Brownlee dazed and confused over election spending

Written By: - Date published: 11:05 am, November 7th, 2007 - 7 comments
Categories: election funding, national - Tags: ,

Following on Tane’s post yesterday, it looks like Ger’s in trouble with his Nat bosses over his comments that National would back the law around Parliamentarly spending if Labour shortened the period under which parties come under the spending limits in the Electoral Finance Bill.

This morning Gerry phoned Morning Report to say that he didn’t mean that, and that he got confused and mixed up in Parliament yesterday and that there was no offer made, and that he was actually referring only the the Electoral Finance Bill.

Sound like neither Sean Plunket or Brent Edwards were entirely convinced.

7 comments on “Brownlee dazed and confused over election spending ”

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  1. r0b 1
    7 November 2007 at 11:40 am

    “Sound like neither Sean Plunket or Brent Edwards were entirely convinced.”

    You’re too kind Eddie. They brushed off Brownlee’s “explanation” like the BS that it was.

  2. Benodic 2
    7 November 2007 at 12:22 pm

    Jesus, that’s pretty damning. Reckon Brownlee might be demoted in Key’s next reshuffle? They really need to refresh their front bench.

  3. Santa Claws 3
    7 November 2007 at 2:19 pm

    Bendover – Come on, at least Gerry is 15 years fresher than the Labour front bench long-stayers.

  4. Matthew Pilott 4
    7 November 2007 at 2:37 pm

    Of course Claws, they’re such an incompetant bunch over in National they never last long. They’re so fresh I’m surprised the Key-English combo isn’t known as the “Wet-Dream team”

  5. Patrick 5
    7 November 2007 at 4:45 pm

    DPF Claws,

    There is more to ‘freshness’ in Parliament than simply how long you’ve been there. For example, listening to Question Time will often show Michael Cullen, who has been an MP since 1981, verbally chew up and spit out many opposition (mainly National) MPs. Some, like Bill English and Gerry Brownlee, have been in Parliament a decent amount of time (1991 & 1996).

    The fact is, you can be long standing and still be fresh. I think the point Benodic was making was the National front bench are not very fresh because of their lack of interesting new ideas (work for the dole anyone?) or simple ability to engage the Government.

    Helen Clark has demoted under-performing Ministers, young and old, leaving her with plenty of ‘fresh’ talent in her Cabinet. I can’t see how this can be anything but positive.

  6. LFC 6
    7 November 2007 at 5:23 pm

    I don’t know Gerry’s was pretty fresh as spokesman for Maori affairs – I think he was the first white one in over two decades!

  7. Patrick 7
    7 November 2007 at 6:20 pm

    Haha! Yeah, it was pretty stupid to think their only Maori MP handling the Shadow Maori Affairs portfolio was a good idea.

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