Privacy rights? What about my right not to have my wallet thinned by a rapacious government.

Hats off to Bennett!

However, the fact is now this information is in the public domain. Why shouldn’t I be prepared to use it, even if I disagree with how it got there? It bemuses when people say that it is irrelevant. Well yes it would be if I were trying to defend Bennett, which I am not. What they are receiving is entirely relevant to the point I am trying to make: That these two women’s position regarding being hard done by, is compromised by the knowledge they are already receiving large amounts of support from the taxpayer. That stands irrespective of how that knowledge came to hand.

Well, you can always OIA her and ask for the advice she claimed she received.

The point the right wing seem to be missing is the sheer insidious reasoning behind Paula Bennetts argument for releasing this information. These two women exercised their inalienable right to speak out in public against the current government. It was cordial and in no way desceded into personal attacks.

People in NZ should be able (I would hope are able) to enjoy the basic democratic right to criticise the incumbent government without any fear of retribution. The method she has used to come back on this issue was not only inbreach of the privacy act but it was also hugely undignified. But she has been in politics for 5 minutes. This action goes along way to prove just how amatuer she is at this.

I can see a by-election on the horizon.

Remember, the post? Remember how it specifically deals with when a minister can and cannot release private information?

Scary.

Go on, show me where in the Act a mp or minister is excluded from its coverage.

In fact, the Act and the Commissioner specifically refer to when ministers may and not not release information.