Posts by Alfie
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
Scott Yorke -- John Key’s Prime Ministership has an off button
-
Speaker David Carter has ruled that Key was wrong when he refused to answer questions about Slater in parliament yesterday.
Having reviewed Mr Key's responses overnight, Mr Carter today said that was likely correct for most of Dr Norman's questions. However, one where Dr Norman asked if Slater was correct when he said Mr Key had told him the mother of a car crash victim was "the same woman f-ing feral bitch that screams at him when he goes to Pike River meetings" should have been answered.
The question "made a connection to the actions of the Prime Minister in response to Pike River Mine Tragedy," Mr Carter said.
"A connection having been made to a matter of ministerial responsibility an informative answer should be given."
Naturally, Key denies he was being deceptive and comes out with the following piece of meaningless dribble.
"At the end of the day, people have a variety of different relationships with different people."
-
Here's David Fisher's speech in the Herald. And it appears to be in full.
-
Getting back to the original subject... Nicky Hager is initiating legal action against the Police following the raid on his home.
-
Key played super-evasive in parliament yesterday when responding to questions about his communications with Slater.
Norman asked Key how many times he had spoken to Whale Oil blogger Cameron Slater or sent a text.
"None in my capacity as Prime Minister," Key replied. That wording was very deliberate.
Key's argument is that any communications with Slater occurred in his capacity as leader of the National Party, not as Prime Minister. The distinction is important. It allows Key to wriggle free from his detractors, even if it is not very becoming.
As Prime Minister, Key is accountable to Parliament for his Government's actions. He is not accountable to Parliament for the actions and behaviour of the National Party. Any Opposition question straying into the latter's territory must be ruled out of order by Parliament's Speaker.
Labour's Chris Hipkins, however, sought to close off this escape route by asking whether Key had ever phoned or sent a text to Slater on his Government-supplied phone.
"I am not 100 per cent sure of that," Key replied to mocking laughter from the Opposition benches.
Given Key's earlier comment that he calls and texts Slater regularly, it's up to the opposition to nail down the facts and not let up on this line of questioning. Of course a record exists of all calls and texts made from Key's phone. I wonder how long it would take for an OIA request on this subject to receive a response?
-
John Armstrong reckons that the 'rotten smell' of Dirty Politics will continue to linger for the Nats.
True, National has suffered casualties. Judith Collins was sacked. Jason Ede has exited. Or was exited.
There are men and women of honour at the higher levels of the Beehive - Bill English, Gerry Brownlee, Anne Tolley and Chris Finlayson come to mind - who must be appalled by what was being done in the name of the party for which they serve. But no one in National has yet to express any regrets.
It might be politically wise to do so, however. The new Parliament is up and running. Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First yesterday all flagged they would be using whatever mechanisms available to them to make those responsible for National's dirty tricks accountable for their actions.
National might think it is all over. It might be just the beginning.
-
Hard News: The Hager saga continues, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,
They are just a bunch of nodding John Keys smiling and waving on the dashboard.
Nice imagery, Sofie. Absolutely nothing has changed -- apart from accountability being subbed out to a private company and away from public scrutiny. Moving right along, folks.
-
Hard News: 2014: The Meth Election, in reply to Shulgin,
WTF? Does that post make any sense to anyone? Or am I just having a slow day?
-
Hard News: The Hager saga continues, in reply to nzlemming,
I missed that. Is it online?
Nothing to see yet. Just a massive list of job vacancies which implies the head honcho sees himself as a journalist... or something.
-
Today's Stuff editorial basically outlines four reasons not to trust John Key in any future overhaul of our (his) spying legislation.