The Role of an MP?
There’s a very useful article on Public Address, In Praise of the Auditor-General, by Jim Evans, Emeritus Professor of Law at Auckland University. The main focus of his discussion is the difference between someone’s actions as a member of Parliament and their actions as a candidate that blows away much of the fog that the Clark government has generated over this issue.
Let me return briefly to the retrospective legislation. If any Member of Parliament or party disagreed with the Auditor-General’s report it was open to them to test the issue in the courts.
Indeed they were invited to!
That the Labour Party promoted, and other parties supported, retrospective legislation to validate expenditure the Auditor-General had held unlawful was appalling.
But the alternative was to was to sort it out in a courtroom without lies, mudslinging, and obfuscation, and clearly Labour just couldn’t work in such an open, honest environment.
November 1st, 2006 at 8:58 am
Looks like the same government tactics as in the “Foreshore and Seabed” move..
When it comes to it; this Labour Party leadership is a bit gutless.
This is the sort of action you would expect from a bully with “Supply and Confidence”.
November 2nd, 2006 at 8:43 pm
Lets not forget the support provided by Winston First and Snakeoil Dunny.