I’m not actually back from working overseas, so I may have missed something, but from my reading of internet media there seems to have been a lack of focus on a major aspect of John Key and the GCSB (that so sounds like a band name…).
My point has been mentioned, but the focus has largely been on whether John Key has been lying or forgetful. Yes, John Key’s trustfulness is vital to his ‘brand’, but part of that trust is also about his capability.
And this affair has shown him to be incapable. He does know or do his job as overseer of our security services. His first response to this affair (weeks ago) was that you wouldn’t want a politician meddling in the security services. Well, not meddling, no, but that was not what was being asked for. Overseeing.
It is typical of John Key’s argument ad absurdum – a request for a $15 minimum wage becomes why not $50 then we could all be rich except businesses would go broke; the Green’s sensible ‘printing money’ to replete disaster funds idea becomes why not print everyone millions then we could be rich like Zimbabwe; and watching over your department becomes ‘meddling’.
There are only 2 people protecting us from illegal spying: the Inspector-General with his staff of 1, and the Prime Minister. Therefore it is vital that the Prime Minister knows the law they are meant to be enforcing. They can’t know what they aren’t told, but when the GCSB tells him they were spying on a famous NZ resident, the PM should know that that’s illegal and act on it. Not wait to be briefed on the affair 7 months later.
It’s called being on top of your department. Competent. Having the necessary attention to detail.
If he was anything less than PM, such sloppiness would have resulted in immediate calls for him to resign. As PM, resigning brings down his government, so it is only now that the calls for his resignation have started – and on the issue of lying, not capability.
But we need our dear leader to be capable as well as truthful. Lacking either is a valid reason for removal.
But this is my usual Sunday Reading spot so:
Walmart’s workers organise – first strikes against the behemoth
UK Tories – why are they seemingly anti-women?
Is Syria the new Spanish Civil War?
Domestic abuse – the importance of recognising emotional abuse & bullyin
Journalism and the faux appearance of objectivity through accepting orthodoxy
And the winner and shortlist of the Children’s Eyes On Earth photography prize:
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