Key on Peters and Clark
“Governments and Ministers must enjoy the confidence of the Parliament and, ultimately, the public. Faced with today’s revelations, it is no longer acceptable for Mr Peters to offer bluster and insults where simple, courteous, honest answers are required.
“It is no longer acceptable or credible for Helen Clark to assert a facade of confidence in her Foreign Affairs Minister and to fail to ask the plain questions of him that she has a duty to the public to ask.
“Faced with today’s revelations, Helen Clark must stand Mr Peters down as a Minister. That is what I would do if I were Prime Minister.
Of course Winston actually lied about donations being received which Owen Glenn confirmed.
Your party stuck by Winston Peters despite the evidence of both the Glenn donations and the Vela donations. you were even dispatched by Clark to ensure that Owen Glenn didn’t speak to Clark.
Michael Cullen ran interference in the Privileges Committee which ultimately censured Peters.
Then of course there was the refusal of Goff to stand down Darren Hughes…so if you want to go down the path of probity surrounding stand downs fill your boots.
What were the revelations of that day?
Just watch this being covered up.
I’d hate too think you’re taking the moral high ground when it appears you’re all cut from the same cloth.
Trevor, do you think Helen Clark got it right with respect to Winston Peters? Because, if you do think she got it right, then you must also think John Key has it right with respect to Banks. Come on, make a break with the past. Say Helen got it wrong.
Those who live by the sword …….. Mr Key has made a number of rash statements which he must regret. Karma? And Banks.
In any case, Mr Key has often vowed that he expects much higher standards from his Ministers. Therefore if Matthew thinks Helen’s actions were not good enough, then John will have to be better. And he hasn’t/isn’t/won’t.
John Key and John Banks are sleazy, and lack proper morals and ethics. Good on ya Trev for picking this dodgy situation up and for holding them to account! make sure the media dont try and cover this up… the truth needs to come out for NZ’s own good.
Hooton on red alert for distraction and damage control. Always a good sign.
He must be a worried man, that Hooton.
What use tory hacks when the party of sleaze and corruption gets booted out of office?
I predict a departing tantrum or two
It’s not distraction. It is Trevor who made the comparison with the Winston Peters issue. And my point is simply that if Trevor thinks Helen Clark handled the Winston Peters affair properly, then he must think that John Key is doing the right thing by following her playbook. Asking whether or not Trevor thinks Helen did the right thing isn’t a difficult question – a bit like “did you ring to thank him for the donation?”
For my part, I think both prime ministers, Clark and Key, should have done / do more than say “its up to the police.” That says you have to be charged or convicted of a offence before lose your job as a minister, which would be news to people who have been stood down for much less.
John Key and John Banks are cut from the same cloth little rich boys made good.
Will say anything and do anything to climb the social ladder.
Always take the righteous moral high ground don’t answer questions with straight answers and use diversion tactics to change the subject.
Are these people acting in the best interests of New Zealand and New Zealanders or are they acting in the best interests of their own back pockets and their cronies here in New Zealand and on Wall St.
Banks is toast unless the Police and the Authorities cover this one up which will probably be arranged.
Key seems to be setting a new standard for ministers in the Westminster system, that a minister can stay on until they are found guilty of a crime in a court of law, regardless of the ethics of the issue? He has effectively tossed the Cabinet Manual in the bin. I guess he has to take this stand given his unethical secret backroom deal with Skycity to sell legislation? This government is developing a nasty smell about it.
Matthew , still looking back in anger ?
Matthew Hooten does have a fair point, But it is in the past.
John Key is still here though and has to try and manage the political fallout as even if John Banks was technically within the law, it doenst look good and it hurts brand Key alot more than it hurts brand Banks.
Personally i think we should do our best to keep Dotcom in NZ. Hes clearly a very smart man, he has been very generous to NZ with his money in many ways, he shows his gratitude in the best way he can by using his money. John Banks should have made it clear who it was from unless he was worried about how it would look, and if that was the case he should have said thankyou but no, give that 50k to the betterment of Auckland in some project or other.
So 50K is the going rate to grease the internal wheels of NACT favour and influence!
I bet Sky city are feeling ripped off!
Labour up 7 to 34.8%, National down 2.8% to 48.1% in the latest Herald Digi Poll. Labour must be doing something right.
Winds of Change?
