing the law, so they wouldn’t have to follow the old one, to legalise the $800k theft you refer to ????
They were nowhere! No complaints. No “what about the rule of law?” Those academics are lobbyists – nothing more. They undermine their “subject matter expertise” though selective application of concern. (We call it hypocrisy)
[End of sermon. Hat will be passed for donations shortly.]
(P.S. Please read all of my comments – I was saying that Twyford is a nobody so who cares what he might say to anyone?)
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 11:37 pm
bhudson
My apologies. I did indeed take a short snippet way out of context.
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 11:41 pm
burt,
What? [forgotten already - no problem]
Vote:October 1st, 2010 at 11:45 pm
DPF Obviously, what Phil thinks matters at lot more to you guys down in Welly than to us Aucklanders. Pretty well all the candidates (with the exception of the mayoral ones- who live in other parts of Auckland) are very well known. After Banks’ comments on Close Up about South Aucklanders and South Auckland don’t think they will be needing Phil to tell them how to vote either.
Vote:October 2nd, 2010 at 7:59 am
You’re right, they’re different.
Hide was within the rules and legal. Twyford was outside the rules and illegal.
Duh.
Vote:October 2nd, 2010 at 8:41 am
“You’re right, they’re different.
Hide was within the rules and legal. Twyford was outside the rules and illegal.
Duh”.
So are you saying that Hide having his trotters in the trough and ripping off the taxpayer for thousands of dollars is not a serious issue because it was legal? this despite years of sanctimonious perk buster rhetoric.
Now for sure Hide paid it back and was publicly very contrite but the question is would he have given 2 stuffs if he hadn’t been exposed as somewhat of a hypocrite.
The media were correct to expose twfords misdemeaner but it is a bit of a storm in a teacup to be honest
Vote:October 2nd, 2010 at 9:25 am
Hide did not rip off the taxpayers. You are a liar.
He is guilty of being a hypocrite. Then again, just about every politician is guilty of that. That’s the price a politician pays trying to trade off principle for compromise.
Twyford’s actions are those of a two-faced, venal, corrupt, socialist where he thinks the end justify the means like all socialicts do.
Vote:October 2nd, 2010 at 12:10 pm
The words “who gives a shit” came to me when this story broke. Blowing this out of proportion a little? There are better things to waste time on than this.
Then again, you seem to enjoy preaching to the converted.
[DPF: But considering it was Twyford who got outraged and complained about Michelle Boag sending an e-mail from her work account, it is very ironic]
Vote:October 2nd, 2010 at 12:21 pm
Strangely I cannot remember these same socialists screaming about the corrupt Helen Clark ripping off the tax payer to the sum of $800,000.
As Radman says, socialist scum can always justify theft, dishonesty and corruption just as long as they are the ones committing the crimes.
Vote:October 2nd, 2010 at 11:00 pm
Anyone got any quotes from Twyford on Phil Heatley’s spending issues? Could be interesting reading.
Vote:October 2nd, 2010 at 11:01 pm
I agree, ironic…but I didn’t really care when Boag did that either. Who cares? They all look like twits when they do this stuff but then I suppose I’m just pleased that both parties have an opinion at all to be honest. I am smart enough to realise that these are politicians, and I’m not going to be so precious with my “tax payers dollars” blah blah blah when it comes to someone sending an email. Therefore I am smart enough to identify when a whole bunch of bullshit is being said – smells stronger coming from a politically aligned DNS – therefore it has the opposite effect on people like me.
It is just another world they play in. I am just working through trying to raise a family on my ‘average’ wage. I have bigger things to worry about than reading in the paper and in blogs that an MP sent an email out saying that he likes this guy and reckons that this guy should be major. Big whoop.
Vote: