Goff v Goff
March 24th, 2011 at 11:22 am by David FarrarSigh. Goff just digs deeper. Here is Phil Goff, Labour Party Leader (PGLPL) on NewstalkZB this morning:
SEAN PLUNKET: When Richard Worth was under investigation, you were constantly calling for the Prime Minister and other politicians to come clean and tell us what they knew and when they knew it.
PHIL GOFF: Let me remind you of this. That when a police… when a complaint was laid with the police against Richard Worth, I made no comment. No comment at all. And you go back and you check your records, and you’ll find out that that was true. I was asked for comment – this is when a woman I think in Bolton Street had made an allegation – I said, I don’t know. I’ve got no information, I won’t speculate. It’s up to the police, and I’m making the same comment now.
So PGLPL says he made no comment at all around Richard Worth. Luckily we can check this out.
Let’s see what Phil Goff, Leader of the Opposition (PGLOTO) said in 2009. First on Radio NZ on 3 June:
This was obviously much more than a personal matter, if it involved a, a complaint to the police, and a police investigation, I, I think, ah, Mr Key should have come clean first thing this morning, and ah, that’s what I told him on.
And om TVNZ on 4 June:
Well I, I think that when you’re talking about the resignation of a minister of the Crown, that’s a public position, therefore you’ve got to be open and transparent about it, the reasons, ah, the allegations, not the details, that’s the subject of a police ah, inquiry and, and no politician should interfere in a police inquiry, but he should’ve been upfront, I’ve received an allegation, it’s related to a police contay [sic] complaint, it is about sexual behaviour, until such time as that takes place ah, Dr Worth is henceforth suspended.
This is especially damning. He is explictly saying that one should have been upfront, announce there has been a police complaint about sexual behaviour and that the MP is suspended. It is a total contradiction of his stance today which was to say or do nothing and hope it doesn’t become public.
And also on RadioLive in 4 June:
I think in normal circumstances if an allegation is made regarding a police complaint, you would suspend the Minister, ah, pending the, ah, the police investigation on the basis that everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but if a serious allegation is made, ah, then it’s appropriate for the Minister to step aside.
So does PGLPL agree with PGLOTO? If so, then can we only conclude that PGLPL thinks the allegation is not serious? Or does PGLPL says that only Ministers should step aside when a serious police compaint is made against them, but not senior frontbench opposition MPs?
If anyone can reconcile the stances and words of PGLPL and PGLOTO, please send your CV to jobs@labour.org.nz
March 24th, 2011 at 11:28 am
Phlip Phlop Phil.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 11:32 am
These 2 cases are obviously entirely different:
Remember Goff told us all that Worth had requested the Labour Party “lady” to purchase some “see-through” clothing…and Dirty Dazza obviously made no such request – so can’t compare apples with oranges!
Edit: when is Goff going to front up with those more lurid text messages (from Worth) that he assured us he had copies of? Still waiting…
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 11:32 am
With a “leader” like that, what can you expect from his MPs and followers (Ginga included)?
Vote:Shame on Goff, the liar.
March 24th, 2011 at 11:34 am
You’re just picking on Goff because he’s a politician caught lying.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 11:37 am
If there was a ‘thumbs up’ to click, I’d click it for Murray.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 11:40 am
Everyone is just picking on DH coz he might be gay.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 11:43 am
@Kiwigreg
“You’re just picking on Goff because he’s a politician caught lying.”
Yea, he can’t help it, he was born that way
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 11:44 am
Phil Goff, stake your claim:
Vote:
March 24th, 2011 at 11:50 am
Dear Phil
Vote:Please stay. You are National’s secret weapon.
March 24th, 2011 at 11:50 am
Oh no, this is spinning out of control for Goff.
Nice coverage David. I presume media will hammer Goff for this latest contradiction, and rightly so.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 11:51 am
If anyone can reconcile the stances and words of PGLPL and PGLOTO, please send your CV to jobs@labour.org.nz
Funny line, btw. I laughed out loud
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 11:54 am
In this Kiwiblog post in May last year, Murray and RKBee answered my question about whether we should feel sorry for Phil Goff. Basically, they both said he’s made his own bed and will sleep in it, too. I now see that they were right. RIP Phil Goff!
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 11:54 am
stop…digging…phil…hole…getting…deep…phil?
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 12:02 pm
The police investigation, and if it comes to it, the Courts will, in fullness of time, judge DH’s conduct and quite rightly you are stearing clear of it.
The real issue, as identified, is that Goff has been less than honest of the matter. Hypocrisy to the hilt and he mislead media. Perhaps it could be said that his staffer innocently mislead media in saying Goff had no knowledge of the investigation (a big perhaps as the way rumours go around the staffer should at least have had sense to check first) but Goff allowed that misrepresentation to go uncorrected and that is a lie.
As a further irony Key was apparently meant to know that his office had information about the BMW purchases but Goff was not meant to know a staffer was misleading the media in his name?
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 12:04 pm
Eww.
Vote:David Cunliffe has just said ‘We’re at the bottom of a rut’.
What could he possibly be talking about?
March 24th, 2011 at 12:12 pm
The issue now is “what did Goff [and King] know and when did they know it”. It now seems that they knew almost immediately. What is more they blamed the Beehive for having leaked it. What happened then – Hughes stood down. So Goff hoped he could keep the lid on this. This shows the extreme arrogance of the man. He thinks he can cover something up when Labour is involved (he even kept the President of the Party in the dark – or did he) but when National is involved he is in like a robbers’ dog demanding this and that. Goff is a lame duck Leader now, and while the Labour Party would rather not change the Leadership it seems they will do so. The Maori caucus is now in open revolt and where they go others will follow.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 12:12 pm
I linked to this post over in the other “Phil Goff has double standards” thread, but this quote from Bill Ralston’s opinion-piece in the Herald on Sunday 14 June 2009 sums it up rather nicely:
The political fallout from this is going to be far worse for Phil Goff (PGLPL) than for Darren Hughes. Goff is dog-tucker now IMHO, and it’s just a question of when the strike against him is launched.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 12:15 pm
How incredible that you have such recall of Goff’s comments on these matters from two years’ ago. And copies or transcripts of each of them as well!
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 12:15 pm
Easy question BeaB, this is the time of year when the rampant stags are establishing their harems and are in their absolute physical prime – busting for a gruelling month or two of sexual activity in order to procreate, pass on the strongest genes and ensure the survival of themselves as a species. It is known as “THE RUT”
Now the labour party on the other hand …….. well I’m sure you can fill in for yourself what Mr Cunliffe might be meaning.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 12:18 pm
Oh dear god there goes my lunch.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 12:21 pm
It goes to the heart of partisan politics in this country that the leader of the labour party can display such arrogance in believing that he & his closest members can try to keep this from the NZ public.
It matters not what Goff and King knew or when, all that matters is that they are right to protect hughes, so that the gullible voters will not punish them in the polls thereby denying them of their rightful position of governance.
It is the notion that they are the true governers of NZ and they can do what they want when they want. I don’t believe that they see it as arrogance though, more that they see themselves as the saviours from ourselves.
We are supposed to come to our senses and give them back what is rightly theirs, regardless of the wrongdoings of any of their members.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 12:23 pm
Agree with Murray
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 12:36 pm
Lofty for comment of the week. Well said.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 12:48 pm
Well said Lofty.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 12:49 pm
What Monty said. If only he was allowed to say it on Red Alert!
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 12:51 pm
Graeme – it’s called Google.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 12:58 pm
When Labour were trying to hold national “to account” when whey (Labour) were in power I made comment that that was a bit too close to Zimbabwe for my liking.
We ought to hold the government to account, not the opposition.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 12:59 pm
Graeme – it’s called Google.
This is the only place that google searches that carries some of these quotes.