Jack, my reading of the relevant laws suggest that unless VERY clear evidence is produced Banks can slip through the gaping holes in the legislation (isn’t it interesting that a law and order focused party never tried to close this one). That’s why this is less an issue about what the law said than;
1. what the law meant
2. what behaviour is acceptable of public officials
3. is the standard of behaviour for elected officials now officially “if it’s legal it’s fine”?
@Ianmac! Isn’t it great?
!!!!
How these millionaires do stick together.
Thick as thieves.
When I go to the Circus I do not bother with the sideshows.
Tracey, reading the laws word by word and considering the advice of academic lawyers is considered ‘black letter law’.
There are quite a few convicted finance company directors who relied during their trials on black letter law which has failed them.
Its what happens in actual trials and judges rulings that counts. And all this fussing about anonymous donors and donations doesnt seem to be tested in court.
There is a good chance the pattern of behaviour will count as much or more than whether a cheque was deposited by whom in a bank in Queenstown.
Remember the crime carries a 2 year sentence so is fairly serious and in political terms is a death sentence
@Fortran – exactly, why are we wasting our time scrutinizing the electoral conduct of government ministers when we could be talking about the Issues That Matter like a proposed bill to prevent boat people coming that might be reported back from select committee by the end of the year?
Fortran the sideshows are better than the Main Act, the Main Act is rather depressing if you look at the facts and read between the lines what is actually happening to this once proud thriving country.
Helen set the standard to follow, so why is there a problem?
I’m interested to know the context of Key’s statement at the time. I mean, those allegations dogged Peters for a number of months, and the statement says “no longer acceptable or credible” suggesting it was made quite some time into the whole shambles. It’s specifically mentions a particular revelation, so I ask again, what was the revelation in question?
Over time the pidgeons always come home to roost.
Banks is going to get what he deserves, karma works in funny ways it’s a balancing act.
It is not a left right issue all MP’s or Council Members need to act in the best interests of all people in society, unfortunately Banks has always been a right wing tory, anti maori etc etc.
@Jack Ramaka: I do love your comments. They are full of such ignorance and lack any kind of support or generally accepted rational. Keep up the good work!
I hope Banks doesn’t go just yet as his presence will always be a reminder of his true nature and also that of Key.
The Herald has recommended he resign he will not recover and also Key will gain negative points
It’s up to labour to keep reminding everyone about their true face and present a positive and constructive alternative
“I do love your comments. They are full of such ignorance and lack any kind of support or generally accepted rational. Keep up the good work!”
As a casual observer…
“Banks is going to get what he deserves”
Can’t see anything wrong with that. It’s not just written on the walls, it’s all over his face.
“It is not a left right issue all MP’s or Council Members need to act in the best interests of all people in society”
Or that… At least until key and swipe cards for policy/pokies/workers rights
“Banks has always been a right wing tory, anti maori etc etc.”
Or that. Feel free to prove otherwise.
Maybe, in the sleazy hot bed of act/nat politics, amnesia has mutated into a wind borne virus that atacks blue rinse dullards.
If the thought of TB in S.Auk spreading north isn’t worry enough, Epsom voters must be really bricking it.
Key’s quotes are a gold mine, but it would help if Mallard/Shearer could avoid getting them wrong, like yesterday.
Here’s the money quote, which Labour’s researchers seem to have missed. It took 5 seconds to find.
“The appointment of a minister to Cabinet has to be done on the basis that as Prime Minister I can look that person in the eye and have confidence that I can rely on their word.”
(Herald, Aug 30 2008)
Italics added. John Key has deliberately avoided looking Banks in the eye, according to his own account. He left it to a staffer, on the phone. Ask him why.
(for pedants, yes, Banks is a Minister but not in Cabinet. Irrelevant).
If you guys need more help doing basic research, let me know.
Let me get this straight.
Banks takes $50k donation and calls it anonymous .
Your candidate , the great Len takes $499k of anonymous donations , and don’t say that he has no idea where the money came from, and that’s ok .
Of course it is because he’s a socialist and anything they do to gain power is acceptable.
I’m so pleased the majority of people in this country have a brain
“I’m so pleased the majority of people in this country have a brain”
Which is probably why in each of the two polls I’ve seen, over 70% think Banks should be stood down.
But well done. You’re the first apologist for these shonky deals I’ve seen outside of the pm’s office.
Carry on like this and surely it won’t be too long before all like you drown out rightful condemnation.
You’re like an alternate universe ‘Wolfie’ Smith.
We’ll keep the blue flag flying here
Kim Dotcom will earn my grateful gratitude if his revelations bring Banks down..Good on him !