Update on Worth

41 comments on “Update on Worth ”

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1. calltoaccount 1

   3 June 2009 at 4:43 pm

   Looks sexual, see this article. Too late, waaay too late from Key. Gave the guy a chance and look what’s happening…

   Prime Minister John Key has confirmed he previously investigated allegations that former Internal Affairs Minister Richard Worth harassed women but nothing came of it.

   What did Key know and when? At what point did he decide to act? When the cops were closing in? Unlike the Nats pathetic personal attacks, this looks serious.
2. John Dalley 2

   3 June 2009 at 4:45 pm

   Any bets on Key being PM at the next election.
   Get the distinct impression that slowly but surely his reign is unwinding.
   • mickysavage 2.1

     3 June 2009 at 7:49 pm

     I get that impression but I am not sure that “slow” is the right word.
   • Mr Magoo 2.2

     3 June 2009 at 9:17 pm

     ahahahhahahahha. snort.

     Good one.

     6 months:

     Raging about super. Street Marches. MP kicked because of police and sexual harasement. Roger the doger back in parliment.
     (the last being the worst)

     THAT is slow??

     Can’t wait for the rest to be honest. Might teach a few of those sleepy and apathetic NZers what falling for right wing PR spin can actually mean.

     Now…where is my popcorn…
3. Nanoo 3

   3 June 2009 at 4:46 pm

   pure and simple: revenge of the gossip columnists (and in this case their parents).
   richard worth is merely the first of many who will follow.
   loose lips sink ships.
4. Nanoo 4

   3 June 2009 at 4:48 pm

   pure and simple: revenge of the gossip columnists (or in this case their parents).
   richard worth is merely the first of many who will follow.
   loose lips sink ships.
   • George D 4.1

     3 June 2009 at 8:13 pm

     New Zealand is a very small country, and politics even smaller. I often wonder how and why MPs and other public figures think they can get away with anything.

     Rule: don’t do anything you wouldn’t defend publicly on the front page of major newspaper.
5. mike 5

   3 June 2009 at 6:27 pm

   Key took a week to investigate an allegation then acts swiftly and decisively.

   Clark protects her rouge ministers for months/years (cough-DBP-cough-TPF) and still tries to burry it.

   Key has delivered a master class in dealing to a bad apple – take note labour when you finally get another go…
   • calltoaccount 5.1

     3 June 2009 at 6:35 pm

     Rubbish, as suggested by Marie Wilson’s interview of Phil Goff.

     Seems like the issues have been going on for a lot longer than a week. Evidence too. A masterclass in how not to behave I reckon.

     What did Key know, and when, and why did he not take action sooner?
   • r0b 5.2

     3 June 2009 at 6:50 pm

     Key took a week to investigate an allegation then acts swiftly and decisively.

     Uh huh. TV3 has a more accurate summary: “Key has stood by Worth for the past three months as he has been dogged by controversy”

     Clark protects her rouge ministers for months/years (cough-DBP-cough-TPF) and still tries to burry it.

     Clark took various actions with ministers relating to various issues. You trolls like to bang on about two cases where due process took a long time, conveniently forgetting the several other ministers that Clark sacked promptly when the issues were clear.

     Key has delivered a master class in dealing to a bad apple – take note labour when you finally get another go

     Key – who promised us high standards (one strike and you’re out) – protected a useless minister for three months when it was obvious that he should go. Now that Worth has (apparently) stuffed up so badly that not even Key can keep protecting him Key has bungled the process of sacking him. A master class in arrogance and ineptitude.
     • gobsmacked 5.2.1

       3 June 2009 at 6:58 pm

       Benson-Pope came a cropper because he objected to one particular public servant (as opposed to sacking hundreds of them).

       He should have just hired a purchase adviser.
   • Con 5.3

     3 June 2009 at 7:45 pm

     Clark protects her rouge ministers for months/years

     Heh heh … you don’t like those Reds do you mike?
6. tsmithfield 6

   3 June 2009 at 6:30 pm

   Sounds like Worth was getting a bit to explicit as minister of “internal affairs”.

   Don’t think you will find too many righties sorry to see him go. He was a complete buffoon and an idiot.
7. Spectator 7

   3 June 2009 at 6:44 pm

   I think that, before you all get too excited, you should take a deep breath and wait for any actual facts about the matter to emerge. I am reminded of a time a few years ago that allegations of impropriety were made of a Minister: in that case, one David Parker. Once the facts emerged, it transpired that the allegations were entirely fabricated (which, considering their source, was not in the least surprising).
   • Pascal's bookie 7.1

     3 June 2009 at 7:21 pm

     Yep, there are only a few people that know the facts.

     1) Worth, who resigned and is now hiding,

     2) Key, who is pissed off (and said he would’ve sacked him, but didn’t, in spite of apparently similar but unrelated complaints and the India confusion over what hats Worth should be wearing when he was on his private business, etc, and so on…),

     3) the Nat caucus, who were all quiet and somber,

     4) the police, who are investigating,

     5) and the complainant(s) who should be left alone, (and don’t really need the kind of jokes tsmithfild made above, not a dig t, just saying).

     The way everyone is acting, is quite a bit different from an Ian Wishing expedition. So I’m not sure why you brought it up.

     The way the Nat’s have handled the story is what has lead to the speculation and breathlessness of it all.
8. mike 8

   3 June 2009 at 7:18 pm

   Classic – Goff chickens out an interview on Close-up because Whale was in the studio.
   Perfect opportunity for Goff to grow some balls and front during an awkward time for the Nats and he fails to show – even worse his status is deemed less relevant than Whale’s by the prime time shows host. Oh dear
   • Akldnut 8.1

     3 June 2009 at 7:26 pm

     Mike you moron – Goff was showing some brains by not having to talk the issue with a dork like whale cause he would have made it a Labour bad national good issue which he tried to do with Sainsbury saying the initials of 3 MPs of the previous Govt.
     • mike 8.1.1

       3 June 2009 at 7:36 pm

       Hey if the labour leader is afraid of mixing it with a lowly blogster that’s his problem but when it robs the opposition of a prime-time slot to score some points it’s got to raise some questions about his leadership abilities
       • gobsmacked 8.1.1.1

         3 June 2009 at 7:51 pm

         They scored plenty of points just by letting Whale Oil be the face of the National Party. Clearly there’s a Labour mole producing Close-Up.

         Can we get you on next, Mike?
         • mike 8.1.1.1.1

           3 June 2009 at 7:53 pm

           We’re the party of diversity gob…
       • calltoaccount 8.1.1.2

         3 June 2009 at 8:07 pm

         Mike: Pathetic. The way this is heading, it looks we are going to get a reality check on what corruption really looks like. And you raise this rubbish.

         I think it is a hard call for Goff to get Key to tell the truth, or just stay well away from the wreckage.
9. toad 9

   3 June 2009 at 7:20 pm

   tsmithfield said: Sounds like Worth was getting a bit to explicit as minister of “internal affairs’.Don’t think you will find too many righties sorry to see him go. He was a complete buffoon and an idiot.

   Problem is, TS, that this is the modus operandi of the right. Once you have power, you abuse it to your own personal ends. Sexual assault has to be at the worst end of the scale, but many right wing politicians abuse their power to advantage their business mates.

   Labour are not sacrosanct in that either – if Clark had dealt swiftly to Taito Phillip Field, Benson-Pope, and Winston Peters, she may well have been the Prime Minister celebrating a fourth term.

   That Key allowed this to drag on, so early in his leadership, doesn’t reflect well on his political judgment. Even today he was forced into three different positions as the story broke. And it appears that he’s known about it for 2 weeks, but presumably hoped it would go away.

   Field, Benson-Pope and Peters were a big part of the reason we now have a right-wing government. Helen Clark just didn’t get it – those guys’ indiscretions were a serious political liability and should have been gone pronto. Her inaction sealed her government’s defeat.

   Key’s vacillation today, saying only what he was forced to say when he realised the media knew more than he was saying, has to be a very bad look as far as political management is concerned.
10. Jono 10

    3 June 2009 at 7:20 pm

    Two things of note, “making a nuisance of himself towards women” goes beyond 1950s speak for sexual harassment and feels more like code for the old guard to comfort themselves with, part of the continuous construction of their own reality…”Nothing but a grope on the dance floor, mate. Nothing to see, just sheilahs banging on, blaady feminazis”.

    Also, John Key and the Nats better hope that this isn’t the tip of the iceberg and there hasn’t been a pattern of old boy nudge nudge wink wink turning a blind eye.
11. gingercrush 11

    3 June 2009 at 7:54 pm

    Can we not compare this to other allegations for other MPs or how those other allegations were handled. This seems to be a very different scenario to those. The fact the house was so silent during Goff’s questioning of Key speaks volumes to the seriousness of these allegations. I quite agree with Idiot/Savant’s opinions on the subject.
12. OhPlease 12

    3 June 2009 at 7:56 pm

    “you should take a deep breath and wait for any actual facts about the matter to emerge.”

    We don’t need a deep breathe we need a Prime Minister who is a leader. The Prime Minister should demand that Worth fronts a press conference – even if it is to say no comment. Surely, something a PM can require of his own caucus is that they front. If they don’t they should be disciplined by the Party.

    Worth can say no comment – that’s his prerogative. What is not acceptable is a Prime Minister who says that it’s up to the press to “find” a member of his own caucus. It is disgraceful. He should not be given leave – he should be required to front up and Key should be the one requiring it.
13. Outofbed 13

    3 June 2009 at 8:05 pm

    The plot thickens

    Labour leader Phil Goff took an allegation of Richard Worth’s inappropriate behaviour towards a woman to Prime Minister John Key about a month ago, it emerged tonight.

    The allegation is understood not (not) to be the one which resulted in Mr Worth resigning his ministerial portfolio last night.

    Mr Key said today he had previously looked into an allegation around Mr Worth’s behaviour and was satisfied with the answers he received.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10576273
    • Pascal's bookie 13.1

      3 June 2009 at 8:14 pm

      I’m starting to wonder if Goff got given a wee heads up, and in return agreed not to ask the traditional “confidence in your ministers” question till after the resignation. Just to keep the details out of the actual case out of the house, and make it process rather than political.
      • Anita 13.1.1

        3 June 2009 at 8:17 pm

        Goff asked it on Tuesday last week, Key is now saying that he lost confidence in Worth that afternoon. That’s cutting it very fine.
        • Pascal's bookie 13.1.1.1

          3 June 2009 at 8:28 pm

          ’tis indeed.
14. gobsmacked 14

    3 June 2009 at 8:09 pm

    Oh dear, looks like Goff is the leader and Key is the ditherer:

    “Mr Goff’s spokesman confirmed rumours tonight that the Labour leader had raised a complaint with Mr Key about a month ago after a woman approached the party.

    Mr Goff had decided not to raise the issue publicly and allow Mr Key to deal with it as the woman had not wanted to be in the public arena.

    The complaint was about “inappropriate behaviour… in the nature of unwanted attention.”

    The spokesman did not know how the complaint was resolved or what action Mr Key took, but did not believe it was in any way linked to the new complaint that cost Dr Worth his job.

    Mr Key said earlier today a previous complaint about Dr Worth involving alleged inappropriate behaviour towards women had been made.”
    • r0b 14.1

      3 June 2009 at 8:24 pm

      Well done Phil. While the right wing hires private investigators and feeds its pet attack bloggers, Phil Goff just quietly did the right thing. My opinion of Phil just went up three notches.
15. Akldnut 15

    3 June 2009 at 8:11 pm

    mike We’re the party of diversity gob

    Yep – Politicians, Entrepeneurs……….Sexual predators.
16. Tigger 16

    3 June 2009 at 8:36 pm

    Anyone remember what Clark did when the Dover Samuels scandal broke? How long did it take her to act when there was a sniff of a sexual scandal?
    • calltoaccount 16.1

      3 June 2009 at 8:52 pm

      Stop changing the subject. (FYI, this is right here and now, not dredged up from years back.)
    • burt 16.2

      3 June 2009 at 8:57 pm

      Tigger

      An investigation was required to determine if the girl in question was over 16 or not. It came down to days because it was within a few days of her 16th birthday. Interestingly the girl in question was (depending on which story of Dover’s you believe) either in his care or working for him as a nanny, Also interesting is the legal age of consent for somebody in your care or employ – it’s 18 not 16.

      Of course this is indeed off thread and two wrongs don’t make a right – however you did ask. Worth should be judged relative to what he did not what Dover appears to have got away with.
      • calltoaccount 16.2.1

        3 June 2009 at 9:12 pm

        Incredibly, I found a post from Act on their site, criticising his sacking! Dated a while back, but has Hide’s mug up on the site banner just above. I won’t provide the link, because I won’t be threadjacking away from what Key knew and when, unlike you two.
17. calltoaccount 17

    3 June 2009 at 9:44 pm

    Here’s a link to follow.

    My time-line: ‘issues’ arise, complaint made to Goff and reported to Nats, complaint ‘dealt with’, more and different issues of the same nature arise, police get involved, Key does something. Disgusting.

    Am I wrong? Prove it.
18. Christopher Nimmo 18

    3 June 2009 at 10:01 pm

    John Key + Richard Worth +Steve Reich + 15 minutes of work = This
19. Bill 19

    3 June 2009 at 10:04 pm

    Notice that there are clearly 3 different incidences.

    There’s the indian trading one, and the complaint from two weeks ago which is supposedly some sexual thing to do with a woman, although the herald says this “allegation is understood not to be the one which resulted in Mr Worth resigning his ministerial portfolio last night.”

    The third is going to be something big, Something so big that Key thought it was smarter to remain secretive and thus risking looking like a rat. I mean they’re stupid, but unless it was really big I would be surprised if they had made such a massive blunder as this.
    • calltoaccount 19.1

      3 June 2009 at 11:06 pm

      Three incidences, same Worthless idiot though. (See my previous ‘time-line’ post for details.)

Links to post

1. I wish to complain… at The Standard: posted on 3 June 2009 at 10:42 pm

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