Winston usually backs his MPs more than this so it does not look good for Horan.

http://queencitylaw.rtrk.com.au/?scid=161768&kw=6236901&pub_cr_id=16956781644
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10850092

Fact 1: Mother’s Codicil passes probate in the High Court.
Fact 2: Medical certificate of two doctors stating she was of sound mind when she made the Codicil.
Fact 3: Said Codicil states: “”recover money by any lawful means” from Horan, “which has either been loaned . . . by me, or taken from me”. It also states that if the funds have not been recouped by the time of her death, then Horan’s share of the estate “will be adjusted to take in account of any such funds received . . . over the last 10 years”.
Fact 4: The executor of the will was told by the mother that she “was concerned that money was missing from her accounts, but had asked that the legal action not be taken until after her death.” That’s not usually classified as hearsay simply because she is now dead.

As I said, plenty of facts for Winston to act on. And very good ones at that.

But I agree with DPF, front page? Pretty sad.

…has been accused… ? No presumption of guilt. Nor of innocence. Just stating the facts…

Which would be just fine if the same media who carried the facts of the accusation were committed to carry news of the dropping of any investigation, the retraction of false allegations or the acquittal of the accused with the same prominence as they run the allegation.

And would be fine if many people didn’t persist with the dogged belief that “where there’s smoke there’s fire” even when a person is subject not only to a thorough investigation but an active effort to prove their guilt by police and/or prosecution.

In a perfect world the publicising of an allegation would be seen coldly an analytically as exactly that – essentially an unproven statement providing no basis on which to make a decision without knowing the facts. And there’d therefore be no harm in splattering it over the front page.

But the world is far from perfect, so if the media want to run these unproven allegation stories they surely have a moral duty – which they consistently fail to honour – to afford equal coverage to the eventual outcome, whatever that may be. What’s the bet that, if it’s found there’s nothing in this story, the SST do?

Money isn’t evil.

It’s the *love* of money that leads people towards evil.

Yeah you might be right. There seems to be more to the Horan story than the other one.

The two bear no resemblance to each other.

Similar to the allegations about the DomPost hassling Greg King just before he apparently killed himself. More allegations without proof, though you were happy to run with them.

Robin Kora…. Heh… he wasn’t the best when reading TVNZ’s Eyewitness News from the autocue… Guffaws aplenty, for sure.

But the poor bugger died of cancer back in 2007… he couldn’t have been that old either.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10466572

But on topic …does anyone here seriously expect the media in this country to demonstrate ethics ?

Bingo! I learned a new skill…always good at my age…

That said, Winnie has plenty of form here…in both senses…

Hard to understand how it wouldn’t be true, quite frankly. The SST report said the mother added a codicil to her will specifying he had to pay it back and why would she do that if it wasn’t missing? And if it was missing it’s possible he didn’t take it but if he didn’t, then who did. And normally families have a fairly accurate idea of who does what, in this sort of thing, don’t they.

It’s a shame the police have had to become involved, it should have been settled internally. But perhaps that was tried and nothing happened. And if he has an MP’s salary then you’d think he could have started repayments.

So if it is true and yes that’s still an if, but if it is true then clearly the man isn’t fit to be an MP and his employment prospects elsewhere won’t be exactly blue sky for the foreseeable future. Which won’t do the repayment schedule any good. I remember him when he first started doing weather on TV3 I think it was. He was hopeless. Possibly the worst weather guy ever. It was worth tuning in just to watch it, like a disaster movie every night at 6:55. I always suspected he was employed to fill a quota, he was so obviously unfit in the early days.

Allegedly, Elaycee. We won’t know for sure until police have completed their investigations and seen if there is a case to answer. There may or may not be.

Er, did you miss the part in my 9.42am that said: …has been accused… ? No presumption of guilt. Nor of innocence. Just stating the facts… Horan has been accused…

Sheesh…

Except for kiwiblog readers?

And some of the media not only oblige, they actively seek the sensational and the aggrieved.

I think it is regrettable that the allegations were given oxygen and prominence without any proof of any wrong-doing by Horan.

Well said.

This is very poor justification for publicising something prematurely. Because some people think they deserve it is not a good reason for unsubstantiated accusations.

The ‘because they deserve it’ excuse is a major contributor to perpetuating pissy politics. We shouldn’t accept even more mud wrestling. We deserve better, from all parties and papers.

The only problem with that way of thinking, is that “Well if Winston Peters can do it, I can too!” is just such a low standard of conduct for everyone else to set for themselves…