Key: No Surprises?

Written By: - Date published: 10:54 am, September 16th, 2010 - 22 comments
Categories: act, john key, rodney hide - Tags:

Matthew Hooton on Nine-to-Noon this morning pointed out that under National & Act’s power-sharing agreement there is a ‘No Surprises’ clause.  So Rodney Hide should have told John Key about David Garrett’s assault conviction and dead baby identity stealing, as well as his own drunk and disorderly conviction in 2008.

Did he?

If Hide did, Key is complicit in Act’s cover up.  That would say everything about Key’s character and keenness to get right wing legislation through parliament.  If Hide didn’t, then ‘The Party of Convictions’ [the Herald’s online headline is unfortunately changed from the deadwood version] has trampled all over the Good Faith agreement.

How can Key stay in league with such an unfaithful hypocritical partner?  What other surprises await him if they haven’t told him about this?

Surely if Key is not complicit he should throw Act out of the agreement or be tarred with the same brush – Act ministers should be sacked and the agreement cancelled.  But will he just remain relaxed and silent as ever?  The questions need to keep being asked.

It’ll be no disappointment then this Hidebound Party is finished.

Nine-to-Noon did it nicely, playing Willie Nelson’s ‘Party’s Over’ after talking to Hooton…

22 comments on “Key: No Surprises? ”

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  1. the sprout 1
    16 September 2010 at 11:07 am

    good points. now if only we had an Opposition

    • Craig Glen Eden 1.1
      16 September 2010 at 11:32 am

      Meaning what sprout Labour and the Greens are in bed with ACT?

      • the sprout 1.1.1
        16 September 2010 at 11:37 am

        no. just that they appear completely ineffective and either unable or uninterested in acting like an Opposition.
        see here for example
        http://thestandard.org.nz/labour-grassroots-revolt-against-quake-act-betrayal/

        • ghostwhowalksnz 1.1.1.1
          16 September 2010 at 12:22 pm

          When the Aussies had the far greater disaster at Darwin with Cyclone Tracy in 74 ( Literally 45000 homeless) did they institute a benevolent dictatorship? No! others have show the Reconstruction Act at the time allowed all sorts of appeal over decisions, while we have no decision can be appealed EVER

      • hurr 1.1.2
        16 September 2010 at 11:49 am

        having a do nothing smile and wave pm is bad enough, having a do nothing opposition is atrocious

        • Dave 1.1.2.1
          16 September 2010 at 12:28 pm

          I agree, snide questions (and answers) and arrogant posturing is not what is needed, both with ACT and this earthquake crisis. What is needed is decisive leadership, some hard questions and some palpable anger! But it seems that Lsbour don’t want to win voters that way, they just want National to hand them the election, well, its still a long time to the election, so someone better get off their a*se and do something.

          • Craig Glen Eden 1.1.2.1.1
            16 September 2010 at 4:00 pm

            OK fair enough but the scumbag only admitted his crime yesterday and if you watched question time other issues like South Canterbury Finance and earth quake issues did tend to be the order of the day.

            I suspect that lots of questions will follow for me Key on this latest issue in the days and weeks to come. You must be patient young grasshoppers.

            Antispam word: hangings

            • hurr 1.1.2.1.1.1
              16 September 2010 at 4:22 pm

              err, labour and greens just voted our country into a theoretical dictatorship. Opposing that bullshit would have been doing something

  2. ak 2
    16 September 2010 at 12:19 pm

    “Get rid of him now. Right now. And do whatever it takes to keep him quiet. This other stuff is a whole new ball game. Covering up known criminality. Do it or you’re gone yourself and I’ll carry on with just the Maoris”

    “Ha! Get stuffed. You’re not smiling to the cuzzies now. Keep him quiet? You’re joking. You know full well that I told you all this years ago, and if I go you’re coming down too.”

    “Whaddaya want”

    Now that’s the interesting question.

