[Picture of a sign reading "No" goes here]
I don’t generally post entries here about politics in general, and especially not about NZ politics because (a) apart from some tinkering around the edges, the two main NZ political parties are very similar, and (b) politics and the parliamentary process is generally as pointless, and as childish, as any random schoolyard at lunchtime.
I know people who blog about nothing but politics. I don’t know how they stand it.
Given all that, it’s very amusing to watch Winston Peters in absolutely Full Effect at the moment, lashing out at the media and reporters for .. well, for reporting the various accusations of corruption currently flying at him regarding alledged lies on his part about donations from Owen Glenn.
It’s even more amusing, though, to watch Helen Clark fail to stand him down from his seriously-not-a-bauble-of-office non-cabinet they’re-not-junkets, they’re-fact-finding-missions position as Minister of Foreign Affairs, especially when she has previously stood down ministers for the political equivalent of not sending her a Christmas card.
As for the accusations themselves, I make no call on it – only the privileges committee will have all the evidence, and any information source I have access to will surely not. But I do tend to think that Glenn has little motive to lie about who solicited his donation, whereas Winston surely does.