Accountability then and now…

Written By: - Date published: 3:13 pm, June 14th, 2010 - 22 comments
Categories: corruption, labour, national - Tags:

Reposted from the archives – may soon need an update — r0b:

Then: Labour Minister David Parker accused of financial wrongdoing (filing incorrect returns). He resigns Ministerial portfolios and as Attorney General while the Companies Office investigates. Cleared of all wrongdoing (the returns were correct) and later reinstated as a Minister.
Now: National Minister Richard Worth accused of financial wrongdoing (using Ministerial position to seek personal gain). Given a warning, then a final warning, then a series of final warnings as more details emerge. No real sanction of any form.

Then: Labour Minister Lianne Dalziel illegally leaks private information to the press and is accused of lying to the media to cover her involvement. Resigned as Minister. (Reinstated two years later after the next election).
Now: National Minister Paula Bennett illegally leaks private information to the press and appears to have lied to the media to try and justify her involvement. No sanction of any form, as PM John Key is “comfortable” with this behaviour.

Then: Labour Minister Marian Hobbs and Phillida Bunkle (Alliance) accused of rorting MPs allowances for Wellington accommodation. Both immediately stood down from Ministerial duties during investigation. The Auditor General declared their payments legal, but Bunkle never regained her ministerial position, and Hobbs voluntarily paid the money back.
Now: National Minister Bill English accused of rorting MPs allowances for Wellington accommodation. PM John Key is comfortable with this behaviour and scolds critics for “persecuting” Bill.

Then: Opposition leader John Key spent his time ranting at the imagined evils of the Labour government (“I’ve had nine years of being told what lightbulb I can screw into the house, what shower I can take, what food I can eat, what things I can do, what thoughts I am allowed to have”!!!). Key promises new standards of accountability and a tough “one strike and you’re out” standard for his government.
Now: What a joke.

22 comments on “Accountability then and now… ”

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  1. swimmer 1
    14 June 2010 at 3:37 pm

    And now 3 demotions from the opposition and no action taken on the ministers.

    • Chess Player 1.1
      14 June 2010 at 7:14 pm

      And nor will there be – John Key is not the one with his leadership under threat, so why would he demote or sack anyone?

      • Roger 1.1.1
        14 June 2010 at 8:12 pm

        So because John Key’s leadership is not under threat he can have low standards? By the way, who is threatening Phil Goff’s leadership?

  2. Oh Dear 2
    14 June 2010 at 3:39 pm

    Nice rewrite of history rob. Richard Worth was sacked as a minister and told he wasn’t going to return, and that he didn’t have a future in parliament[for completely different crimes]. Bigger sanction than Lianne Dalziel who was found to have lied to the media and was back in Cabinet after a short exit. Bigger sanction than ruth dyson who was convicted of drink driving and returned to Cabinet after a short delay.

    Hobbs accused of rorting living allowances, stood down and then returned to cabinet [why wasn’t Bill English stood down?].

    Taito philip field accused of dubious immigration practices. Clark refuses inquiry, then holds one with limited terms of reference. QC conducting inquiry says terms of reference too limited. After inquiry comes out Deputy PM says Field guilty of nothing more than trying to help people [citation please]. Clark doesn’t rule out Field’s return to the ministry. Field only expelled from Labour after he muses aloud about whether he will stand as an independent. Field later convicted of immigration offences. Current Labour leader still refuses to say that what Field did was wrong. [Say – why was Worth sacked? – Oh that’s right – we the public aren’t allowed to know]

    Labour doesn’t have standards. They rorted ministerial credit cards and took the piss with taxpayer’s money, and still you guys haven’t got a clue.

    [Some corrections added – just who is rewriting history? — r0b]

    • ghostwhowalksnz 2.1
      14 June 2010 at 7:34 pm

      Heatley was back in 6 weeks- and Key said it was a shame that he was gone for that long

  3. crib 3
    14 June 2010 at 3:46 pm

    the main stream media has completely forgotten what National has done with the publics money, conveniently

  4. mickysavage 4
    14 June 2010 at 3:48 pm

    Parker’s standing down impressed me. He was accused of not doing something that he could not recall doing so resigned but it then transpired that he had actually done everything properly.

    Talk about high standards. The man must be a catholic …

    The examples presented are compelling evidence to suggest that the left does have higher standards.

