Jones case referred to Auditor-General
May 23rd, 2012 at 5:19 pm by David FarrarLabour have worked out that the reasons given by Shane Jones for granting Liu citizenship are so weak that no one seriously believes them.
So they have stood Jones down and referred it to the Auditor-General. About time. Helen Clark should have done this in 2008.
Related posts:
- The Jones inquiry
- Shane Jones referred to Police for EFA breach
- Shane Jones and Yang Liu
- Is Jones jumping?
May 23rd, 2012 at 5:24 pm
yes, but helen clark was power hungry.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 5:26 pm
Now perhaps the MSM may take this issue seriously. Thank God for Bloggers!
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 5:27 pm
Key’s excuses for keeping Banks on look weaker by the minute.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 5:28 pm
Haha – the funniest thing now will be the spin put on this from the usual leftards.
And right on cue….
Bahahahahaaaaaaaaaa
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 5:30 pm
Matt .. you are such a hoot .. the pathetic Labour Party will try to pass this off as Shearer being a strong leader .. too late mate.
Vote:The Banks thing is plain silly and Labour know it
May 23rd, 2012 at 5:41 pm
Longtime reader, first time poster.
Shane Jones and the Auditer General.
The problem with this investigation is that the auditer general cannot look into the relationship between Bill Liu and the Labour Party. The inquiry will be very narrow in terms, most likely only looking at the process and the official advise.
This is more like a pre-emptive strike by Labour to divert the public attention from the real issue in this case, possible corruption.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 5:45 pm
Thanks Auntie Hulun. You’re a gift that keeps on giving.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 5:52 pm
Who is Jones replacement to attack the Budget tomorrow.
Vote:The timing indicates neither Jones nor Shearer decided to do this, they were forced.
Tomorrow’s court result on Liu will be interesting.
How much of this can pre-empt Budget item coverage?
May 23rd, 2012 at 5:53 pm
“Helen Clark should have done this in 2008.”
Helen Clark should have stood herself down when she was being investigated for a serious crime. Instead her off organised for the evidence to be destroyed.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 6:00 pm
Shearer said no RadionNZ that no information had changed his mind, it was just felt that it needed to be cleared up.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 6:00 pm
So Jonesey was fine on Monday, and fine on Tuesday, but he’s poison today; hmm; has Labour been doing focus groups today?
And sadly for Shearer, he’s just killed off any chance of getting Budget publicity tomorrow; all anyone will be talking about is Bill Liu, Shane Jones and dodgy passports. Oh dear; how sad; never mind…
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 6:01 pm
The question is, what information did Jones fess up to Shearer behind closed doors?
And will Shearer reveal it in an inquiry?
Dodgy stuff. Still, that’s Labour for you.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 6:19 pm
Whaleoil, quite rightly, has pointed out the terms of reference are narrow. The AG is to inquire into ‘the process’ involved in reaching the decision.
Sounds to me and him like a rerun of Clark’s tame QC inquiry into the ratbag Phillip Field.
When will they ever learn?
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 6:24 pm
It’s not like opposition politicians can constrain the scope of an enquiry by the Auditor-General though, is it?
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 6:26 pm
Whoa there. As W/O has pointed out Shearer has only asked the AG to look at process. No problem with the process; the Minister has discretion to approve or disapprove citizenship. The isuue is whether Lui influenced the decision by crossing palms with silver. The AG will not look at this; but an independent enquiry would (with the right instruction); just don’t use Noel Ingram QC (did the Field enquiry).
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 6:28 pm
So if the A-G clears Jones, DPF will apologise unreservedly to him? Thought not.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 6:28 pm
So, Banks still has his arse on a cabinet chair, then? Way to take the high ground, guys…
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 6:31 pm
How much was supposedly raised at the restaurant fundraiser, be pretty easy to raise say 100k for citizenship and hide it through a fundraiser.
Vote:Shearer seems to object strongly to Chinese buying farms but when they buy citizenship well that is fine.
May 23rd, 2012 at 6:32 pm
What is to stop Key from asking AG for a wider scope?
Vote:who can ask AG to do an enquiry? can I ?
