Helen Clark on Checkpoint

Published: September 12, 2008

by frog

I’ve just been listening to the Prime Minister’s interview with Mary Wilson this evening and have got three comments I’d like to make.  First she said in relation to her not disclosing her knowledge about the conflicting evidence in relation to Mr Peters’ story relating to Mr Glenn’s $100,000 donation:

It wasn’t my job to hold a press conference and say I’ve had two private conversations… This is a matter between Mr Peters and Mr Glenn.

Now, I don’t know whose side of the story I believe or what the Privileges Committee will or should find.  But surely the reason the issue is before the Privileges Committee at all is because it is more than just a private matter between Mr Peters and Mr Glenn.  It is a matter of public interest. I’m not at all convinced the Prime Minister can credibly run the ‘it was private and it was none of my business’ defense.

Secondly she repeatedly said throughout the interview that this election would be about trust.  That worries me, because I inferred from that that she intends this campaign to be a dirty one where Labour will go out to prove that National is not trustworthy (and the PM says as much in the interview).  The last thing New Zealand needs after the 2005 election is an attacking, dirty campaign. Labour could still still, if it wanted, run on its record without turning this campaign into a nasty, personalised and muddy one.  I hope it will (and likewise other parties).

And, talking about running on your record, the Prime Minister says something like (apologies I didn’t manage to write down the full quote as she was talking):

It frankly isn’t credible for the National Party to spend years attacking Kiwisaver, Working for Families, 20 hours free early childhood education, cheaper doctors’ fees, and then turn around and say ‘we like all that now’.  That’s serious.  People who do that cannot be trusted.

Except that this is exactly the approach that Labour is taking on important environmental policies. It has spent three terms overseeing increased carbon emissions, deforestation, intensifying industrial dairy and worsening water quality.  And is now saying it is the ‘sustainability’ party. It may want to be careful about the emotive terms it uses to frame this election.

frog says

Published in Campaign | Environment & Resource Management | Justice & Democracy | Media by frog on Fri, September 12th, 2008   

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