Hodgson Still Defiant
According to a story on Stuff this afternoon, Labour will not be paying back the pledge card money under any circumstances.
Mr Hodgson was asked today on National Radio whether Labour would pay back money on election campaign advertising a preliminary investigation by the auditor general found to be unlawful.
“No, we won’t pay the money back,” Mr Hodgson said.
One reason that Hodgson gives is that the spending in 2005 was almost identical to the spending in 2002 and 1999, i.e. we’ve done it before so it must be OK. By this logic it’s fine to arrest a murderer but once they become a serial killer stopping them would be unfair.
The other reason is that the Auditor-General’s judgement came out after the expenditure had been made. Yes, Pete, that’s how cause and effect works on this planet. First you do something wrong and then the judgement for that wrongdoing is passed. It’s very difficult to get things the other way round.
Using the leader’s fund for election advertising has been explicitly banned for a long time. The only change in the rules is that Labour is finally going to be held accountable for breaking them.
September 12th, 2006 at 7:49 pm
Hi Bernard,
Regarding the pay back issue, it seems to me that the Auditor General has no alternative option than to resign. Given that Labour has no faith in the Auditor General’s decision making.
“The auditor general’s “re-interpretation” of the rules did not lead Labour to accept the money should be paid back.
I think the auditor general is wrong.”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3794879a10,00.html
September 13th, 2006 at 7:53 am
Having worked for the auditors-general of New Zealand and the Northern Territory of Australia I find this behaviour disturbing. The auditor-general is an impartial referee, and we should be grateful that Mr Brady is firm and fair. One possible option is for the AG to consider the $800k to be a material item in terms of its nature, rather than its dollar amount, and therefore the Balance Sheet should record a debt owing by Labour to Parlimentary Services. The resign option is there, but do we really want Brady replaced by a patsy? Occasionally in my work I have been intimidated and even physically threatened, but ONLY in private sector audits, NEVER in government departmental audits. Brady must be feeling quite ropable with the lies by Clark, Cullen, Hodgson and co directed at his judgement. Brady’s opinion is in complete agreement with the Chief Electoral Officer, the New Zealand Police and the Solicitor General.
September 13th, 2006 at 8:31 am
“The resign option is there, but do we really want Brady replaced by a patsy?”
True enough.
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