Exit Strategy
Audrey Young, the NZ Herald’s political editor has a good piece out this morning, One One Exit For Labour. She notes that Labour’s fightback against National can only last so long because, even trying to bully National as much as they like, ultimately they have to contend with the Auditor-General’s findings. And even then they can’t do the only sensible thing and look humbled a) because they don’t know how to, always being right and all, and b)
Contrition will be out of the question if it implies in any way that Labour knowingly bent, stretched or flouted funding rules before the close election, because that meets the legal definition of a corrupt practice.
Bugger.
Young suggests that the only way to calm the waters will be to get out the chequebook. I, along with others, have said that paying it back isn’t enough. Labour knowingly stole public money to fund their election campaign, breaking the fundamental rules that separate liberal democracy from dictatorship, they refuse to admit fault even with overwhelming evidence against them, they have obfuscated and shamelessly tried to get their arms further into the till, they regard “honesty” as a political slogan with no real meaning, and they have issued threats against media outlets and opposition members who point out their misdeeds.
The only acceptable conclusion is that Helen Clark and her cronies go. She is not fit to govern. I don’t care if they resign or if more honest Labour members launch a coup against the cabal that is destroying their party. The Clark regime’s time is up.
September 9th, 2006 at 6:27 pm
I agree, the Clark regime must go. It is a minority, lame duck government who have a voting member “on-leave”. The election they come in on is now highly suspect, probably illegal and perhaps should be declared void by an impartial Electoral office.
Get them out before the go nuclear and do more damage to our democracy. The Aucland city supersizing is a good example of the kind of damaging legislation this loose cannon regime is now capable of.
September 10th, 2006 at 8:29 am
I posted this as soon as the Electoral Officers judgement came out:
labour has lost the moral authority to govern
Even in New South Wales the premier would have resigned given that judgement.
kiwitaxpayer writes:
should be declared void by an impartial Electoral office.
the electoral office doesn’t get to declare elections void:
it does get to declare parties and leaders corrput - and it has done this
THe Labour Right - Margaret Pope, Mike Moore & co - have already smelt blood and come out attacking Helen harded that almost anyone:
what more does it take!
but we should be very clear - Labour must go now; there neds to be no new election, Don should be PM for three years.
September 11th, 2006 at 9:01 am
Sorry Sinner I have to disagree with you there - if Labour does indeed fall on this then there still needs to be a new election, we cannot have the other parties inheriting by default.