May 23rd, 2012 at 6:33 pm
It certainly takes the heat off Banks who has being lying low waiting for the dust to settle like a seasoned polly does. Jones must be gone now and labour has screwed itself for the budget debate. Genius!
Talking of Banks I wonder whether he will be trumpeting the lower class sizes in charter schools as an added benefit.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 6:35 pm
If old Jonesy simply had convenient amnesia he would have been right, at least with JK.
Vote:Helicopter ride anyone?
May 23rd, 2012 at 6:38 pm
Must tune into Willie & JT tomorrow. Well go a bit like this. Willie “those nasty honkys will be persecuting poor old Shane while the evil Banks gets a get out of jail free card.
JT “yes willie the hypocrisy is unbelievable”
Wasn’t Jones the great brown hope?. Oh dear how sad never mind. Liarbore are slowly self destructing, more please, lol,lol,lol,lol.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 6:39 pm
Colville: My very thought sir…Have they “got in” with narrow terms of reference before someone else initiates an enquiry?
I can’t help noticing that Jones has admitted to knowledge that Liu had at least two and possibly several identities, but was unconcerned about it. I seem to recall that my crime – committed 27 years before – was almost grounds for bringing back the death penalty and making it retrospective. Funny that…
Nostalgia: If you really think we have seen the end of the Banks affair I think you are much mistaken…notwithstanding that the two matters are vastly different…to whit the positions of the two men at the relevant times.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 6:42 pm
David .. you didn’t have a machine in your corner run by H1 & 2 .. you were always going to be cannon fodder
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 6:55 pm
David Garret – Nostalgia: If you really think we have seen the end of the Banks affair I think you are much mistaken…notwithstanding that the two matters are vastly different…to whit the positions of the two men at the relevant times.
And both men gave assurances.
Vote:But if Banks unravels, Key can dump him like a proverbial hot potatoe.
“The honourable Christian gentleman gave me his word, but shit, he lied – so he’s no longer a Minister of mine and as his own leader perhaps he should stand himself down.”
May 23rd, 2012 at 6:58 pm
Very grown up, Milt.
A Labour MP does something stupid and unethical and all you can do is respond, “Hey look, John Banks did something too!”
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 6:59 pm
What does “standing down” Shane Jones actually mean? http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10807904
He’s an opposition MP, not a person with governance responsibilities. He has no “portfolios” to administer. As a List MP he doesn’t even have an electorate to represent. It seems to me that Jones has just been awarded a holiday on full pay at our expense. Political smoke and mirrors, especially when David Shearer purports to define the limits of the AG’s inquiry.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 7:01 pm
Yvette: Yes, that is indeed a point…I meant of course that at time of the “actus reus” as we lawyers say, Jones was a Minister of the Crown, and Banks….wasn’t….but he certainly was when he gave those assurances to Key…
Coville: May I respectfully suggest that you bring your Quiz of Infamy over to this thread! Suddenly seems like the place for it…
Does anyone know whether the terms of reference of the enquiry can be broadened on the application of someone else? If it stays as it is, it is totally meaningless..
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 7:11 pm
The crook has been stood down. At last!
Vote:For waiting this long, the invisible Shearer has shown how weak he is.
May 23rd, 2012 at 7:18 pm
I think Shane Jones is only guilty of being too helpful?
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 7:19 pm
It will be a brown wash
Vote:Jones has got semen ops I mean shit on his hands
the clarkists will insure their great brown hope “comes”out clean
May 23rd, 2012 at 7:20 pm
Griff: Assuming you are not already a comedian, you have missed your vocation sir/madam…
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 7:25 pm
DG
6.39
No I don’t think the heat is off Banks. I think it is off Shearer.
Vote:A ‘better late than never’ position fades eventually, Shearer has popped a balloon which nobody will be able to inflate again. That’s smart, doing it yesterday might have been smarter – but in the end the result is the same.
May 23rd, 2012 at 7:36 pm
What I asked over on the GD thread was….
OK pop quiz.
What MPs have been found guilty of a criminal offence say in the last 20 or 30 years?
I mean for things that did while in office not before or after, even if they were snapped for it while in office, if ya get what I mean.
