Will he repeat them outside the House?
March 8th, 2012 at 12:00 pm by David FarrarBernard Orsman at the NZ Herald reports:
Auckland Council finance chief Andrew McKenzie has denied allegations by New Zealand First leader Winston Peters that he received an all-expenses-paid trip to the United States from the international consultancy firm Deloitte.
“I have never had any travel paid for me by Deloitte,” Mr McKenzie said last night.
In Parliament yesterday and last week, Mr Peters made allegations about Mr McKenzie and the council’s relationship with Deloitte.
He accused council chief executive Doug McKay of allowing Mr McKenzie to receive an expenses-paid trip to the US from Deloitte …
Rather than continue a lifetime of defaming people using parliamentary privilege, Peters should repeat his claims outside the House and allow a court to determine their veracity.
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March 8th, 2012 at 12:12 pm
No way, then proceedings may be suppressed, and how would Dear Old Winnie get the publicity he craves?
Vote:March 8th, 2012 at 12:12 pm
I’m not a massive expert on defamation, so Winston should probably take his own legal advice, but if he was to carefully frame comments outside the House, he could get them protected by privilege.
The reason you can repeat them here, without fear of being sued, is that you are giving a fair account of something said in an absolutely privileged occasion. If Winston did the same, he could also be protected by the same qualified privilege.
Vote:March 8th, 2012 at 12:21 pm
That, DPF, as you well know, would take Winston to actually grow a pair, and thats not going to happen. He is happy playing to his demented support base, who, despite all evidence to the contrary, firmly believe he is the messiah, and that every media outlet is out to get him. He is always right, never wrong. And in that, he is the perfect reflection of my MiL. Thankfully she isnt a politician.
I had a couple of chances to smack the short arsed smarmy bastard years ago, one as I was coming out of a restaurant toilet in Auckland, and the arrogant little shit shouldered his way past me. With no witnesses I should have gone back in, locked the door, and taught him some manners.
It is to my undying shame I chose not to. Presented with the same opportunity, I would lower myself and do it, without a seconds hesitation.
Vote:March 8th, 2012 at 12:35 pm
We could all assume that Winston is lying, or that Andrew is telling the truth, but how’s about a response based on demanding evidence and proof from either, or both parties? Surely that’s the only way to evaluate the situation?
[DPF: I presume that the Auckland Council has records showing they paid for the travel, not Deloittes.]
Vote:March 8th, 2012 at 12:41 pm
Has Winston laid a complaint with the Auditor General over Auckland Council yet? If not, why not. His claims seem to have as much foundation as his claim some years ago that WINZ had purchased a fleet of Beemers (and this was before the Government had even considered buying Beemers to replace the Ministerial LTD’s).
Vote:March 8th, 2012 at 12:41 pm
@GE at 12.14.
Vote:Wasn’t there a case a few years ago where an MP, after saying something under the cover of absolute privilege inside Parliament, then said to a reporter outside the chamber something like “I do not resile from my statement”.
He was then sued and lost if I remember. It was Nick Smith I think, but memory fades so I hope I am not slandering him.
March 8th, 2012 at 12:43 pm
Winston is a demented Liar and a Coward – but he would not think so because of whom he is.
What is more is that contrary to his assertion that the media are out to get him, they are actually firmly in his court.
Vote:March 8th, 2012 at 1:08 pm
Can’t help but wonder how different the tune here would be;
If this was any other MP but Winston, making allegations of [something] against an exec of any other Council but Right Wing Darling Rodney Hide’s Auckland Super City Council.
I can’t help thinking peeps here would be clamouring to hear more if (say) John Banks were to allege improper activity by WCC officials…?
No….??
[DPF: You are projecting yourself maybe. False allegations are never welcomed by me - no matter whom against]
Vote:March 8th, 2012 at 1:08 pm
@alwyn
Vote:That was Winston who got sued over comments he made concerning the late Sir Selwyn Cushing.
March 8th, 2012 at 1:25 pm
KevinH.
Vote:I have gone back and checked the case I meant. It was Owen Jennings, then an ACT MP, back in 2001.
He made the statements about the Wool Board and one of their senior staff sued him for the “not resile” statement that was made outside Parliament and was not covered by privilege. Sorry Nick, please don’t sue me.
They changed the law after that to allow MPs costs in these sort of cases to be met out of party leader’s funds.
March 8th, 2012 at 1:30 pm
KevinH
Vote:Continued.
You are quite right about Peters and Cushing but that wasn’t the one I was thinking about. It was the word “resile” that stuck in my memory. I don’t think I had ever seen it before.
March 8th, 2012 at 1:44 pm
@ Gconnell are you suggesting anyone accused by Peters should be required to prove their innocence?
Vote:March 8th, 2012 at 2:34 pm
Oh come on you lot- peters is simply doing what hes very, very, very good at and as he knows – all the poltical hacks are hanging on his every word. He doesnt give a rats arse what the hacks think and Ill bet there is some at least some truth in whats he is saying. This McKenzie said: “I have never had any travel paid for me by Deloitte,” Now thats a long way from denying that Deloittes didnt pay in some way for his trip – eg: Deloittes paid the council to send someone to a conference, or deloittese reduced an invoice for the equivalent amount that the trip costs. There are many ways that backhanders like this can be hidden.
havent you all noticed that parliment has changed. The golden times seem over for John Key – at the moment everything he touches turns to crap and hes not the dominant voice in parliament any more. Peters is dominating question time with allegations and accusations – most carefully worked out so that actually the person being questioned cant answer except to say that ‘I dont know’ or ‘Im not responsible for that area’ – but they have to leave the original question unanswered. Sort of like “When did you stop beating your wife?” – answers like “im not married’ or “Thats not a question to asked in parliament” still leave the original accusation unanswered.
Vote:March 8th, 2012 at 4:25 pm
All that matters is who paid for the trip? Some people seem to loose objectivity in matters Winston. Habit perhaps.
Vote:March 8th, 2012 at 9:40 pm
Why is the government letting NZ First MP Tracey Martin off with these comments? As well as being a MP, Martin is also an elected member of the Auckland Council. Her parliamentary leader is making serious allegations against the CFO of that organisation in parliament. Surely Martin cannot claim to be independent of these claims. It is implicit she is involved. How can she stay an elected member with such allegations being made? Moreover, why is she double dipping and why isn’t she being forced to resign from her local board in the same way Sam Lotu-Liga was when he was an Aucland City councillor and MP?
Vote: