Simon Bridges is totes relaxed about his leak inquiry

Written By: - Date published: 9:11 am, October 13th, 2018 - 26 comments
Categories: Media, national, same old national, Simon Bridges, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, trevor mallard, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: ,

Over the next week we should learn the results of  National’s leak inquiry.  That is unless they determine the release of the results is not in National Ltd™’s best interests and they calculate that not releasing the results is less damaging than releasing them.

Refusing to release the results will cause National to be held in even lower regard than it is now. Sure it has its farmer gun tooting base intact.  For now.  But even its base will realise there is something really amiss if Bridges’ claim that this was a Labour conspiracy.  After all he used his magical prosecutoral skills and determined that it was all Trevor Mallard’s doing.  If he was wrong he should just say so.

The results of the inquiry have been promised for some time.  And if rumours are true the result will cause National all sorts of problems.

One matter that has always interested me is that the investigation covered the period going back to two weeks before Bill English stood down.  Could it have something to do with this confident claim by Lloyd Burr on Newshub that discussions on the replacement of Bill English were well advanced?  Sarah Downie admitted there had been leadership discussions although she was then shut down quickly afterwards.  Burr and Tova O’Brien work for the same organisation.

This week incredibly Simon Bridges said that he was totally relaxed about the leak.

From NewstalkZB:

National Leader Simon Bridges is no longer worried about who leaked his travel expenses.

His travel expenses, which were leaked earlier in the year,  showed he had spent more than $100,000 on travel and accommodation in the last quarter.

Trevor Mallard and Parliamentary Service staff have been cleared of any involvement after the Speaker commissioned his own secret inquiry.

He did so after hearing the National Party leader had been privately blaming him for the leak.

Bridges said there’s a number of possible sources of the leak and it could be anyone.

“The reality is, don’t get me wrong, I accept there is media interest in it but it’s not what I am focusing on particularly. It’s things like the tax to the Government, the spend of the Government they are the things I know matter to Kiwis.”

Yep.  It could be anyone.

The trouble is that Trevor Mallard’s masterstroke of a decision to call his own private inquiry which pretty well shows that the Speaker’s Office was not responsible for the leak leaves little doubt that the source was from National’s ranks.  And the time period used by the investigation leaves no other possibility.  Why would you require National MPs to divulge data to see who leaked information about dissent with Bill English’s leadership if you think the Speaker’s office was responsible?

Conjecture to the contrary is hot air.  This is a National leak and National’s problem.

Bridges handling of the announcement that Jami-Lee Ross was taking time out for personal reasons was very badly handled.  It was almost as if he was that devastated by the news that he was not able to express himself properly.

I apologise if I have spent some time blogging about this but I sense that the denouement will cause major damage to Simon Bridges’s leadership.  Basically because it will show that his judgment is poor and he is not fit to lead.

26 comments on “Simon Bridges is totes relaxed about his leak inquiry ”

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  1. Dukeofurl 1
    13 October 2018 at 9:29 am

    Thats right about Englishs replacement, the noises after the election made it sound like he would continue for say another 6 months into 2018. And when he did go it seemed …sudden. Could be more that Collins was slowly gathering support and the backing of donors -her real strength- and English was pushed to go early by the ABCs

  2. dV 2
    13 October 2018 at 9:30 am

    AND Quarter of million $ later…….

  3. Dirk.Dirkin 3
    13 October 2018 at 9:39 am

    Why is Willis starting to appear in more of these type photos? Leader in waiting?

    • Hooch 3.1
      13 October 2018 at 9:58 am

      I’ve definitely noticed that, ambitions for sure. She made sure she was on bridges shoulder during a national conference tv interview too.

      • bwaghorn 3.1.1
        13 October 2018 at 10:09 am

        Anointed I believe is the term ,she was mentioned awhile ago as the future leader in the same way i recall key getting mentioned a few years ahead of his rise. National doesn’t do random events simon has only ever been a seat warmer .

        • Dukeofurl 3.1.1.1
          13 October 2018 at 11:32 am

          Shes only a list MP, thats seen as ‘black mark’ for the leadership of national, but not insurmountable. Plus she is more of a political operative having mostly worked in parliament after university., that too is a black mark as thats what they think labour Mps are supposed to do. There was a short period as a lobbyist for Fonterra, but still mostly focused on parliament.
          However being in parliament less than 6 months , every one ‘looks good’ at that stage.
          However if Bridges falls to Collins, then Bennett is out because nationals identity politics means they need someone ‘out of Auckland’ and Willis could be a contender for deputy as the other side of nationals identity politics means a ‘competitor for Ardern’ ( as a 30s woman)

    • SPC 3.2
      13 October 2018 at 10:31 am

      Willis is in and Collins is out of the picture, so Simon Bridges is worried about the polls then …

      The old leave it to me to win in 2020, because “Nicola” is not ready to step up this term tactic.