What is the score like Lab Vs Nat?
I have Field, Huata and Mallard, who else?
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 7:37 pm
You missed Dyson Colville…drunk driving while a Minister…and entitled to a Ministerial car with driver…
Nostalgia: I see your point but I’m not sure…does “better late than never” count when you are the leader of a political party, and it is this blatantly obvious the decision was crooked?
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 7:42 pm
Seconded on calendar girl – standing down Shane Jones is meaningless and an easy way of diverting attention away from what possibly happened.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 7:42 pm
so 3 Liarbore and 1 ACT?
any more?
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 7:44 pm
Shorter m@tt
For christ’s sake! I’m dying here guys!
DYING
Come on. I need reinforcements.
Anybody
Bueller? Bueller?
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 7:46 pm
as to the terms of reference for the Jones investigation It cant just be a done deal coz Shearer asks for narrow tearms…it MUST be possible for someone to expand on them, the AG (Finlayson?) must be able to expand and re target the enquirey?
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 7:47 pm
calendar girl says it all .. Jones has been stood from fk all .. a token suspension that only opposition parties can do without upsetting the MP in question
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 7:54 pm
I guessing there’s a bi-partisan ‘gentleman’s agreement’ about matters like this. The AG wil be left with a narrow ToR allowing lots of wiggle room and the matter will just go away.When the red socialists return smelling of watermellon, and the boot is on the other foot, the same agreement will be honured.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 7:55 pm
Another forced ejaculation for Jones. . .
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 7:55 pm
DG
7.37
First of all Shearer’s was not the original decision on this, but I think the other point is that’s he’s taken the heat off himself now because of the apparent ‘blatancy’ of the original decision, or concern about it now. Soon however, in the public mind, it reconciles that he acted on day 2 of his process of ‘getting to the bottom of it.’ It’s the lumpy start of a diesel engine that should have been started sooner (Jones demise) but the diesel finally runs and Jones is on the outer. You might see it differently? But as I said earlier, and despite Manolo’s position above, it will hard, probably impossible, to pump air back into this dead fish.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 7:58 pm
I’d wait and see what the CAG says in response to this request for an investigation myself.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 8:01 pm
I’m very happy to not be the leader of any parliamentary team – or member of any parliamentary team, come to that.
Sheesh, what a cesspit!
Say, any Green MPs been under the hammer like this, ever?
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 8:06 pm
Luc, the Gweens are too cowardly to take any power so have never been in any position of trust so have never been able to abuse that power!
Vote:quite unlike Field, Jones or Huata.
May 23rd, 2012 at 8:16 pm
Indeed. All he was doing was giving someone else a hand.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 8:21 pm
“so 3 Liarbore and 1 ACT?”
How about the Nat for driving the tractor up the stairs at Parliament and Nick Smith for something like contempt of court?
Also Clark and Benson-Peep would have been done it Clark and not replace Peter Doone with a Police Commissioner beholden to her.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 8:29 pm
Chuck: BARP! Listen up boy! We set the terms of reference before you got here…No, the only transgressions that count are actual criminal prosecutions for offences committed while a serving MP or Minister…Clark, as you say, would have been on the list but for the happy coincidence that the Attorney General at the time was one Michael Cullen, who was able to overrule Police HQ and say a prosecution was “not in the public interest”…
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 8:30 pm
@ Cows4Me (6.38pm) – acyually despite the fact that Jones is a mate of Jackson, Willie was refreshingly honest last Friday. Two things he said; “Make no mistake; this is serious business” and “Shane Jones could be in big trouble here” suggest that Willie can see through all the bullshit that Shearer and co have spouted. I despise Jackson’s politics, but can’t fault his honesty on this one.
Vote:May 23rd, 2012 at 9:03 pm
even funnier was Radio Pravda’ “editorial insight” into this tonite aka soft pedaling the story on all fronts.
Vote:May 24th, 2012 at 7:06 am
If Jones is cleared by the AG and Banks is not cleared by the inquiry into his alleged efforts to hide donations from Kim Dotcom then where to does Jones go back to a spokesman role and Banks get pushed down the road.
