You can’t be a leader of nothing

Anthony R0bins
11 years ago
Categories: leadership, Parliament, united future
Tags: Peter Dunne, schadenfreude

Peter Dunne’s status as a party leader in Parliament (i.e. funding and perks) is under threat:

Dunne’s parliament recognition on the line

United Future leader Peter Dunne could lose his status as a party leader in Parliament in the latest twist in a nightmare week for the embattled MP.

The Ohariu MP has endured a week of accusations from NZ First leader Winston Peters that he was behind the leak of a top-level report into the Government Communications Security Bureau.

And on Friday, the Electoral Commission cancelled United Future’s registration at the party’s own request, after party president Robin Gunston said there were “inconsistencies” in its confirmed membership numbers.

Today, MPs in the debating chamber queried what the de-registration meant for Mr Dunne’s status as leader of a political party.

Labour MP Trevor Mallard said Mr Dunne should no longer be recognised as a party leader in Parliament.

Speaker David Carter said it was the first time a party in Parliament had been de-registered. …

It’s an interesting precedent, but as far as I can see the case is pretty cut and dried. You can’t be a leader of nothing. Peter Dunne has become an independent MP, and that’s how he should be treated. Being a sensible type, I’m sure that Peter will agree.