Details still coming through, but hard to know if he jumped or was pushed. My money on the latter.
Details still coming through, but hard to know if he jumped or was pushed. My money on the latter.
This entry was posted on Thursday, February 25th, 2010 at 11:24 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Indeed – very quick.
I like the fact that there has been no delay and that the issue was acted on straight away – even tho the amount was trivial $70. Also brilliant to see that he has asked the AG to investigate so to make sure that there are no other issues – if there are Im sure that they will be acted on as well.
Also – Im guessing he will remain a backbencher – unlike under labour where they came back after a brief spell – I think Key will stand firm and leave him out there for good.
There has got to be more to this. Resigning over what amounts to two bottles of wine being improperly accounted for is ludicrous.
What else is going on? More on Phil Heatley behind the scenes or is this a diversion? The mining stuff was on a slow heat-up and could have kept growing.
Heatley “was resigned”
Good to see Key actually holding his ministers to account – unlike one past PM that I remember very well.
Too quick. I didn’t think those were hanging offenses. There may be more than meets the eye. I follow the story with interest. I am sure there’s a bit of digging right now to find out what’s really going on!
I think Heatley is doing the smart move on this.
The quicker, and cleaner, he accepts responsibility for these incidents, the sooner Heatley will be able to return to cabinent with a clean slate. The public will forgive his mistakes so long as he fronts up on the issue.
There’s something fishy going on with the Heatley resignation.
Rodney Hide didn’t resign (read wasn’t forced to resign) for attempting to rort the taxpayer for $10,022 to take his girlfriend to her brother’s wedding in the UK and a further $11,952 for taking her on holiday to Hawaii.
But Heatley resigns over two bottles of wine worth $70 that he charged as “food and beverages” when there wasn’t any food involved.
Go figure! There must be more to the story than that.
i deremed a dream – he has asked the AG to audit his expenses – not the kind of thing a bloke does when he is hiding something.
I dont think there will be much more to this at all.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Phil-Heatley-resignation-statement—full-video/tabid/370/articleID/143566/Default.aspx
bikerkiwi, do we know what the findings are from the AG audit of his expenses? Now that he’s resigned, do we still get to know?
2 down… who’s next from this photo?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/image.cfm?c_id=1&gal_objectid=10628418&gallery_id=109561#6845151
I want to take it at face value and extend a “kudos” to Heatley for doing the right thing… I can’t help but wonde rif there is more to it… simple because Worth’s offences were far far worse and it took Key a long time to recognise that… Hide? Hone?
If it’s genuinely because he feels he let himself and his principles down, then kudos to him.
I do think it’s a waste of the AG’s time and money, unless his investigation is far wider than heatley?
Interesting that JK is much tougher than HC!!
Frank, got anything substantial or just speculation?
The AG is investigating after Heatley handed his expenses over to him. Perhaps we are not used to a fast transparent investigation and have grown used to Ministers being temporarily stood down.
David Parker did worse than this and was still a Minister!
David Parker did nothing wrong whatsoever – as the investigation he asked for proved.
Key says “I expect high standards from my ministers, but I’m also prepared to accept that everyone is human and from time to time people make mistakes.”
Yet again, Key is having a bob each way.
“I expect high standards from my ministers…” – Ok, and thats why he sacked Worth (for reasons we still do not know), and Heatley had to go over two bottles of wine.
“… but I’m also prepared to accept that everyone is human and from time to time people make mistakes.” – Bit selective on the application of this. It doesn’t apply to Heatley, but it does for Brownlee, English and Hide.
I think it’s not so much about the amount of money involved. It’s more about the implied hypocrisy.
Banksie I guess what Key is saying is that he didn’t really Rate Heatley or the job he was doing enough to fight for him… he briefly stood up for Worth and he REALLY stood up for Hide.
Remember the Winebox Affair? In time, this will be known as the
“Wine Bottles Affair”.
Mark my words.
@ Tracey – in that case, let’s hope that Anne Tolley bought a gobstopper on her Ministerial Credit card and didn’t declare it! Surely he wouldn’t fight for her!
He stood up for Hide simply because ACT will primarily end up being tarnished with the super city cock up rather than the Nats. He is expedient, but Key is playing the long game with Hide.
And now Key says he hasn’t ruled out reinstating Heatley if the auditor General clears him. WTF? I could understand that statement if Heatley had been sacked, but he supposedly resigned – voluntarily.
David Parker did nothing wrong whatsoever – as the investigation he asked for proved.
It looks like Heatley is doing the same thing (resigning and allowing an investigation to proceed unimpeded) and personally I think this is the optimal course of action.
It certainly makes all of those other Ministers, on both sides of the house, who spin themselves into knots trying to get out of controversy look like the selfish scumbags we’ve all suspected they are.
This, obviously, is the spin: that Shonkey is a tough PM. Well, bollocks to that. Heatley rang the PM the night before and was advised by Shonkey to “sleep on it” but went ahead with his decision the next morning.
But, hey, don’t let facts get in the way of your crazed belief system.
@Frank
“There has got to be more to this. Resigning over what amounts to two bottles of wine being improperly accounted for is ludicrous.”
I agree – something very fishy going on here – I don’t think what he did was such a big deal – not as bad as Hone and Hide – (and Brownlee – small fry maybe but same thing – and then there is English – not so much as a slap of a wet bus ticket for them…).
Why the double standards? I also hope Trolley has some gobstopper on her card.
“David Parker did nothing wrong whatsoever”
Short term memory loss there Trev? He filed a false company return.
Except that the investigation showed he didn’t. I suggest you tell the truth. Trevor
surely Brownlee must also go. same offence just a matter of scale
What I don’t get is that heatley goes over a couple of bottles of wine but English is still there after ripping off taxpayers for more than $300k by pretending to live in Dipton.
Interesting comment from John Tamihere on Radio Live – ex Minister in the Helen Clark Labour Government. Repeating lies from Tamihere not allowed here Monty – do it on Kiwiblog where you are more suited. Trevor
@ Monty, JT is now a big Tory, says so quite openly on the radio, and was sacked by Clark. His credibility is zero on this subject.
@ Paul, it’s not often you see the words “Gerry Brownlee” and “small fry” in the same sentence.
Taking your comments on Parker at face value – could we use Field as an example instead?
Further to Trevor’s reply to Luke: I recall it later came out that the complainant had had some business involvement with Parker years earlier and when it went sour – due to some action on the complainant’s part- Parker pulled out of the arrangement.
@Luke,
Just speculation, but you’ve got to admit – it is awfully strange. Open yourself up to an investigation? Yes… but two bottles of wine doesn’t warrant a resignation.
Phil Heatley seems like a good guy, so if it’s about clearing his conscience and taking responsibility for such a small issue then great, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find more on this one.
And if Phil Heatley has gone for it, then other Ministers should step up as well. The problem is, while guys like Phil take the hit, others sit back and let them get knocked about while having committed the same offence.
Where did my OTHER comment go?
I’ll write it again.
@ I d reamed a dream 12.50 LOL
Offensive. Clare
It seems to me also that there is something more to it.
Phil looked quite tearful last night on the telly. His reaction doesn’t really seem to fit the crime.
A couple of ideas here
1. Was Phil Heatley really coping with his portfolios?
2. What more is to come out of the closet? Unpleasant surprises for the voters of Whangarei.
As repeatedly stated, the pieces dont fit.