How much is a lie worth?

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 pm, April 2nd, 2009 - 29 comments
Categories: corruption, national/act government - Tags:

Labour revealed in parliament today that Richard Worth has another secret shareholding that created conflict of interest when he carried out ministerial duties on his trip to India.

After Key gave him the famous ‘bollocking’ on Monday, Worth can have been under no illusion that there wasn’t a conflict of interest with these shares. He had repeated opportunities to come clean about them but he didn’t. Instead he kept them secret. He lied and hid the truth from the public.

As always, it’s the cover up that’s magnifies the original offence. The public of New Zealand and the Prime Minister, who gave him a final warning on Monday, can no longer have confidence in Worth. He must resign or Key must sack him. Simple as that.

Meanwhile, it seems if there’s a conflict of interest going Worth will have it. An admin on Wikipedia had to reverse edits to Worth’s page that deleted passages referring to the conflict of interest affair. The admin wrote:

There appear to have been two series of edits by a User:Richard_W_Worth who appears to be the subject of this page…The first of these has effective [sic] been undone already, but I’m about to rewrite the second, since they appear to breach Wikipedia:Conflict of interest. The user has been warned on their talk page.

LOL as the kids would say. But Worth’s failure to disclose conflicts of interest and his lies when confronted are no laughing matter. He must resign.

[update: someone has just updated Worth’s profile: “Richard Westwood Worth, OBE, VRD, KStJ, (3rd July 1948 -) is a New Zealand politician, but he’ll probably have to resign soon. He is a member of the National Party, or at least he is at the moment.”]

29 comments on “How much is a lie worth? ”

  1. Joseph 1

    Petty edit fight?

    On my Wikipedia?

  2. BLiP 2

    A lawyer and former chairman of the firm Simply Grubby and he still doesn’t know what a conflict of interest is . . .

  3. gingercrush 3

    Got good coverage by TV One. Just after the first ad break.

  4. Anyway of finding out the IP address?

  5. How much were his shares worth and was it a genuine mistake?

    • ripp0 5.1

      ask the trust.. after further matters arising on morning report this day… heh

    • Ari 5.2

      Does it matter if it was a genuine mistake? It’s hard enough to accidentally maintain a conflict of interest once, let alone fail to set it all right after being reprimanded for one.

      He gets asked very clearly to declare ALL his business interests, and has a confidential session to determine whether more complicated cases are conflicts or not.

  6. vto 6

    we should ask winston and helen what should be done ..

    • Pascal's bookie 6.1

      How about we ask Key or Prebble, they seemed to have quite a bit to say about it. I think you did to.

  7. justthefacts 7

    How much is a lie worth?

    I would have thought that you guys would know the answer to this question better than any other political party in our nations history, after all, Labour had plenty of practise at it.

  8. The trouble with the tories is that they believe that they are born to rule. Some of them would never think of being an MP because, well, the pay is not good enough.

    They think they deserve more. So some of them think that augmenting their pay with other sources of income is OK and, hey what conflict of interest.

    All ministers should give up all business interests, full stop. There should be no distractions or personal reasons for them doing anything except what is in the public interest.

    I am interested in that Worth has declared his interest as a Barrister. Is he doing legal work on the side? What sort?

    So much for Labour lite.

  9. getstuffed 9

    So why haven’t you boys bitched more about the cunnys tweeting and labours bleating?

    It must be really disheartening to see ole Cam Slater on the 6pm news talking smack huh?

    Didn’t see any boys from low standards responding, did i miss that?

    • Pascal's bookie 9.1

      “It must be really disheartening to see ole Cam Slater on the 6pm news talking smack huh?”

      Not really.

      True story: I’ve got a two year old boy whose favorite book at the moment is The Billy Goats Gruff. I think it’s the sound effects and the big hairy scarey brute that jumps out from under the bridge, with the meeting of his just desserts.

      So old waleoil pops up on screen, we’re sitting there watching him talk and toddler bookie pipes up “That man’s a troll eh dad?”.

      He sure is son.

      But anyway, I think the more whale gets exposed to the general public the better. Hopefully they check out his blog. All power to him. etc, and so forth.

      • QoT 9.1.1

        Still a fantastic example of the ridiculous mediocrity of NZ’s media though, innit?

        “Labour is accusing rightwing bloggers … but this one, single, individual blogger says it’s not him!”

