In 2008 Labour tried to convince voters the election was about trust.
They were attempting to convince us that they could be trusted but John Key and National couldn’t.
Their record (pledge card, Electoral Finance Act, support for Winston Peters and Phillip Field . . . ) and their inability to find any dirt on Key foiled that plan.
This term National has worked hard to show it can be trusted, even in the face of financial and natural disasters beyond its control which provided the opportunity to be much tougher.
Labour however, has been inept in opposition which means it can’t be trusted in government.
One reason for its poor performance has been the propensity for its MPs to let down themselves and their party.
Even now, on the eve of an election when staying on message and keeping out of the news for the wrong things is so important, MP Charles Chauvel has been caught out.
On Friday Kiwiblog showed an email he’d written with a letter to the editor for a lawyer to send to the Dominion Post and today he has evidence that Chauvel breached standing orders with a media release which aimed to make him look good.
The first is stupid, the second is a contempt of standing orders both provide yet more reasons not to trust Labour and Kiwiblog is promising part III of this tomorrow.
Homepaddock 
Does that behaviour from Charles Chauvel cancel out John Key’s reputed lying about the downgrades, Ele?
“In the House last week, John Key said:
“[S&P] did go on to say, though, that if there was a change of Government, that downgrade would be much more likely.”
Don’t know about you but that just didn’t seem credible. No international body like S&P is going to risk its relationship with future governments by making such remarks.
Sure enough:
Standard and Poor’s sovereign rating analyst Kyran Curry, who attended the meeting in Auckland, said that would not have happened.
“In Auckland last month, I might have talked about the importance of the Government maintaining a strong fiscal position in the medium term but I would never have touched on individual parties.
“It is something we just don’t do,” Mr Curry said. “We don’t rate political parties. We rate Governments.”
Another Key lie exposed.”
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“Two wrongs don’t make a right” – you know that as well as anyone, Rg. Of course rating agencies make those remarks, but are a little reticent in public because it is not a good look for them. So nothing you say is technically incorrect – just naive. Mr. Curry will be well aware of the standard of the Opposition, and he will also be concerned should there be a change of political direction in Government given this parlous state of opposition.
Now to Hp’s post which you clumsily tried to side-step. Mr Chauvel is Chair of the Parliamentary Privileges Committee so his timing is impeccable – and his contempt of Standing Orders cannot be tried.
Another example of loose political morals on the left.
While on the subject of the left can you convince me Ms Delahunty is in tune with Green policy to work more closely with Government?
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Delahunty is pure gold .. she should be tucked away out of sight .. aye Bob?
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Isn’t that a Turkish name, “jabba’?
If, as you propose, Catherine was ‘gold’, why would anyone want to ‘tuck her away out of sight’? Your Miiddle-Eastern logic eludes me ‘Jabba’ (or is that Pakistani? Hindi?)
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Ele, have you seen the segment on Key and his claims about the credit rating agencies on TV3 News tonight? You so often tell us how much you admire John. Can you tell us your thoughts about his appearance tonight – what he said, how he said it and whether he’s telling the truth or not?
Thanks.
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Becuse it’s about trust, isn’t it?
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“Becuse it’s about trust, isn’t it?”
Yep. Thats why National is around 50% in the polls and Key a lot higher. Its why the greens pulled a candidate for astroturfing.. but have since been caught by the moderators of “Reddit” for the same offense.
JC
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Delahunty is pure Gold for those who think the Greens are a bunch of hypocrites such as yourself Booby which is why you and your fellow travellers should keep her away from those who don’t know her.
I hear you are thinking about TRYING to enter politics again even after your failed attempt all those years ago
Might be easier to hide away in Riverton though I guess
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bOb, did you miss the previous post about the power being in the middle or are you too embarrassed?
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jc – what did you think of Key’s performance on TV3 tonight? It’s all about trust, I agree and wonder how trustworthy you judged Key to be, following that performance. I’d appreciate your reasoned assessment.
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I’m hoping Ele will comment also, it being her blog and all.
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Yep Robert, John Key messed up there which is the second time in a week he has messed up, the other being not keeping his mouth shut over the Feely champagne business but flicking it off as trivial which looks like going into bat for a crony to me.
Problem is though who is the alternative? For all his faults he is the best of a very woeful bunch, in fact the others are worse than woeful sigh
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Urban dictionary describes woeful
‘an expression of sad tidings or events.’
