Island Life by David Slack

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Island Life: The resignation of Captain Worth

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  • Craig Ranapia,

    Ah, so you are running with the "it's Labours fault" line as well.

    I'm running with my consistent "is the exercise of editorial judgement in the job description of anyone in the media any more?" line. 'm actually struggling to see any news value or legitimate public interest in 'outing' the woman, and if you can enlighten me on that score I'd be grateful.

    I did my PAR piece on the subject then junked it because 1) its borderline defamatory of various persons at both Three and TVNZ, and 2) why not actually do something positive for our 100th show? For once, I think a little self-censorship was entirely appropriate.

    And I don't know how many times this needs to be repeated before someone gets it, but I'm exceedingly unimpressed with anyone in this tawdry saga. Though to be fair, it looks like both Key and Goff have decided to STFU (both declined to return Morning Report's calls, anyway). Better late than never, I guess.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I believe the Standard have moved their webhosting offshore to prevent libel actions shutting them down.

    Well, I guess outsourcing your toxic waste dumps isn't an act without precedent. Funny how the much decried MSM doesn't get to exploit that loophole...

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    Apologies Craig. I seem to have mis-interpreted your earlier comment.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Just thinking,

    "Though to be fair, it looks like both Key and Goff have decided to STFU ..."

    I therefore expect the an announcement by the Police.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Apologies Craig. I seem to have mis-interpreted your earlier comment.

    Thanks, Don -- especially when I've been known to grab the wrong end of the stick and try to beat the person on the other end to death. Brain matter is such a persistent stain. :)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    As opposed perhaps to our oleaginous friend who outed the complainant?

    One thing that bugged me about that comment, Sasha, is that it seems to buy into the idea that if something appears on a blog (or a tabloid or Investigate) then allegedly respectable "mainstream" media gets plausible deniability for rolling in the poo. You might want to ask Helen Clark and Don Brash how much they'd pay for that specious bit of self-justification.

    I also think the New Zealand Herald, TVNZ, Three and various Fairfax papers should be held fully accountable for their own content, don't you? My judgement of Mr. Slater is that I don't reward him with traffic, so I'll have to take your word about him being first to "out" that woman. I'd just respectfully suggest folks should be a little careful about suggesting National leaked it to him, as opposed to someone with too much time and not enough of a life doing some digging based on clues that were out there.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Personally I'd just like to see John Key take the damn text messages, by whatever means gets them into his hands, and then do whatever is appropriate to Worth.

    Several days of stupid arguments seem to have lost the fact that a member of parliament was apparently sexually harassing someone.

    This standoff between the prime minister and someone who seems simply to be the victim of harassment is idiotic and unbecoming of the position of PM.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Several days of stupid arguments seem to have lost the fact that a member of parliament was apparently sexually harassing someone.

    Well, there is a Police investigation of an actual complaint in train. Just saying.

    This standoff between the prime minister and someone who seems simply to be the victim of harassment is idiotic and unbecoming of the position of PM.

    Sorry for repeating myself, but I don't think Goff or the media have exactly covered themselves in glory as opposed to something a little more fragrant. If anything positive is going to come out of this, I really hope there's going to be some reality checks cashed around Parliament that sexual harassment really isn't a game. But my inner cynic is suggesting that I don't threaten to hold my breath while doing so.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F,

    Definitely a low baseline comparison, but Garth George is somewhat closer to making sense than normal.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Definitely a low baseline comparison, but Garth George is somewhat closer to making sense than normal.

    That's not so much a low baseline, as burying it at the bottom of the Marianas Trench. And some might think that a man whose byline photo resembles the universe's oldest -- and angriest -- Romulan would avoid bitchy cracks about "a sexagenarian spare part".

    And describing a litigious cat fight between Ratshit Glaucoma and Bitch-it Saunders as "high society" is an insult to his country neighbours. :)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Sorry for repeating myself, but I don't think Goff or the media have exactly covered themselves in glory as opposed to something a little more fragrant.

    I think he did better than Key at step 1, which was bringing the matter to Key's attention in confidence, at which point Key didn't even look at the text messages, but simply asked Worth if they were true.

    From then on, it's been a pretty epic fail on the PMs part. His insistence that she give the messages to his chief of staff is weird. I suspect she wants as few people as possible to see them, and I fail to see why he shouldn't respect that, her being the victim and all.

    Any sense beginning with "But Goff didn't/did..." doesn't absolve Key of his responsibilities in the matter.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Definitely a low baseline comparison, but Garth George is somewhat closer to making sense than normal.

    Did anybody else get the impression he used the word "sexegenarian" with some relish?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Jake Pollock,

    I'm barely resisting the temptation to say something vile about mayonnaise, Russell.

    Raumati South • Since Nov 2006 • 489 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Any sense beginning with "But Goff didn't/did..." doesn't absolve Key of his responsibilities in the matter.

    Never said it did, but I stand by my comment that Goff's not got any moral high ground to posture on himself. God, hand over the fucking texts already and be done with it.

    From then on, it's been a pretty epic fail on the PMs part. His insistence that she give the messages to his chief of staff is weird.

    I thought it was weird that Key was agreeing to the meeting in the first place, and could someone explain to me exactly what it's supposed to achieve? I'd seriously like to know. I find it hard to believe that Clark didn't keep herself at arms length from any investigation of the alleged sex-capades of Messers Samuels and Benson-Pope and see nothing "weird" about that at all. Don't think Heather Simpson required micro-management.

    Oh, and could we also keep up that niggling formality of distinguishing between allegations and proven offences?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Did anybody else get the impression he used the word "sexegenarian" with some relish?

    I'm sure its the closest he gets to sex. If anyone is in more dire need of a blow job, they have my sympathy. And if I was Lockwood Smith, I'd be feeling pretty insulted -- he's not that old. :)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    Did anybody else get the impression he used the word "sexegenarian" with some relish?

    Definitely. I guess that's the big downside of being Mr. Angry for all seasons - life's real pleasures are reduced to savouring the occasional gloat.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Craig, I agree with you about newspapers being held to a professional editorial standard, and certainly not seeking to excuse their increasingly inept handling of sensitive material. I'm saying the moral obligation also applies to amateurs like Slater who you seemed to be leaving out. That's all.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    distinguishing between allegations and proven offences?

    I strongly suspect that the allegations about Worth will turn out to allege non-criminal behaviour. Being a sleaze isn't an offence. In fact, although it's illegal for Ministers to take actual dollars in bribes, I'm not sure that a bit of nookie counts as valuable consideration.

    If the allegations don't reveal an offence, the police won't investigate further and the matters will never come before a court. So it'll be for future generations to speculate idly on Worth's guilt. Or not.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • stephen walker,

    if it were proven that a minister of the crown offered someone a public sector job or position on a public board in return for sexual favours, would that not be criminal behaviour? looks to me like if that were the case it is corruption. abuse of official power for private gain (even if it is not monetary gain).

    nagano • Since Nov 2006 • 646 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I'm saying the moral obligation also applies to amateurs like Slater who you seemed to be leaving out. That's all.

    I "leave out" Slater because I don't read his blog -- not a worthwhile use of my time. I do, however, find it amusing the people who regard him as the devil incarnate still seem to know his every move. Nowt so queer as folks, and all that.

    While I don't like the man very much, The Standard might be happy to start throwing around some pretty wild allegations (and cooking up vast right wing conspiracy theories) in his direction. I'm not. That's all.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    So, it's not just me:

    Goff has overplayed his hand, dragging things out for as long as he could and making claims about the text messages which have not lived up to expectations - most notably the text mentioning the infamous see-through blouse Worth is supposed to have suggested Choudary purchase but which turns out to be far less salacious.

    Meanwhile, questions have been mounting about why, if Goff was alarmed by Worth's alleged behaviour, it took him so long to alert the Prime Minister to what Worth was doing.

    Goff's defence is that he was hamstrung. Choudary asked him for help. She insisted on him not revealing her identity. He did the responsible thing and raised the allegations privately with the Prime Minister.He said he was given a reassurance the pestering would stop and Worth was on notice. That turned out not to be the case.

    But there is where Goff should have left it - or left it for someone else in his caucus to pursue.

    None of this absolves Worth. It just makes the whole episode more murky on all sides. There needs to be clarity over his alleged abuse of political patronage with offers of appointments to boards, quangos and other Crown entities seemingly in return for sexual favours.

    A properly functioning democracy would see such allegations put in front of an independent inquiry post haste. That is where Goff should have focused his attention.

    Now, that's not "blaming the victim" (and the Standardistas would have it) but suggesting that there are some things NOBODY shouldn't play silly-buggers with.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    A properly functioning democracy would see such allegations put in front of an independent inquiry post haste. That is where Goff should have focused his attention.

    Yes, I hope Prime Minister Goff takes action.

    All that power to do the right thing, and he just doesn't use it. I think we should throw him out at the next election. We want a properly functioning democracy, and Goff's just not delivering.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    NOBODY shouldn't

    Sooo does that mean everybody should?;)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Yes, I hope Prime Minister Goff takes action.

    Yeah, Goff is never responsible for a damn thing he does, is he?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    if it were proven that a minister of the crown offered someone a public sector job or position on a public board in return for sexual favours, would that not be criminal behaviour? looks to me like if that were the case it is corruption. abuse of official power for private gain (even if it is not monetary gain).

    I would appear that way, yes.

    In s99 of the Crimes Act 1961, " bribe means any money, valuable consideration, office, or employment, or any benefit, whether direct or indirect.".
    And at s102 we see that "(1) Every Minister of the Crown or member of the Executive Council is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years who corruptly accepts or obtains, or agrees or offers to accept or attempts to obtain, any bribe for himself or any other person in respect of any act done or omitted, or to be done or omitted, by him in his capacity as a Minister or member of the Executive Council."

    By my reading, and I'm sure Graeme will correct me if I'm wrong, it's not so much to do with the sex as to do with the offering the job. That there was sex is what makes it corrupt, but it's the job that makes it a crime. A second-year law student could shred the argument that sex constitutes a "benefit" for the purposes of defining a bribe, but a job is very definitely a bribe and it's unquestionably corrupt to be offering a job in return for getting one's end away.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

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