  4. patricia bremner 4
    13 October 2018 at 10:33 am

    Perhaps he knows and it isn’t flattering, so is now deemed ‘unimportant?”

  5. ianmac 5
    13 October 2018 at 11:02 am

    So the Clever Plan is: “Nothing to see here folks. Look over there. I am sure that there is something that the Coalition is doing something wrong. In 2020 when I am in charge of Government, there will be no embarrassing mistakes.” Huh!

  6. Incognito 6
    13 October 2018 at 11:23 am

    Clever manoeuvring by Mr Bridges; he’s trying to convince the public that he’s finally reached the Fifth Stage of Grief, which is Acceptance. However, it’s clear from his framing and demeanour (body language) that he’s still firmly stuck in the First Stage, i.e. Denial.

    The reality is, don’t get me wrong, I accept there is media interest in it but it’s not what I am focusing on particularly. It’s things like the surplus to the Government, the spend of the Government they are the things I know matter to Kiwis.

    FIFS

    • Dukeofurl 6.1
      13 October 2018 at 11:41 am

      Thats typical piffle from Bridges, as he wants to ‘focus on things that matter’ to the voters and focus on parliaments squabbles that voters dont care about but his party Mps do.

  7. alwyn 7
    13 October 2018 at 12:45 pm

    I wonder how much Trevor’s little investigation to make sure that the cover-up was holding cost?
    When will he release the figures for that?
    He was obviously pretty worried that he hadn’t managed to cover his tracks to go to all that trouble.

    • Incognito 7.1
      13 October 2018 at 12:56 pm

      Fair comment.

      Perhaps Mallard should release the expenses when Bridges reveals the outcome of his witch-hunt and how much that has cost.

      Mallard may have ordered his independent inquiry to exclude any possibility that the leak might have originated from his ‘jurisdiction’, i.e. to remove any doubts because one can never be absolutely certain.

      This way he maintains the trust in the Office of the Speaker and the integrity of the Parliamentary Services. Since they are integral to trust in our democratic system of government I think this is money well-spent, whatever the amount.

      • Chuck 7.1.1
        13 October 2018 at 1:08 pm

        Makes you wonder why Mallard agreed to an enquiry, then cancels, then decides to have his own little one to clear his office / himself?

        Maybe Mallard was hearing those little voices in his head again…

        • Incognito 7.1.1.2
          13 October 2018 at 1:54 pm

          I’ve already covered that. The Speaker is not responsible for what takes place in the National Party. It would be a very bad look if he started a witch-hunt in any political party without justification as the Speaker has to be politically neutral but even go further than that and avoid any perception of the contrary. Bridges wanted Mallard to pay for it as far I understand it but it was also a political trap to damage the reputation of the Office of the Speaker IMO.

        • SPC 7.1.1.3
          13 October 2018 at 2:00 pm

          Don’t follow the news closely do you.

          1. to discover what happened – demonstrate it was not parliamentary staff.
          2. evidence of it being an MP came to hand, so the investigation was cancelled.
          3. National said it would go ahead with its own investigation, but Simon Bridges was still not convinced that it was not someone ouside the caucus and National staffers.
          4. So the Speaker ran a reduced scale investigation related to non National people as well, just in case Naitonal ran a cover up and kept pointing at them.

        • mickysavage 7.1.1.4
          13 October 2018 at 8:34 pm

          It was a perfectly valid decision. We have to have confidence in the Speaker’s office and Parliamentary Services.

          Once Bridges walked back the offer Mallard made of course he had to proceed with the inquiry. Otherwise there would have been an allegation that Parliamentary Services leaked the information.

          I am not a fan of Mallard’s. But his handling of this issue has been pristine.

    • SPC 7.2
      13 October 2018 at 1:54 pm

      Worried?

      The money on it was wasted only because Simon Bridges refused to withdraw the finger pointing at the Speaker and parliamentary staff – despite credible reports an MP with health problems was the leaker.

      Your joining the finger pointing diversion suggests you have no mind of your own.

    • Gabby 7.3
      13 October 2018 at 3:58 pm

      Wathchoo talkin bout wally?

  8. adam 8
    13 October 2018 at 1:20 pm

    So bridges has wasted how much of the public purse – to now go –

    “Nothing to see here, move along”

    Mind you when you read the crazy shit bat comments from alwyn and chunk – what other conclusion do you have but to think it must be part of the Tory condition.

  9. Morrissey 9
    13 October 2018 at 2:00 pm

    Who’s that in the pink dress?

  10. Morrissey 10
    13 October 2018 at 2:06 pm

    He finally got that celebrity endorsement!

  11. Chris 11
    13 October 2018 at 5:58 pm

    “But even its base will realise there is something really amiss if Bridges’ claim that this was a Labour conspiracy.”

    No, they’ll just unquestioningly accept what Bridges says and believe it’s a Labour conspiracy.

  12. Jackel 12
    14 October 2018 at 12:51 am

    It is curious, why do they always photo shoot Bridges in amongst a group of schoolmarms?