Better late than never

Well done to the Greens for ruling out sitting around a Cabinet table with Winston. I am pleased. This isolates Helen Clark further as the only party leader still supporting Winston and saying he did nothing wrong and she would be happy to have him as a Minister again.

However there are a few things to note:

• The decision, while welcome, contradicts the reason that had been given previously for not ruling Winston out – that such decisions can only be made by the members in general meeting.
• They have not ruled out giving confidence and supply to a Government with Winston in it – they have just said they will not be Cabinet Ministers themselves in it.
• It is unclear whether they would refuse to serve in Cabinet if Peters is a Minister outside Cabinet
• They have said they would serve in Government with NZ First, so long as Peters personally is not a Minister. This is not was unequivocal as John Key’s position.

I also support the Greens on having a commission of inquiry into the allegations in the Meurant papers. I also support establishment of a permament anti-corruption commission that can police Ministers, government agencies and senior officals not just for breaches of the criminal law but for abuse of office for personal gain.