        Jesus, whoever that reporter was, just tattoo “I AM MATES WITH CAMERON SLATER AND HE WANTED TO BE ON TELLY” on your forehead and be done with it.

        • Pascal's bookie 9.1.1.1

          heh. Yep. His dolphin logo always makes me laff tho’.

          • lprent 9.1.1.1.1

            You mean that bloated thing that Cameron uses?
            Like him, full of hot air, ineffective, and a cartoon of a real dolphin…..
            Have a look at my one. Not bloated, a more interesting colour, generally more interesting, and it likes playing with old mickeysoft product icons.

      • Richard 9.1.2

        My son saw Rodney Hide on TV and thought he was The Hood – the arch villain from Thunderbirds
        http://www.fab1.co.nz/characters/the%20hood.htm

  10. justthefacts 10

    micky

    “All ministers should give up all business interests, full stop”

    Would that have included the ex PM and her business as a property speculator/landlord?

    After all, who needs six houses, or is that another double standard you are happy to overlook?

  11. justthefacts

    Being a passive landlord is entirely different to being an active Aviation School supporter. Besides, I presume that you have confirmation that HC owns 6 houses?

  12. RedLogix 12

    Having falsely alleged ‘corruption’ in others for so long, their sense of right and wrong became dislocated, so that when finally confronted with the real thing in their own backyard …. they walked on past, all innocence and faint apologetics.

  13. Daveski 13

    If this is true – and I haven’t yet found anything on the NZH or Stuff home page but then of course I forget about the msm conspiracy – the Key should do the right thing and get rid of him. That alone would show the difference between National and Labour’s last year when they refused to do the same.

    It is amusing to see such a change in attitude since the election and little in the way in the acknowledgement of the duplicity this demonstrates.

  14. lprent 14

    Daveski.

    1. There is a rather major difference what a PM can do with an MP in your own party (and therefore subject to the party caucus) and a MP from another party where there is only the cabinet manual and coalition agreements.

    2. NACT defined their own standards while they were in opposition. Don’t you think that they should follow them?

    3. Has Worth made a statement to the house. If so and it if it is subsequently proved to be incorrect, maybe the Greens should bring this in front of a privileges committee.

    4. Who would be stupid enough to change a wikipedia page. It is going to be noticed… Ask Bill English.

  15. Daveski 15

    LP

    1. To an extent but the way in which Labour went out of its way to support Winston undermined any legitimacy to their actions.
    2. Agreed and said so.
    3. If he has lied (to be proven correct), agreed he should go. Full stop.
    4. Agreed

    Happy to also accept this is a test of Key as much as an issue for Worth.

  16. Berry 16

    the ‘they did it too’ defence is pretty weak. especially when you were howling from the rooftops at the time.

    Besides, remember Clark stood down like 16 ministers during her time in charge.

  17. the sprout 17

    Worth is finished – it’s just a matter of sooner or later. I’d say within a month.

    The longer Key puts it off, the less ‘credit’ he’ll get for being a ‘decisive man of action’, and let’s face it Key needs quite a lot of that credit after his performance in office to date.

  18. Graeme 18

    Hands up who thinks Richard Worth has heard of Wikipedia? Let alone knows he has a page on it, how to set up an account, or how to edit it?

  19. Tim Ellis 19

    Good point Graeme.

    If it was Richard Worth who changed his wikipedia entry, it was unwise. But I doubt he did it.

    It’s clear also that there has been some efforts on the Left to deface Worth’s wikipedia entry. The update referred to here is totally inappropriate for a wikipedia entry.

Links to post

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • PM announces changes to portfolios
    Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • New catch limits for unique fishery areas
    Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • Minister welcomes hydrogen milestone
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill
    The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Overseas decommissioning models considered
    Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Release of North Island Severe Weather Event Inquiry
    Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Justice Minister to attend Human Rights Council
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order.  “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Patterson reopens world’s largest wool scouring facility
    Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024
    Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing  At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin    Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho    Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.    I am delighted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government to introduce revised Three Strikes law
    The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New diplomatic appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions.   “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says.    “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Humanitarian support for Ethiopia and Somalia
    New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today.   “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Arts Minister congratulates Mataaho Collective
    Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale.  “It is good ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Supporting better financial outcomes for Kiwis
    The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Trade relationship with China remains strong
    “China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.   Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-04-24T12:08:47+00:00