On the credit card play
I wasn’t going to comment on the credit card witchhunt as I think it’s prurient. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all in favour of transparency and frugality but I really don’t need to know that Shane Jones might have rented a porno or that Carter charged a bottle of wine for this or that. After all I didn’t think it was a big deal when Heatley did it either and I’ve been around long enough to see much bigger rorts both in politics and the private sector.
That said there are a few points I think need to be made:
- Where was the rolling frontpage stuff story when National Ministers spending was released? Because, right now Hartvelt and Watkins look like they’re doing the Nats work for them.
- Why have no spending records from the last National government been released? After all there are still quite a few ministers from that government back in cabinet. Such as Nick smith, Bill English, Tony Ryall, Maurice Williamson and David Carter.
- Why has nobody from the Nats made any comment? Not even Farrar? Actually, I’ll tell you why. It’s because they know they need to stay away and let the journos do this or they’ll start to look like they’re muck-racking and then this kind of thing backfires (Labour could learn a lesson from this).
- Tim Groser seems to have spent a lot on booze but it also looks like he’s up as the scapegoat to provide a perception of balance. I actually feel sorry for him especially after the trade-trip fiasco. It’s starting to look like the Nats see him as expendable.
- Have the Nats done this while Phil Goff and his advisors are in China on purpose
And one last thing. Why has Annette King not fronted to the media, made a mea culpa, welcomed the new transparency and asked if the records for the last National government will be released? Has she gone to ground?
Update: Missed King on Nine to Noon. My mistake.