  3. ianmac 3
    16 September 2010 at 1:38 pm

    I was wondering if Questions could be asked in the House.
    “To the PM. Did you know of Garrett’s convictions, and if so when did you first know?”
    “Now that this has become Public, what action will be taken regarding the National partnership with Act?”

  4. tc 4
    16 September 2010 at 3:05 pm

    “How can Key stay in league with such an unfaithful hypocritical partner? ”

    Quite easily it seems, just watch him not care like all the dealers and financiers did throughout the GFC.

  5. gobsmacked 5
    16 September 2010 at 4:00 pm

    John Key, speaking to reporters this afternoon:

    Key said he had not been warned about the news before it broke in the media and that he had been shocked by the revelations. (Stuff)

    Interesting that many people in the ACT party knew, and John likes to tell us that it’s such a good, close relationship …

    • TRUEBLUE 5.1
      16 September 2010 at 4:35 pm

      John Key, speaking to reporters this afternoon:

      Key said he had not been warned about the news before it broke in the media and that he had been shocked by the revelations. (Stuff)

      Interesting that many people in the ACT party knew, and John likes to tell us that it’s such a good, close relationship …

      “Interesting that many people in the NZ First party knew about Owen Glen, and Helen likes to tell us that it’s such a good, close relationship …”

    • artist not on the dole 5.2
      16 September 2010 at 5:35 pm

      if Key was not warned and states that he was shocked, then that is clearly ‘surprise’ so it is a no-brainer that the coalition is over

      except for the obvious fact that those in power are corrupt self serving misanthropes who will never obey a single law they are bound by

      it makes you wonder with all that has happened the last few years just what a Minister has to do to be fired, and how far from their promises can a Government go before the people fight back

      this country, indeed this world is fubar

  6. BLiP 6
    16 September 2010 at 6:01 pm

    It would appear King John The Clueless of Charmalot didn’t know: Stuff is reporting:

    Key said he had not been warned about the news before it broke in the media and that he had been shocked by the revelations.

    . . . but we only have Key’s word for it.

    (Hat tip Kevin Welsh for the link)

    • Adders 6.1
      17 September 2010 at 9:40 am

      That’s Stuff rewriting what Key actually said. Which was along the lines of how he was shocked to hear about it in Parliament yesterday, or words to that effect, which is not the same as saying he didn’t know about this before.

      Stuff also wrote that Garrett’s “behaviour would be unacceptable in his current role as an MP” but Key had actually said that Garrett’s behaviour at the time of offending would not be acceptable if it had occurred now, while acting as an MP, which is again different. It has Key already positioning himself to be relaxed about Garrett staying on in Parliament as an independent MP.

      That would win Garrett’s silence, Rodney’s silence and ACT leadership, while Key walks free.

  8. Puddleglum 8
    17 September 2010 at 1:06 pm

    On Morning Report this morning, Victoria University political scientist John Johanssen (sp?) had some of the harshest commentary that I’ve ever heard from a political scientist in relation to any political party on any mainstream media outlet.

    I have no idea what his political leanings are, if any, but, irrespective, it says something about the nature of Garrett’s, Hide’s and ACT’s behaviour over recent times that anyone would feel free to say these things in a national media outlet about a party represented in Parliament. Somehow I don’t think he’ll be being sued anytime soon for slander.

    Of course, if ‘The Party’s Over’ what will be the next vehicle used by them (and their backers) to progress their agenda? Let me think …

  9. Lazy Susan 9
    17 September 2010 at 1:14 pm

    Garrett has resigned.

    Rodney arives home and is asked at the airport “is Act is now on shaky ground?”.

    Replies

    I do my best to be the best MP I can for Epsom. I’ve worked very hard at it and I’m going to continue to do that.

    Is the captain deserting the sinking ship? What deals have gone down with Key to save their respective arses? Should be interesting watching this one unfold.

    Pond scum, the lot of ’em.

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