  5. ghostwhowalksnz 5
    14 June 2010 at 3:49 pm

    Dont forget Key had said WAGS werent allowed to go on Ministerial trips, the documents show the civil servants reminded Hide, he took no notice. Paid it back under protest after outcry when media reported details, but no action taken. Cost $12000

  6. cabbage 6
    14 June 2010 at 4:07 pm

    Interesting you should use Phillida Bunkle as an example. Lets not forget that she was convicted of stealing a bottle of wine from a Paraparaumu supermarket in 2007…

    Such a paragon of virtue she is!

    • Julie 6.1
      14 June 2010 at 5:11 pm

      Phillida Bunkle wasn’t even an MP in 2007, she was long gone from Parliament, as was her entire party. Derailment much?

  7. Nick C 7
    14 June 2010 at 4:30 pm

    Worth was effectivly forced to resign as a minister, and told that he had no future in the national party which lead him to resign from parliament.

    http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/pressure-mounts-worth-quit-mp-2768307

    • r0b 7.1
      14 June 2010 at 4:34 pm

      Yeah for a completely different set of crimes that we the public still are not allowed to know about! Now that’s accountability!

  8. Draco T Bastard 8
    14 June 2010 at 4:39 pm

    Then: Opposition leader John Key spent his time ranting at the imagined evils of the Labour government (“I’ve had nine years of being told what lightbulb I can screw into the house, what shower I can take, what food I can eat, what things I can do, what thoughts I am allowed to have’!!!). Key promises new standards of accountability and a tough “one strike and you’re out’ standard for his government.
    Now: National removes Auckland’s right to have a say in their city, removes democracy from Canterbury and tells people to lump it

    FIFY

  9. Daveski 9
    14 June 2010 at 4:42 pm

    With respect r0b, I think you’re missing the point here.

    I think it was Felix who rightly (or around here should that be leftly) pointed out I went through a phase of posting based around the “but they did it too” theme. Neither party can or should try and claim the high moral ground.

    More so, I think it’s a partisan issue that will get those closest to the parties motivated. Conversely, the masses will simply believe (IMO, rightly so) that each lot is as bad as each other. Again with respect, you’re going to struggle to make any political capital out of this, apart from the converted.

    • r0b 9.1
      14 June 2010 at 4:45 pm

      Also with respect Daveski – the main point of this post is that the ball is in Key’s court. Will he act?

      I’m gone until late tonight…

  10. Ron 10
    14 June 2010 at 6:29 pm

    “.the ball is in Key’s court. Will he act?”
    Nope, he won’t.
    The main reason he won’t is that the Tory media won’t pressure him to. If the prurient little bastards in the media hadn’t latched on to Shane’ viewing habits the wy they did – NOTHING would have happened because no-one would have cared or noticed. The same little bastards will not ask key what he’s doing about his MP’s credit card spending so Key will do nothing.

    • Mark 10.1
      15 June 2010 at 8:53 am

      Perhaps the media think a few drinks are not quite the same as money spent on porn ,massages , kitchenware , limos, flowers for the boys, golf clubs , bikes , helicopters etc

      As Im sure most New Zealanders do.

  11. vto 11
    14 June 2010 at 6:47 pm

    Key reckoned his disciples, I mean ministers, don’t need to resign because they didn’t actually break the rules….

  12. havoc 12
    14 June 2010 at 7:01 pm

    anyone notice the footage TV1 News used for each or the 3 labour MP’s – 2 MP got footage of them in the halls of parliament, for Chris Carter they use footage of him with partner going for a walk. Why would that be then? Can anyone advise me if I could take a broadcasting complaint – and on what basis that would stand up. This is just ridiculous, clearly some attempt to pander to gay prejudice or to embarrass.

    • zimmer 12.1
      14 June 2010 at 7:22 pm

      Are you saying that showing Chris Carter with his husband is preudiced? Are you wearing a red nose, curly red hair wig and go by the name of Crunchy the Clown? After all, some of the rorted money was spent on Carter’s husband anyway, so one could argue the clip had relavance.

  13. Rharn 13
    14 June 2010 at 9:05 pm

    Key seems not to have heard of the old adage ‘it’s the final straw that broke the camels back.’

    One day he will hear of it come to know it’s meaning.

  14. slowcoach 14
    15 June 2010 at 11:57 am

    @ ron

    You can’t be serious – this is not the media’s fault, it is Mr Jones’. Porn aside (I couldn’t care less myself) – have you seen the extent to which Mr Jones used his card for all manner of blatantly personal expenses. He was in a world of his own. I suggest you have a look at the link on stuff. The man had literally a telephone book sized list, and it is patently absurd to make excuses for him considering most months his office was sent “please furnish correct receipts” and advice on spending criteria from the accounts payable dept.

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