‘we’ve run out of toilet paper? Woeful…’
The truth of the matter is we have run out of any person in power that we can trust.
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I appreciate your candour, Andrei and feel your pain, Sally.
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Robert I trust the pain you felt has been worthwhile.
Must go and look at the messedup messiah on TV3.
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Wow! That was so revealing! The Party faithful will have to get out and change their bill boards.
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It wasn’t pretty, Sally, was it. I still hope to hear from Ele.
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Sheesh Robert; I thought it was only my blog where you were trying to fly this kite, but you are bullying the lovely Ele as well.
Your behaviour really is obnoxious at times. Have you ever reflected on how your hectoring and whining reflects on the Greens?
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Fredinthegrass said
Well spotted Fred. That’s Robert’s modus operandi; take an issue that he wants ti get traction on, and then parasite-like try to run the story on a blog-post that someone else has gone to the time and trouble to prepare. Not only is it grossly discourteous to the host or hostess (he’s tried the same thing at Keeping Stock on this issue), but it paints Robert as a small-minded and bitter soul, whose own blog doesn’t get the same patronage as the ones he gets a free ride from.
I have just two words for him: tickets please. The free ride is about to come to an end, and I urge Ele to take a similar stance, except that she’s probably far too nice and gracious to do so.
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Robert, you have to get over your anxiety over my not responding to everything you say. I was away from the computer from early afternoon and got home late.
Posts appeared in my absence because I’d written them earlier and used time delay for publishing as I usually do when I’m going to be busy or away.
As for what I think – ratings agencies rightly don’t comment on parties but I am sure Labour’s policies which will require higher debt, mucking about with GST and a capital gains tax with no details would make a downgrade more likely.
But what you really want me to do is criticise the PM and of course I’m not going to do that. He got carried away in the heat of debate and used S&P when he shouldn’t have.
Andrei – he’s human, just like us and even the best of us won’t get it right every time.
Thanks Fred & I2 for highlighting the side step.
Given that the post was about trust, Robert’s comments aren’t off-topic but as you point out do ignore the issue of Chauvel’s behaviour.
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Thank you, Ele. I appreciate your response and no, I don’t expect you to criticise the PM, ever, no matter what he might do or have done. ‘He got carried away’ is the best I’ll get I’m sure but at least you acknowledge the incident. I should have slipped in a question about the throat-slitting thing and got something from you about that shameful business as well.
Must go, got a train to catch.
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Still sidestepping, Rg. IMHE you are a sly old dog – bit like an eye dog I once was working with – always trying to subvert the subject, and never facing the real issue. You have forced Hp to respond. Now how about doing her the courtesy of responding to the thread of Monsieur Chauvel and his dubious behavior. Or is it too close to the ‘bone’?
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Fred – not close to any of my bones. If a Labour MP has done wrong, flay them as long as you like, just as you would Key if he had done something wrong. Which he clearly has, though I’ve heard nothing from you on that issue, you sly old fox. I suppose you are in denial, or at least thinking that refusing the acknowledge the existence of something means it never existed.
Chauvel having ‘breached standing orders with a press release’ does sound scurrilous. Key’s behaviour over his Standard and Poors claims – what’s the word for that, Fred?
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“A down grade would be more likely under a labour govt”
Might be your and John Keys’ opinion, thats fine.
But its not Standard and Poors,
Why do you think John Key lied about this?
Do you think that lying in Parliament is ok?
Apologies for being off topic,but gave up waiting for you to post on
this matter.
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Scotty like Robert you’re skirting the issue raised in the post but not exactly off-topic.
As I said to Robert the PM shouldn’t have used S&P that way although I can see how it would happen in the heat of debate.
But it’s not so much what he said in the heat of the moment as his response that’s made it a problem. He should have done as he usually does – admit he got it wrong and apologised.
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I’m admiring you more and more, Ele. Your stable-mate, Inv2 however, won’t touch this topic with a barge-pole 🙂
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Key and S&P – an error of judgement. People make them all the time – All Blacks, politicians, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates – even great people like Green Party candidate partners. Get a life, Rg, and focus on the important issues. Beginning to see why your lagoon is full of the sticky stuff!
Mind you, just by entering, and continuing, this debate I’ve been cleverly sucked in!!!!!
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