The Minister of Racing
The news this morning that Winston Peters, the Minister of Racing, has been taking $150,000 in donations from a player in the racing industry is even more troubling than the Owen Glenn donation. At least in that instance it seems one side of the party thought he was making a standard political donation and was a bit open about doing it. Here we have an industry operator apparently deliberately making a large donation in ways that it thought did not need to be declared, and giving the money directly to Mr Peters. This hardly seems like the behaviour of an honourable member.
Kiwiblog sums up the story very well here:
Hmmn isn’t Winston Minister of Racing? And hasn’t he delivered a massive amount of money to the industry? And he has been very involved in fisheries issues also as an MP.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:38 am
Inthe words of the Leader of the NZ First Party
“He Should Apologise and Resign!”
Prophetic that he should be talking about himself eh!
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:50 pm
And why do we need government to promote gambling with tax payer money, and then use more tax payer money to cure those they managed to addict?
July 22nd, 2008 at 8:00 pm
am I right in thinking the government has been very generous to horse racing recently?
I seem to remember that they reduced the tax rate on horse racing, then allowed pokie machine revenues to be donated to racing clubs, then granted about 9 million dollars of money from general taxation to be given to horse owners whose horses win races.
Is this correct?
July 22nd, 2008 at 8:02 pm
I agree Zen.
Lets do away with the Ministry for racing, in fact on this I agree with Rodney Hide, lets do away with a lot of the ministries.
Take the axe to, Ministry of Culture and Heritage, Maori Development, P I affairs, Social development, Womans affaris..etc etc
July 22nd, 2008 at 8:03 pm
kahikatea
Yep, thats how I understand it.
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:17 pm
>>Is this correct?
They don’t donate money to our “leaders” for nothing, you know.
So Greens, how is that joke EFA coming along, then? You know, the bill Jeanette lectured us about outside parliament, like we were stupid kids who just didn’t understand?
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:00 pm
For what it’s worth, the Vela donations were for the period 1999-2003.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:53 pm
I freely admit that I do not have much time for Russell Norman or his politics but I must confess I was impressed that he was one of a few party leaders who questioned the obvious corruption that is before us in Winstons actions this afternoon in the house.
And just remember who is fervently defending this coalition partner beyond all reason at this time. According to Helen Clark tonight you could possibly even be a criminal -so long as it does not affect your performance as a minister.
The Wall Street Journal Weekend Edition, had the following anecdote in an interesting essay titled, “The Trouble with Loyalty”:
“There is the story of the politician who accused a follower of never being loyal. The follower was nonplussed. ‘But I always support you when I think you’re right,’ he said. ‘Anyone can do that,’ said the politician. ‘I want people who support me when I’m wrong.’”
July 23rd, 2008 at 8:13 am
Here’s what Partick Starr was referring to:
July 23rd, 2008 at 8:15 am
In my short experience, *that* is part and parcel of politics, even in day to day business e.g. the concept of collective responsibility in cabinet, caucus etc.
July 23rd, 2008 at 8:31 am
kahikatea
YES, you are right to think that.
Big Bro
You missed out Ethnic Affairs and a few dozen others, but not to worry, that was a good start!
ALL
It would appeart, from his radio interview this morning, that Mr Peters is going to launch a suit against the DomPost for ‘defamation’. I wonder how many people will contribute to this ‘fighting’ fund.
I often wondered how Mr. Peters could afford to issue so many writs on an MP/Minister’s income - now we know, sell favours and baubles, just like in Sri Lanka, or Vietnam, or - well, you get the picture.
July 23rd, 2008 at 8:47 am
Having lambasted Russel for not speaking out, I have to say when he did it was a good one.
Worth the wait.
And HC squirming by trying to implicate National as well with their 2005 policy (at least that policy was published, not like NZ First racing policy) earns her more demerits.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Oh well, we only have to await the election to see if the NZ voter gives a toss. I imagine not. That’s ‘Democracy’ for you
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Come on now IBMkiwi
Democracy is the ability of the people to vote for a dictatorship once in a while. WHat more do you want from it than the politics of Personality? I think the Nats should get the current all-black 1st 5/8 on the ticket as potential Minister for Sport, that way they’ll get the girls votes and be in with 70 seats!
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Has Peters no shame ? Perhaps he thinks, after being feted by all the parties that his s**t is odourless and he can commit no crime. He himself though , is an odorous little man, with the accent on the little.
July 23rd, 2008 at 4:09 pm
As for HC - she has once again shown that the ‘mates’ culture is sacrosant in NZ, much to our shame, as it is in OZ. One of the reasons that I originally left those shores was to seek a more honest land in which to use my vote. I was frustrated of course because the political culture eventually corrupts all it touches, even in the Mother of Parliaments.
On my return to the South I once again have to get used to ‘mates are OK right or wrong’ and forget about honesty, morality, and critical thinking.
One disgusting example of the ‘mates’ culture was Holmes’ exhibition of journalistic cowardice over the Vietch affair. I fear that it is all around us and comes to the fore in domestic violence, drink driving, pub brawls, gang rivalry, etc.etc.
I can honestly say that if my ‘mate’ did what Peters has done, he would be shown the door pronto. Only my humble opinion. Please give me examples of where I’m wrong on this.
July 23rd, 2008 at 5:03 pm
bigblukiwi, I agree completely.
The Holmes interview with Vietch was one of the worst examples of journalistic sycophancy (and partiarchal arrogance) I have ever seen. “He’s my mate, right or wrong, so I’ll give him an easy ride”.
I guess Vietch’s ex must have done or said something to deserve a good kicking, eh, Paul?
As for Winston, well, he’s kind of got Helen by the short and curlies. If she dumps him, she’s got to deal with the Greens big time and make major concessions to them avoid an early election which would see her inevitably lose power. Having seen Winnie as the safe option who didn’t want to much in policy (apart, it seems, from some big financial concessions to the racing industry), but just the baubles of office, Helen doesn’t want to swallow that dead rat right now.
July 23rd, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Doing what she should do, and knows it I’ll warrant, would be called political courage in my book, something this Govt. has shown a particular lack of right along. Roll on November when they will kicked into touch where they belong.
Frankly dealing with light weight Key will be easy-peasy compared to this ‘person’ & her cronies. I thought Blair had sunk very low, but this takes the biscuit.
July 23rd, 2008 at 7:14 pm
bigblukiwi said: Frankly dealing with light weight Key will be easy-peasy compared to this ‘person’ …
Not so sure about that. Key is rather naive, but there are some very dangerous and smooth political operators in the Nat ranks - McCully [the Dark Side] - the one Nat MP I totally despise, Smith (Nick, I mean - Lockwood is a dickhead), Collins, who is still very much into the “blame the victim” mentality re beneficiaries.
Anyway, despite Key’s lightweight appearance, I suspect the Greens doing deals with the Nats and actually winning on policy ain’t going to be so easy as you might think bigblukiwi.
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Well if there is no such thing as ‘bad’ publicity; Winston is sure getting the lion’s share of media attention.
I think they are peaking a bit soon
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Toad - we’ll see how it pans out. So much depends on the seat arithmetic. Interesting times no doubt.
January 6th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Stephen R - man it may be ‘part and parcel’ of politics… but that is no excuse, and no reason to think that this is acceptable…
January 6th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Man, you came out of the blue. Can’t really figure out what exactly i was referring to, but certainly wasn’t condoning anything.