Radio NZ doesn’t post transcripts of its interviews and the audio versions they post don’t stay up this long either. This is memory. Incredible.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 12:59 pm
Jeez, looking at the timings of the shit hitting the fan, I’m starting to wonder if Trevor Mallard had his cycling accident on purpose
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 1:04 pm
@ scrubone – that is the role of the Opposition in Parliament; to hold the Government of the day to account. However Phil Goff aspires to be the next Prime Minister of New Zealand. On that basis alone, his public statements are open to scrutiny. If there are inconsistencies between how he treats his own MP’s and how he wants Government MP’s treated, his utterances should be open to scrutiny and debate.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 1:06 pm
Roflcopter said
He certainly has time on his hands to write the blog-posts, work the phones and send the text messages …
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 1:13 pm
BARBEQUE TIME.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 1:24 pm
I just heard Willie Jackson mention on air that there is a Stuff poll on whether Hughes will survive.
Vote:Lets see if we can get the nos 90%.
March 24th, 2011 at 1:33 pm
Is Goofy transparent, yes but only if stands side on to ya.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 1:34 pm
Hes currently on 60% say no. Nothing like prejudging is there.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 2:07 pm
I see the newsbar on Stuff is now saying ther Hughes has been stood down from his portfolios.
Something is clearly happening in Labour Party land.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 2:22 pm
“Hes currently on 60% say no. Nothing like prejudging is there. ”
It is clear that he is guilty of very poor judgeship on more than one occasion at the very least.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 2:24 pm
Goff finally explains why his attitude is different this time – he was wrong on Worth.
“Goff also admitted he made mistakes in his handling of the Richard Worth complaint – where he demanded Prime Minister John Key reveal details of a complaint against the former Internal Affairs Minister, which saw him quit in 2009.
“I think I’ve learnt one or two things about the complexity of these situations. I am going to be the first to admit that I was wrong in the judgment that I made at that time.
“People are entitled to be regarded as innocent until they are proven guilty and Darren is entitled to that presumption.”
He said he had to wait until the police inquiry was complete before making any further decisions.
“I believe I got in wrong in hindsight,” Goff added.”
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 2:24 pm
Hey he just cares too much Chuck. guilty of nothing mare than trying to help!!!!
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 2:51 pm
“He said he had to wait until the police inquiry was complete before making any further decisions.”
Especially as Tizard is next on the list. Goff has not any good choices.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Shame
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 3:43 pm
Paulus (350) Says:
March 24th, 2011 at 1:13 pm
BARBEQUE TIME.
The Guests of Honour at the infamous barbeque, Mr.Goff takes his place as the Trojan Hog followed Mr. Hughes as the roly poly pudding, or maybe that should be Spotted Dick.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 4:00 pm
It looks like Phil Goff forgot the old joke about truth. Tell the truth. There’s less to remember. [Acknowlegement to whoever said it first] No doubt he was relying on the MSM to run interference for him. Too bad there are people on the internet thingy with long memories and access to google. Variously dissembling doesn’t work so well any more.
Meanwhile Judith Tizard is probably looking for a flat in Wellington. What’s not to like?
cheers
David Prosser
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 5:21 pm
Listening to the interview this morning, Goff was owned. Plunkett ran rings around him and pretty much the entire interview will bite him in the arse.
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 7:03 pm
“Listening to the interview this morning”
What time was it? (Helpfully ZB’s website doesn’t give you an index beyond hourly segments. Anyone from ZB reading this? Duh.)
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 8:50 pm
lofty: there were many rumours in the last labour government about certain events that had been managed to kept secret. Fairly open secret if they were true (in that people kept talking about it), but nonetheless, secret. Maybe that experience led them to conclude that this could be the same?
Vote:March 24th, 2011 at 10:12 pm
TV footage of Phil Goff chastising John Key for not immediately revealing allegations against National MP Richard Worth:
Vote:http://wp.me/p1rzNS-30