It is interesting to see mainstream media reaction to Ian Wishart's major scoop in his TGIF Edition electronic newspaper.
Wishart's expose' of donations to Labour for a New Zealand passport have had exposure in the New Zealand Herald:
The Herald on Sunday understands Yang Liu donated $5000 to Cabinet minister Chris Carter's Te Atatu electorate committee before the last election. Wagering a bob each way, he also met National's John Key and donated another $5000 to that party.
We find out additionally that National have received a donation also, but they were not aware of his dodgy background, Labour was, and that is the story here. We also know that larger donors usually give similar donations to each major party so as to not show bias or arouse any suspicion.
We can all surmise who was given the 5000 first.
From Stuff.co.nz , NZ Heralds main competitor, we have nothing at all.
This is their alternative headline instead:
An Australian bookmaker has John Key as a certainty to be our next prime minister, while the odds on Helen Clark retaining her job have blown out to $A5.
No wonder I don't buy the Sunday Star Times anymore(I don't buy the Herald anymore either for different reasons).
If you dont look past TV3s misleading main headline and first paragraph,which is the way many people get their news, you could be forgiven for thinking that National have done something horribly wrong:
The thorny issue of political donations is back, only this time it is not New Zealand First but Labour and National who are on the receiving end. Both parties have accepted money from a man called 'Bill Liu' who is reported to be a criminal in China, his country of birth...
It is not until well into the TV3 story that you get to the meat of the matter, that Labour have turned a blind eye to Yang Liu's dodgy past and given him a New Zealand Passport. Receiving $5000 from him at the same time is, once again, the story.
Tv One had a story last night on the scandal but I cannot find anything on their website. Instead we have this as the leading political story:
A Fairfax Nielsen poll has the Labour party languishing at 33% , but Helen Clark remains a popular choice to lead the country... more
A rehashing of the Fairfax Poll out on Friday and good spin for Labour.
The Labour Party Blog, The Standard, took a while to get spinning but the laughs just keep coming from them in The best that They've got? :
The allegation of corruption is simply dumb. Liu gave a small amount of money to both major parties, the Minister correctly stood aside from the decision given his personal acquaintance with Liu. The idea that Labour is giving citizenship to people who give them $5000 donations is laughable, the guy isn’t even a Labour man he has just been getting to know politicians, regardless of party. Indeed, he seems to have known National better.
Of course National are not the government and they didn't grant a passport to an individual who also gave money to them. Labour did, and that, yet again, is the story here.
]We need to know more.
The best that "they" can come up with? Very conspiratorial if you ask me.
The they that the Labour Party writer talks about is but one person, Ian Wishart, not a leftist Labour Party cabal set up to dig insubstantial dirt on National as has been the Labour Party's modus operandi for many years and especially over the last few months.
No wonder I am bitter and twisted.
At least I still have my looks to fall back on.
Passport scandal @ Political Animal
c Political Animal 2008
