Thursday theorisin’

Written By: - Date published: 12:01 am, June 18th, 2009 - 15 comments
Categories: corruption, john key - Tags:

Great quote from Gordon Campbell: “Faced with the dying embers of the Richard Worth scandal at his press conference John Key reached for gasoline”

By being secretive, Key has given members of the media a huge incentive to be the first to find out the secret and publish it. Journalists and media outlets get their kudos from their ability to break news. So now the race is on to be the first to get the scoop. Will it be one of the two TV titans, Espiner or Garner? Will it be an up and comer like former crime reporter Patrick Gower, who has a nose for these things? Will it be one of the old hands, Small, Watkins, or Young (not Armstrong obviously) showing that print media still has it? Or will it (shock, horror) be one of those bloody bloggers put the dino-media to shame. Everyone’s got a theory about Key’s secret:

  • It was just immorality and Key doesn’t want to make that high standard public – Espiner
  • Worth lied to Key (about what?) – Watkins
  • It was Worth’s conduct (whatever that means) – Henry

    • and from around the ‘sphere:

  • Worth refused to sign an affidavit declaring no wrongdoing.
  • Worth had made dodgy appointments
  • Worth had more undisclosed business interests
  • Worth misused Parliamentary funds

Problem is none of those theories explain why Key won’t tell us now. Is there something deeper, something that would seriously damage Key? Some kind of blackmail? Or is Key just an arrogant, secretive dope? I may vote RAM but I’m no conspiracy theorist. I reckon he’s just an arrogant, secretive dope.

A few routes of inquiry for scoop-hunters:

  • Why can’t Key tell us the watered-down version he told his cabinet and caucus?
  • What appointments did Worth make as minister?
  • What expenses did he claim?
  • There are now at least 60 people who have at least the basic facts. Might one of them drop some hints?
  • Did Worth have any more hidden business interests?

15 comments on “Thursday theorisin’ ”

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  1. George D 1
    18 June 2009 at 12:56 am

    At this point, I don’t give a damn what the answer is to any of those questions.

  2. Anthony Karinski 2
    18 June 2009 at 12:57 am

    My guess. He just had enough when the second allegation of being a nuisance to women appeared, seeing a trend. So he does, in my opinion, the right thing and investigates for about a week before firing Worth.

    Unfortunately the ill managed process with a press release, then a spur of the moment media conference and later bumbling answers all over the place means that he will look like a flip flop if he retracts and says he lost confidence due to the accusations. Just a bit of slow thinking when put on the spot and now he sees no way out of the web he has spun for himself.

  3. Redbaiter 3
    18 June 2009 at 1:05 am

    “Will it be one of the two TV titans, Espiner or Garner? Will it be an up and comer like former crime reporter Patrick Gower, who has a nose for these things? Will it be one of the old hands, Small, Watkins, or Young ”

    Oh yeah, they’d be the same “titans” that led the legendary high profile investigation into Helen Clark’s part in the $100,000 Glenn donation to NZ First when Glenn wanted an honorary consulship that would have to be approved by the Foreign Minister, and of course Miss Clark. Whose party also benefitted to the tune of $400,000.

    These would be the same “titans” who did such a good job investigating the dismissal of Peter Doone.

    Or the same “titans” who did such a sterling job following up on the real reasons why the police did practically nothing on the Brash emails theft.

    Get real guys- these posturing fools are not journalist’s arseholes. They’re partisan advocates for socialism. Like so much of the mainstream media these days useless as tits on a bull unless there’s some muck to be raked on someone the left don’t like.

    Titans..?

    Microbes I say. Like most NZ journalists they have betrayed their craft to the ideology of the left.

    As for Worth. Give it a rest. There’s nothing there.

    Don’t be so impatient. There will be better things to come. Just wait a while.

    Don’t want to be crying wolf all the time do you??

    • Luxated 3.1
      18 June 2009 at 1:14 am

      I think you might find that titan comment was what most people like to call sarcasm (or more generously facetiousness), or it could be because those two are the main TV political commentators for better or worse.

      • Zetetic 3.1.1
        18 June 2009 at 9:01 am

        “facetiousness’ good to see someone still knows the word.

        Reddy is an awful moaner, eh? You would think a muscular conservative would be above having a public whinge.

        • Luxated 3.1.1.1
          18 June 2009 at 2:02 pm

          Given the rhetoric of the right you would think so wouldn’t you? Except they seem to moan about everything e.g. immigrants, beneficiaries, taxes etc… One day they might take their own advice and harden up!

    • Rex Widerstrom 3.2
      18 June 2009 at 3:16 am

      Young, and to a lesser extent Gower, did a damned good job on those issues (along with Phil Kitchin).

      Especially when compared to the other names on Zetetic’s list.

      Credit where it’s due, Red.

    • Maggie 3.3
      18 June 2009 at 9:39 am

      I got as far as the description of Watkins and Young as “advocates for socialism” and fell off my chair laughing.

      Next thing this character will be telling us Hitler was a peace advocate.

    • Kevin Welsh 3.4
      18 June 2009 at 10:35 am

      “For more insightful pithy comments, go to:

      http://www.redbaiter.blogspot.com

  4. Rex Widerstrom 4
    18 June 2009 at 3:13 am

    What appointments did Worth make as minister?

    Put in an OIA request.

    What expenses did he claim?

    Put in an OIA request.

    There’s 2/5 of your questions answered, if you’re really that interested. Personally, having just spent two days in court on a stalking case I’m way over sleazy men who can’t get the hint when a woman asks to be left alone.

    I’m with George D on this one.

    • Merlin 4.1
      18 June 2009 at 10:41 am

      Of course, it’s not about the answers to the questions in themselves, it’s about finding out what key is hiding.

  5. daVince 5
    18 June 2009 at 6:00 pm

    And joining the Thursday theorisin’ club for a moment, it could have been something else entirely…. worth(you tell me if pun intended) waitin’ for..

  6. BLiP 6
    19 June 2009 at 12:26 am

    Perhaps Key is using a common management practise these days: sack someone for no apparent good reason and thus instill a culture of fear within the remaining work force, leaving staff to tippy-toe around in case they too step on some land mine the boss has left lying around.

  7. Grant 7
    20 June 2009 at 3:40 pm

    Anyway i hear Morning Report have the entire story just awaiting the perfect day …