For Labours sake they will be better of if Jones goes and you have to think there are a few Labour caucus members with their fingers crossed
Vote:May 24th, 2012 at 7:18 am
David Shearer has been handed a Shane Jones lemon – when the skin is scraped off will there be any zest left for Jones? Alas Shearer and Jones.
Vote:May 24th, 2012 at 7:25 am
And the Herald is finally putting some space to this… better late than never I suppose. I can’t imagine how much space they would dedicate to it if it was a National MP under the hammer. But then, I guess they have a bit of egg on their face too if Shane is found to have done something illegal. After all, it happened under their noses in 2008.
Vote:May 24th, 2012 at 7:25 am
No sure whether this is the right place. I want to see whether Jones had all information before him but side stepped that and made his own decision. Reminds me how an Immigration Minister granted visas on dinner napkins at some function and the Department was left cleaning that mess up.
Vote:May 24th, 2012 at 9:42 am
Bill Liu not guilty on all charges….
Vote:May 24th, 2012 at 9:55 am
Hmmmm…so what now? Shearer looks even more “cack handed” as my father used to say…
Vote:May 24th, 2012 at 9:59 am
Was Mary Ann Thompson was a Senior Immigration Official at the time ?
Vote:May 24th, 2012 at 10:06 am
Shearer could hardly have handled it worse…having dragged the chain – if he was going to something he should have done it immediately – he “stands him down” the day before the verdict….which he, along with everyone else, obviously thought was going to be guilty ….only to have Shane “vindicated” – or that’s what he will claim.
So…no judgment in the first place…not able to hold his nerve having made his decision, gives worse interview ever in recent history…barbecue at whose place?
Vote:May 24th, 2012 at 10:29 am
David, David, David, you are so missing the point here. In your rush to judgement, you’re just not getting it, are you? There is a great deal of dis-similarity between Banks and Jones (neither who I have little time for, I’ll admit).
When Banks was questioned, his responses were shocking; “I can’t recall; I can’t remember”. WTF?! Since when does one forget a chauffeured chopper ride to one of the biggest goddamn estates in the country to meet one of the biggest goddamn entrepreneurs in the country? Gimme a break here. The reason Banks’ response was so abhorrent was that he treated us all as fools. He came up with patently absured ‘amnesia’ and that was insulting.
As for Jones, at least his memory is better and has given us a response. It is credible? Dunno. Do we believe him? That depends on whether one is a hard and fast Nat or Labour supporter. Me, personally, I’m comfortable leaving it to the Auditor General to look into it and I’ll reserve my verdict till then. As for Shearer, he should’ve flicked this on to the AG on Day 1. But let’s cut him the same slack we cut for the Prime Minister in his first year. But if Jones is found guilty of some mis-deed (or crime), then his arse is grass, and rightly so.
As for Mr Garrett, above, yes, well.
Vote:May 24th, 2012 at 10:39 am
As for Jones, at least his memory is better and has given us a response. It is credible?
No, not credible at this stage there are to many anomalies with what he’s said, and too many unanswered oddities.
Banks’ responses were shocking.
Jones’ response (what he’s said so far) sounded semi plausible – until you examined it and compared it to facts.
Vote:May 24th, 2012 at 11:24 am
Francis: “Yes, well..” means what exactly? To the extent they cover the same ground, my comment largely agrees with yours…
Why are you lefties so averse to using your real names? At least you aren’t abusive, and have a good command of English…
Vote:May 24th, 2012 at 11:44 am
I took from the JONES/HOSKINGS interview this morning that JONES actually wanted the enquiry to be the whole deal right back to the beginning. HOSKINGS commented that CUNLIFFE had said JONES made the wrong decision and JONES snapped back that CUNLIFFE gave LUI residence…My conclusion is that JONES may be being set up to be the fall guy for the wider Labour misdeeds.
Re LUI Not Guilty, I have only seen a little Newspaper Testimony but the Labour stooge LePOU (or similar) admitted (or claimed) to have filled in the application forms (for $10,000) and put N/A to the question re previous convictions, a question that required a yes or a no.LUI claimed not to understand English and if that was the basis of the fraud charge small wonder the Judge found the charge inconclusive.
Vote: