Winston isn't a conspiracy theorist: Yeah Right

From Whaleoil

Where's the proof? says Peters Video
Peters addresses allegations in Parliament Video

The Winston Peters saga keep rolling on and getting even worse for the great one.

In Parliament today he had a set to with Rodney Hide, questioning him at one point on the validity of a former girlfriend.

It really is embarrassing to see a member make a fool of himself so much but not think he is foolish in doing so.

There were more revelations today over undeclared donations back in 1999. This is in addition to a secret $100,000.00 plus gift from Owen Glenn, 10s of thousands from the Vela family and over 100,000.00 solicited by Peters from Sir Bob Jones.

Mad Hatter indeed.


Related Political Animal reading

Winston Peters lost in Wonderland
Winston Circus hangover continues
Discretion was the essential part of Vela Donation
Winston Peter's Glenn donation scandal: But wait, there is more!
Peter's hangs himself in February Paul Henry Interview
Peter's admits lying about Glenn donation
Winston's silence is telling
Labour gets tangled in Peter's lies
Leaked Glenn Email
Winston got secret donations from Owen Glenn
The Owen Glenn Story: Singing the same tune but hitting a bum note

c Political Animal 2008

Winston Peters lost in Wonderland

Rodney Hide (left) and Winston Peters.

• Peters addresses allegations in Parliament today
  

Winston Peters used a couple of quotes from Alice In Wonderland in his members speech less than an hour ago.

One quote he used was directed at journalists and politicians from the National Party and its central meaning goes something like this:

If you don't know what you are talking about shut your mouth.
Winston Peters, July 30 2008

I would counter that with another quote from Alice in Wonderland, made by Alice herself. It is a direct quote:

"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?"
Alice

While we are quoting Alice in Wonderland, It is clear that Winston Peters has been taking his response to serious accusations of corruption, bribery and secret donations from a fairy tale.

In his members speech today he attacked the media, opposition politicians, and went into great detail. When asked where donations to his party went though-why secret donations were not declared, who they came from and what was done for the donors to get the donations, Winnie the Pooh is deathly silent.

Peters clearly lives in a world where up is down, down is up, black is white, white is black and secret donations to an individual or party are not really donations but gifts of little consequence.

Back to Alice.


"What is the use of a book, without pictures or conversations?"
Alice

Helen Clark should be asking for more from Peters but continues to live in Wonderland herself. She simply wants to stay in power.

This leaves the public asking themselves when they will get answer from Winston Peters and Helen Clark. It leaves us all feeling:

"Curiouser and curiouser!"
Alice

The last word though should be left to the Mock Turtle from Alice In Wonderland, for it sums up our collective thinking to Winston Peters and his denial of corruption in the face of clear evidence and his repetition of an attack mantra upon his accusers.

"What is the use of repeating all that stuff, if you don't explain it as you go on? It's by far the most confusing thing I ever heard!"
The Mock Turtle



Related Political Animal reading

Winston Circus hangover continues
Discretion was the essential part of Vela Donation
Winston Peter's Glenn donation scandal: But wait, there is more!
Peter's hangs himself in February Paul Henry Interview
Peter's admits lying about Glenn donation
Winston's silence is telling
Labour gets tangled in Peter's lies
Leaked Glenn Email
Winston got secret donations from Owen Glenn
The Owen Glenn Story: Singing the same tune but hitting a bum note

c Political Animal 2008

The Winston Circus hangover continues

Winston Peters

Peters faces questions over donations in Parliament

"This whole affair is a shameful episode of dirty politics."

Winston Peters July 29 2008


You bet it is, but it is Winston Peters that has made the scandal over his secret donations "shameful" and "dirty".

In the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, that Peters has in fact accepted secret donations from wealthy backers, this Minister has fudged the whole issue and wiggled out of the crapper by obfuscation, omission of fact and legalese. Everything but the truth.

Peters has lied. That is clear to most, except the Prime Minister, who has given her full backing to to him so she and her Labour Party can keep their last grip on power, which is quickly slipping from their fingers.

In Parliament today Peters continued the circus and came out against National's Craig Foss for having a conflict of interest owning shares and Greens co-leader Russel Norman for having an affair. Vintage Peters.

He refused to clear up the mounting accusations made against him.

The minority Labour government would topple if Peters was sacked for his failure to clear up his corrupt actions and Clarks already tattered reputation for her own law breaking and lies is further stretched because of her support for her Foreign Minister.

Corruption like this would lead to the sacking of most individuals in private employment situations.

It appears once again though that politicians, especially those from the left, are exceptions to this accepted rule.

Related Political Animal reading

Discretion was the essential part of Vela Donation
Winston Peter's Glenn donation scandal: But wait, there is more!
Peter's hangs himself in February Paul Henry Interview
Peter's admits lying about Glenn donation
Winston's silence is telling
Labour gets tangled in Peter's lies
Leaked Glenn Email
Winston got secret donations from Owen Glenn
The Owen Glenn Story: Singing the same tune but hitting a bum note

c Political Animal 2008

Images of the week: Winnie's merry dance

From Stuff.co.nz Ahh, my only friend.

The relief from the media storm that hit Winston Peters on his return from Singapore is written all over his face in this picture of himself and his new mate Condelezza Rice.

Peters after facing media on his return to NZ from Singapore, showing the strain.

c Murray Webb 2008

If Peter's corrupt practices werent so serious his performance would be one of the great stand up comedy acts rivaling the Flight of the Conchords and John Clarke combined.

c Political Animal 2008

I didn't give Winston Peters a donation

c Blanch 2008

OK, who in New Zealand didn't give little Winnie a secret donation in the past?

Faster than you can say Hanover Finance has gone bust, the latest revelation from the Dom Post is that Bob Jones has given secret money to a trust administered by Winston Peters brother .

The donation has not been declared to election officials.

Like Labour, Winston Peter's NZ First has railed heavily against secret donations from wealthy individuals and companies but has nevertheless been at the centre of controversy himself by accepting secret money from Owen Glenn, the Vela Family and now Sir Bobby.

Last year Peters and Labour were at the centre of the passing of the Electoral Finance Act, an act they contended would stop these sorts of donations in the future.

In particular, fingers were pointed at the National Party over "big money" buying favours for their donors, but the fingers have clearly been pointing right back.

There is nothing like a little bit of hypocrisy to get the mind focused.


Related Political Animal reading

I think I love you Sir Bobby
Discretion was the essential part of Vela Donation
Winston Peter's Glenn donation scandal: But wait, there is more!
Peter's hangs himself in February Paul Henry Interview
Peter's admits lying about Glenn donation
Winston's silence is telling
Labour gets tangled in Peter's lies
Leaked Glenn Email
Winston got secret donations from Owen Glenn
The Owen Glenn Story: Singing the same tune but hitting a bum note

c Political Animal 2008

Discretion was the essential part of Vela Donations

The better part of valor is discretion, in the which better part I have saved my life.
William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), 'King Henry IV part I'

Well, Peters has been discreet, until found out by the NZ Herald and the Dom Post, but his fighting spirit in the face of political danger hasn't been for the better when it comes to his survival. Helen Clark's support of him is neither discreet or advantageous to her or her party.

In Parliament today Helen Clark defended Winston Peters (Video) to the hilt.

This is in spite of overwhelming evidence that Peters took secret money from Owen Glenn, spent NZ $45,000.00 of taxpayers money on his lawyer and accepted NZ$150,000.00 from the Vela Family, a wealthy family with interests in the racing and fishing industry.

Peters is the Minister for racing and gave tax breaks to the equine industry last year.

Giving backing for Peters leaves Helen Clark in a difficult position. In supporting him she has given approval for his behaviour and as he is part of the minority government it is really incumbent on her to make a move on Peters to remove him from his position.

She has done it with countless MPs over the years who have strayed from legal or moral lines and there have been many.

However, her Party relies upon Peters to support Labour's wafer thin grip on Parliament so it is unlikely she will do anything unless she has to.

It could lead to an early election if she puts Winnie's nose out of joint.

Coming on top of secret donations from Owen Glenn to Labour, revealed earlier this year, and Labour and NZ First campaigning heavily on secret donations in relation to their passing of the Electoral Finance Act, Ms Clark has a orgasm of egg all over her face given her support for her Partner in Parliament, Mr Winston Peters.


Related Political Animal Reading

Winston Peter's Glenn donation scandal: But wait, there is more!
Peter's hangs himself in February Paul Henry Interview
Peter's admits lying about Glenn donation
Winston's silence is telling
Labour gets tangled in Peter's lies
Leaked Glenn Email
Winston got secret donations from Owen Glenn

NZ Herald Link

Helen Clark defending Winston Peters in Parliament today-Video

c Political Animal 2008

Winston Peter's Glenn donation scandal: But wait theres more!

Seems the Dom Post has been digging for gold over the Winston Peters secret donations scandal as well as the NZ Herald, who kicked it all off a week ago.

The latest revelation is that Peters has received money from the Vela family, owners of large fishing and racing interests in New Zealand.

It is thought that the Vela Family could have given up to NZ$150,000.00 and it hasn't been disclosed and must be. Donations have been made in amounts under $10,000.00 so don't have to be disclosed when made separately. Again big money going to a politician who has campaigned against the National Party for doing similar things.

The donations do not appear in NZ First's annual declarations to the Electoral Commission. A clear breach of electoral law if it is true.

The Dom Post hasn't made a direct comment on the fact that Peters has had donations from a family deeply involved in the racing industry while at the same time Peters is the Minister for racing. Political Animal will. That is corruption at the highest level, even if Peters latest donations are legal.

A second revelation by the Dom Post has been that Mr Henry, Peters Lawyer, also received at least $45,000 for legal services - paid for by Parliamentary Service funds last year.

Winston has replied in typical fashion that taxpayer money has been used to pay his legal bills:

"That is a lie."

MPs Rodney Hide and Gordon Copeland have taken a breach of privilege over Peter's secret Glenn donations to the speaker of the house, Margaret Wilson, while John Key asked Winston to apologise for misleading the public, too soft for my liking, and our great leader, Helen Clark, backs Winston all the way - why wouldn't she, her party has been arse deep in the same sort of corrupt practices.

In characteristic political fashion, something he has no doubt learnt from Helen Clark, Peters is leaving the country on another bauble filled junket.

He hasn't given a press conference, as is his want, to clear things up, so will get away with commenting until he gets back.


Related Political Animal Reading

Peter's hangs himself in February Paul Henry Interview
Peter's admits lying about Glenn donation
Winston's silence is telling
Labour gets tangled in Peter's lies
Leaked Glenn Email
Winston got secret donations from Owen Glenn

c Political Animal 2008

Peters hangs himself in February Paul Henry Interview

Back when the shite first hit the fan over Labour accepting secret donations from billionaire Owen Glenn, Winston Peters was grilled on TV One's Close Up about possible donations to NZ First.

In this interview he states at one point,in reference to being accused of accepting donations from Owen Glenn by the NZ Herald, again, " the story is categorically, emphatically and palpably untrue.

There is much more on this video pertinent to the current Peters/Glenn payola scandal, including references and reaction to Dale Jones, Party President, admitting that "there could have been a donation made".

Make your own mind up.

Peters clearly cant.


Related Political Animal Reading

Peter's admits lying about Glenn donation
Winston's silence is telling
Labour gets tangled in Peter's lies
Leaked Glenn Email
Winston got secret donations from Owen Glenn

c Political Animal 2008

Winston Peter's nose continues to grow

Winston Peters, caught out lying 2 weeks ago when email evidence confirmed that he and or his party, NZ First, had received donations from Owen Glenn, the billionaire from Monaco, denied the initial accusation revealed by Audrey Young from the NZ Herald.

This was after denials made by Peters earlier this year when secret donations from Glenn to the Labour Party were revealed.

On Friday 18 July came the bombshell that Peters said he found out from his lawyer "at 5.00pm that day" that Peters had indeed received money from Glenn for legal action taken by Peters after he challenged his big loss against National's Bill Clarkson, in the Tauranga electorate at the 2005 Election.

The twist with Peters though is that even after he was revealed as a liar the second time, himself, he now says because the money from Glenn was used to pay "an existing legal bill" it is neither he or his party that had received the donation:

Asked about pecuniary gain, Mr Peters told NZPA he did not believe he had benefited personally from the arrangement whereby his legal bills were paid by anonymous donors and he paid the shortfall.

Mr Henry(Peter's lawyer) concurred last night.

"There is nothing I am aware of where someone contributing towards a bill you have incurred needs to be declared."

Peters is in effect creating a "third entity", in the existing legal account outstanding, to dodge the fact that he was a beneficiary of Owen Glenn's largess. Legalese at its most immoral and repugnant, just like Peters stance over this matter.

What is even worse is that Peters, uncovered as a liar by Audrey Young is still being called a liar herself by Peters because she wont reveal the email evidence she has. Peters had contended last week that Young and the NZ Herald had "made it up" owed him an apology and should resign from the paper.

This kind of tough stance by Peters is characteristic of him and his political and legal past, in his long winded "winebox" saga especially. He has demanded jail, fines, apologies resignations and sackings against his political foes in the past, for imagined and actual corruption and lies.

It is a shame Winston Peters doesn't look in the mirror past his shallow facade.

Related Political Animal Reading

Peters admits lying about Glenn donation

Winston's silence is telling

Labour gets tangled in Peter's lies

Leaked Glenn Email

Winston got secret donations from Owen Glenn

Labour Party Election funding murky at best

c Political Animal 2008, c Emmerson 2008

Peter's admits lying about Glenn Donation

As pointed out in this blog last week Winston Peters lied about receiving money from billionaire Owen Glenn.

He has just been reported as saying minutes ago in the NZ Herald(story below) "he had only just found out about it" today, thereby admitting his lie, finally.

This is after he labeled Audrey Young from the Herald and the Herald itself liars for reporting that his party, NZ First, had accepted money from Glenn. Earlier this year, when it was discovered that Labour had received secret donations from Glenn, Peters was asked then if his party had received money as well, but he denied it.

His party and himself, strongly supported the Electoral Finance Act, that Peters purported that the act would, "stop big secret money from buying elections", only to accept large donations himself.

This individual has to go.

Pass me a bucket.



Peters: "I just found out Glenn gave me 100K"

8:14PM Friday July 18, 2008

Winston Peters. Photo / Mark Mitchell

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said tonight expatriate billionaire Owen Glenn donated $100,000 towards a legal action he mounted after the 2005 election, but he denied the money was given to his party and said he had only just found out about it.

Since July 12, when the Weekend Herald published an email from Mr Glenn in which the business tycoon said he had given money to NZ First, Mr Peters has angrily denied that any was received.

He has called reporters liars and called for the resignation of the Herald's editor Tim Murphy and its political editor Audrey Young. Continued

Related Political Animal Reading

Winston's silence is telling
Labour gets tangled in Peter's lies
Leaked Glenn Email
Winston got secret donations from Owen Glenn
Electoral Finance Bill: The purpose is clear

c Political Animal 2008

Winston's silence is telling

It seems more than a little hypocritical of Winston Peters to say what he calls the "National Party having secret donations from rich backers to trusts and other intermediaries to hide when the money comes from", when his party has probably been doing the same thing itself.

What is even worse is that Winnie backed and voted for the Electoral Finance Act. Something that he and its other backers said would "stop big money from buying an election".

Peters and his party have clearly been given money from ex pat billionaire Owen Glenn, there are emails and other evidence to support this. Peters still denies that he or his party have benefited from any large donation from Glenn, "into his or his party's bank account", going to the extent of asking Audrey Young, from the NZ Herald, the journo who broke the scandal, to "check his accounts".

Of course Winston or his party may not have got money directly into any of their respective accounts but money from Glenn may have been paid into a trust account, his PR company account or any other trust that Peters or his party or members operate.

Every other party in Parliament do similar things but it is usually no secret when asked by media.

In the light of evidence that Owen Glenn did give money to Peters, at least through a related party, Peters needs to front up with the truth rather than hiding his sanctimonious hypocritical manoeuvres under spin and bluster.

Yet can bet that Peters would want the full picture from anyone else in his position.

It was his trademark when he was in opposition.

Related Political Animal Reading

Labour gets tangled in Peter's lies
Leaked Glenn Email
Winston got secret donations from Owen Glenn
Labour Party Election funding murky at best
Electoral Finance Bill: The purpose is clear
The Owen Glenn Story: Singing the same tune but hitting a bum note

c Political Animal 2008

Labour gets tangled in Peter's lies

The New Zealand public all know Winston Peters has got where he has today by stretching the truth. For goodness sake he is a lawyer /politician, it is ingrained in him to lie.

The latest truth expansion lies in the big story of the week, Peter's secret donations from Owen Glenn and his denial that he got these donations, after it was revealed in the NZ Herald over the weekend, in leaked emails from NZ First PR man to Owen Glenn, that they keep secret the money given to Peters by Glenn.

Winston Peters is in a very important position in the Labour Government, as Foreign Minister. If the New Zealand public cant get the truth about the Owen Glenn donations to NZ First then we cant trust him on important issues surrounding his position as part of the Labour Government.

Helen Clark's position is a tenuous one at best. Her party relies upon support from NZ First to stay in power. If one of her "insiders", in Peter's, has an issue over honesty, then what remains of her integrity(sorry to use the "I" word) is sorely stretched to breaking point.

Now we have seen the Prime Minister lie many times before, after all she has made it the centre piece of her Labour Party administration for the last 9 years. To allow Peters to drift in the wind(to Fiji this week) over the secret donations made to NZ First by Owen Glenn simply smacks of hypocrisy and is morally corrupt at best.

Considering Ms Clark and her Party passed their Electoral Finance Act last year to stop what they said were secret large foreign money donations "buying elections" then Clark must make her move on the top poddle and its party.

Clark does have a wee problem on the Glenn front though. Their Party accepted donations from him before and after the 2005 election and their party president Mike Williams lied about it earlier this year.

We deserve the truth from our Prime Minister and Winston Peters. We are simply not getting it.

Related Political Animal Reading

Leaked Glenn Email
Winston got secret donations from Owen Glenn
Labour Party Election funding murky at best
Electoral Finance Bill: The purpose is clear
The Owen Glenn Story: Singing the same tune but hitting a bum note

c Political Animal 2008

Email excerpt condemning Winston Peters as a Liar

It just gets worse for Winston Peters. Conformation in the email below that Peters has lied to the media over the secret donations made by Owen Glenn to his NZ First Party surely must mean he should step down from his role as part of the minority Labour Government.

Like the Labour Party, Peters wanted the Glenn donations kept secret for some reason and he lied to the public to maintain that secrecy.

I guess the old adage is true, you lie down with dogs and you get fleas.

5:00AM Saturday July 12, 2008
By Audrey Young

Photo / Mark Mitchell

Controversy over secret political funding is likely to be reignited by private emails that suggest Labour's biggest donor also gave money to NZ First.

The emails suggest repeated denials by Foreign Minister Winston Peters that his New Zealand First Party received a donation from businessman Owen Glenn appear to be incorrect.

A private email from Mr Glenn to his public relations man in New Zealand says he did give the party a donation.

Mr Peters was last night sticking by his story, saying through a spokesman that Mr Glenn had not given the party money - "he did not" - but he refused any other comment.

The conflicting stories raise credibility issues, as Mr Peters produced a large "NO" sign at a press conference soon after questions of a donation to his party arose.

Prime Minister Helen Clark refused to comment last night.

While she has sacked ministers for incorrect comments, they have been Labour ministers. She runs a minority Government, relying on New Zealand First in confidence and supply votes. With an election less than five months away, she would want to avoid any conflict with Mr Peters.

The email exchange between Mr Glenn and PR man Steve Fisher, managing director of Baldwin Boyle, occurred in February this year when the Monaco-based businessman was visiting New Zealand to open the Owen G. Glenn building at the Auckland University Business School.

Mr Fisher emailed Mr Glenn on February 21 about a Herald story on the businessman's donations to political parties. He was concerned that Mr Glenn and Mr Peters continued to give the same story.

Mr Glenn, in his reply to Mr Fisher, disclosed that he gave to the party.

Steve Fisher: Our plan worked well. There is nothing new about you in here Owen. Note that Winston says you have never made a donation to NZ First, so at all costs you must stick to that line. It was definitely the right thing to do to deny the Maori party offer as well.

Owen Glenn: Steve - are you saying I should deny giving a donation to NZ First?? When I did?

Steve Fisher: No, just stick to the line of referring stuff to NZ First. What I'm saying is we don't want to contradict Winston.

Last night, Mr Glenn was in Monaco, and when asked why he had not said in February that he gave money, he said: "I made a decision not to say anything to anybody because there was so much controversy about everything. I was just there to open the business school so I just didn't want to get caught up in anything ... I elected not to say anything."

He also expressed disappointment at the fuss made over his political donations, saying: "I just don't find New Zealand a very friendly place and it's unlikely I will go back."

When Mr Glenn was in New Zealand in February, he also said he was hoping to be appointed the country's honorary consul in Monaco - a decision that would have been made by Mr Peters as Foreign Minister.

Dail Jones, NZ First party president at the time and now a list MP, fuelled speculation of a donation to his party when he told the Herald during Mr Glenn's visit that a large anonymous donation - "closer to $100,000" than $10,000 - had appeared in the party's accounts last December. condemning

But Mr Peters said the money was an aggregation of smaller donations.

Related Political Animal reading

Winston Peters got secret donations from Owen Glenn
Snouts in the trough bent out of shape
The Owen Glenn story: Singing the same tune but hitting a bum note
Labour Party Election funding murky at best

c Political Animal 2008

Winston Peters got secret donations from Owen Glenn

Ahh, Tony Veitch has had his 15 minutes of fame and now its back to politics for Journos at the NZ Herald.

Winston "Baubles" Peters has probably been caught our lying, again. When evidence uncovered in emails from John Glenn suggest that Peters got secret donations from him. This was in addition to hushed donations made by Glenn to the Labour Party before and after the 2005 election.

Peter's denials of such donations previously were strident and to the point. NO he didn't get money from Glenn.

Controversy over theft 0f $158,000 of taxpayers money still surrounds Peters and his party. He still refuses to pay it back from where it came. The taxpayer.

Ahh, come back Tony all is forgiven.

5:00AM Saturday July 12, 2008
By Audrey Young

Photo / Mark Mitchell

Controversy over secret political funding is likely to be reignited by private emails that suggest Labour's biggest donor also gave money to NZ First.

The emails suggest repeated denials by Foreign Minister Winston Peters that his New Zealand First Party received a donation from businessman Owen Glenn appear to be incorrect.

A private email from Mr Glenn to his public relations man in New Zealand says he did give the party a donation.

Mr Peters was last night sticking by his story, saying through a spokesman that Mr Glenn had not given the party money - "he did not" - but he refused any other comment.

The conflicting stories raise credibility issues, as Mr Peters produced a large "NO" sign at a press conference soon after questions of a donation to his party arose.

Continued

Related Political Animal reading

Snouts in the trough bent out of shape
The Owen Glenn story: Singing the same tune but hitting a bum note
Labour Party Election funding murky at best

c Political Animal 2008

Charity begins at the money source

Winston Peters, in much happier times.

Related nzherald links:

• Hush-hush gifts from NZ First
• NZ First to declare Charities
  

You just know it is election year when members of Winston "Baubles" Peters party, NZ First start poking their tongues out at immigrants.

Once again it was Asian immigrants who bore the brunt of the poodle party's wrath and ironically it was a 10 pound pom who was the chief protagonist.

Appealing to NZ Firsts near dead voter constituency of over 80 year olds who thinks Winston is "cute" in that Italian suit and $200 dollar haircut, immigration looks set to become the party's main platform on which to launch itself for the election.

Fantastic, xenophobia, attacks on journalists and giving to worthy causes will be Winston's three key points this year-hold your hand like a horizontal scout salute when you make those points OK.

Unfortunately for us, Winston's largess in giving to charity means we miss out on the $158,000 he purloined from the taxpayer wallet to get himself elected in 2005. Hell, even the biggest bandits of them all, The Labour Party, paid back the more than $800,000 they stole to buy the same election.

In fact I think I may employ Winston's "charitable deductions" when it comes to paying the alarm mans bill on Friday.

No Sir, I don't believe I will pay your bill, I would like to nominate we pay the food bill this week with it instead. The alarm man is bigger than me, and I suspect I might get a well deserved thick ear, even at the mere suggestion.

The arrogance of the man is only surpassed by his obvious vanity and lack of ability to do his job.

Like alot of parliamentarians, he simply is a useless wanker.

Related Political animal reading

Peter's Baubles giving him big trouble
Winston Peter's Big Baubles

c Political Animal 2008

Political Animal: Best and worst of 2007

In the spirit of this season and in the spirit of giving, Political Animal would like to hand out presents for those politicians who went above and beyond the call of duty to single themselves out for attention in 2007.

Lets face it politics is a dirty business, and politics has been especially filthy this year.

It hasn't escaped me this time of year, you creationists out there may have been looking for evidence of Darwin's evolution and modern humans relationship to our cousins the apes, and one doesn't have to look further than Parliament in Wellington to see clearly that some modern humans have failed to evolve and apes they still are.

Nail in Labour's Coffin


Emmerson NZ Herald 19 Dec 2007


In fact some in the Labour Party clearly fail to reach ape like status.

Anyway, that is enough of the serious stuff, lets get on with Political Animal's inaugural 2007 best and worst of Politics.


Man of the year

John Boscowan, for showing opposition to the Electoral Finance Act, putting his money where his mouth was and organising huge opposition to to the fascist, Stalinist, bill that will remove free speech in election year 2008.

His courage and conviction for such a noble cause, in the face of Labour lies and innuendo, where there is usually little courage and no conviction instills pride into myself and others who marched down this countries streets to fight for our rights to have our say.

Boscawan is an individual whose qualities are rarely seen in New Zealand.

He stands above all others.

Disgrace of the year

The passing of the Electoral Finance Bill.

Whopper Lie of the year (sponsored by Burger Kings vegan vege burger)

Sue Bradford, former Miss New Zealand and now Green Party member told parliament that her anti smacking bill wasn't introduced to stop parents from smacking their kids lightly to stop them from crossing the road without looking and then when the bill became an act she said this was the kind of scenario that the bill was passed for.

Best punch and bully of 2007:

The obvious choice for this is of course Trevor "The Bash" Mallard, for trying to deck Tau Henare in Parliament and then unwisely picking on several women state workers, forgetting of course that his boss is a woman....hmmmmm....oh come on Darren that is a cheap shot.

Wanker of the year (sponsored by Durex condoms)

It just has to be that best dressed clothes horse and Taurangas answer to Don King, the heavyweight boxing promoter, Winston Peters.

There is so much material about Peters in 2007 that puts him in the Wanker of the year category. His intellectual masturbatory "gifting" of $158,000 of taxpayer money to a children's hospital instead of giving it back to those it belongs to defies logic.

We all know Winnie and logic fast became strangers when he confused his balls for baubles in 2005 and decided to take the booty instead of smacking the booty of Clarke and co.

His curious affection for Condi Rice also has tongues wagging in Wellington and closer to home, the marital bed.

Leader of the year

John Key, the Leader of the National opposition party finished the year as the most preferred Prime minister and so did his party, by a country mile. He is a man who's time has come and 2008 could be his year.

Disappointment of the year

Once again John Key, he voted for the piece of crap anti smacking bill and systematically drove a wedge into his major support.

Hot air award (sponsored by Exxon Mobil)

To those of all political parties who continue to support the myth and lie of man made global warming and are heading New Zealand on a path of economic destruction and poverty not seen since the great depression and the poppy rush in Europe 400 odd years ago, for no good reason other than politics, taxation and control.

Fool of the year

Micheal Cullen wins streaks ahead of anyone else for this category.

A collective who is so confused by how economies work he thinks governments can spend taxpayer money and not have an effect on an economy but when individuals and companies spend their own money they do!

October 2011 will see this historian look back on 2008 and see that his tax cuts of that year were too little too late for the economy and also failed to have himself and his mate Helen reelected.

Quote of the year (sponsored by Carbon footprints)

"scumbag, scumbag, scumbag, rich prick.." all directed at John Key in the house in December and sums up in 3 words what Cullen and the Labour Party think about those that have made a success of themselves in life.

As long as you don't do better than anyone in the Labour Party, who are ironically mostly from very privileged backgrounds, then you are above reproach.

Micheal Cullen, extremely wealthy himself, not that here is anything wrong with that, should be praising those that do well.


Dope/s of the year

Nandor Tanchos and his party the Greens for railing against gambling, smoking, alcohol, fatty and sugary foods while at the same time advocating the use of marijuana and"party pills" .

Defies belief and conscious thought.

Perhaps the Greens were unconscious when taking their stance on the "ills of society".

Positive media stance of the year

The New Zealand Herald's stance on the Electoral Finance Act. Never before has any media got it so right.

Disgraceful media stance of the year

Russell Brown, John Campbell, Chris Trotter, Al Gore, Findlay MacDonald, and his wife and their mates from NZ's overwhelmingly leftist media pushing the spin that the left do so well.

Repeat a lie often enough and eventually people will believe it.

Racist of the year

Willie Jackson from Radio Live, who calls himself a "Political Animal", he is right on the last part.

Willie gets off on calling people who disagree with him racist while at the same time peddling something akin to the likes of Mugabe.

Little Willie, as his wife affectionately calls him, is also on the state tit and definitely has a face for radio.

To be avoided in 2008.

Caught in the headlights award (sponsored by Wilson Tennis Raquets)

To David Benson Pope for not seeing the car driven by Helen Clark, at 170km pr hr, speeding to cut him down for stuffing tennis balls in children's mouths 20 years ago while still a teacher.

Broadcaster of the year(sponsored by Newstalk ZB)

Leighton Smith, for saying it like it is on his morning show on NewsTalk ZB.

Talkback straight to the point and with intelligence, Smith took no prisoners in 2007. His education of those ignorant to the garbage extolled by the global warming zealots was a high point.

Essential listening for 2008. (back late January)

Loser of the year (sponsored by the New Zealand Labour Party)

The last but not least category is taken out by none other than our favourite Aunt, Helen Clark.

Helen takes out this years award for loser of the year for one main reason, although there are a myriad of others.

Helen managed to take her party from being ahead in the polls and her as Prime ministerial fave, to sinking any chance that her party might have in the 2008 Elections.

She got it wrong all the way through 2007.

The anti smacking bill, Electoral Finance Bill and the failure to be punished for stealing $800,000.00 of taxpayer money to buy the 2005 election were all black marks against her and her party.

The arrogance and high handedness and the dictatorial nature of her leadership let her down time and time again and even long time Labour supporters are questioning their allegiance to a person who would pass laws to stop free speech and interfere with their lives as individuals.

Political Animal wishes all its readers a very Happy Christmas and a wonderful and overwhelmingly prosperous New Year.


C Political Animal 2007

Peter Bauble's giving him big trouble

In the wake of Winston "Baubles" Peters striving, and failing, to attain positive recognition from the press and public earlier on this week by gifting $158,000.00 of taxpayer funds used to fund his 2005 election campaign, to the Starship Children's Hospital, instead of paying it back like he should have, we are likely to see not only another grab at the headlines in the coming days by trying to flog off the illegitimate funds to another charity but a flailing of arms and lips over the latest bid for Auckland Airport.

The mental masturbation of this individual has exploded all over his own face.

Peter's railed against the two previous bids by Dubai Aerospace Enterprise and The Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board and will be grabbing it with both hands again next week and giving it a good tug for airtime.

This nitwit really doesn't understand that individual shareholders like myself have property rights and it ain't up to the likes of this closet Lenin lover to rain on my rights as a property owner.

He must be reminded by voters like you and me that grandstanding for airtime, just for the sake of exposure doesn't make you right or get you the exposure that you desire.

He is manipulative, selfish, arrogant, untrustworthy and an unmitigated liar.

Lets kick him under the kerb.


C Political Animal 2007


Related reading

DAE Bid for Auckland Airport
Canadians' first bid for airport
Government market manipulation

Winston Peters Big Baubles

Winston Peters was dressed immaculately as usual, at the Electoral Finance Bill protest, Queen St Auckland New Zealand November 17, 2007.

Winston was heard to say that he is only voting for the bill because his baubles of office told him to.

When asked by a TV3 Journo what his baubles had to do with anything Peters replied, "I didn't get where I am today without large baubles".

Peters got up and addressed the crowd but finished quickly when he soon realized that there were no TV cameras trained on him and everyone was under 40 anyway, so there were no votes to be had.

When asked about the fact that the bill, if passed, would stop free speech in an Election year Peters first blamed the journalist for asking such a profound question, then said the question of free speech for the general public wasn't a problem because he spoke for all New Zealanders and knew what they wanted anyway. He added, "what was really important was that he had free speech in an election year and what is more important than that?"

Going back to the bauble question, Winston was asked where he put them for this momentous occasion because they were not at first obvious to the casual glance.

Oh, Winston curtly replied, like the mongrel of old, "Helen has them in a vice back in Parliament".

With that, his tail between his bauble less legs Winston slinked off more like a lap dog than the mongrel of yesteryear.

C Political Animal 2007

Wednesday Political Soup: Edition 4

Mallard's Fisticuffs rewarded in Cabinet Reshuffle



Trevor Mallard and the new Labour Cabinet - He's now The Speaker of the House 2017


While Helen Clark has been rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic today, her cabinet reshuffle excluded boffer boy Trevor Mallard from being demoted and therefore he has managed to walk away from the violence that he inflicted on Tau Henare last week.

No surprises that Clarke has let yet another Cabinet Minister off their responsibilities when they f up because that has been par for the course over the last 8 years. Almost a dozen ministers have been let off for their various crimes and not so mis-demeanor's.

Drunken driving, fraud, assault, dishonesty and corruption have been among the list of misadventures by ministers.

The driving force behind these lapses has of course been our own fearless leader.

Aunt Helen has stolen taxpayer money to fund an election, lied about passing the anti smacking bill, fraudulently applying her signature to a document, sped at 170km through a small town in her car and a multitude of other crimes that escape my memory at present.

She hasn't taken responsibility for any of these things

No wonder Duckman was let off the hook.


Playing snap has never been this much fun


News last week that Pita Sharples used the race card to get political exposure was rounded upon by Labour lap dog Winston Peters who agreed that yes Pita was using the race card and what was he doing using the card that he was accustomed to using leading up to an election year.

The race card was pulled out by political racist Sharples when he called the raids against terror suspects in the Uraweras racist against Maori, even though the suspects were training with illegal weapons, napalm and god knows what else-possibly army surplus swiss army knives.

Peters called snap on Pitas race card when he said Pita was using the race card by calling the raids racist and he was only doing it for political gain.

Pita subsequently snapped back that Peters was using the whole situation for political gain and criticism that he was doing the same was condemned as racist.

The game has continued but given that Peters is dressed much more immaculately than Pita, Peters is bound to win this game of snap.

Christ the race card is Peters game!

No news yet that Sharples isn't playing with a full deck.


Tizard the Joker in reshuffled Deck



News today that the Auckland issues portfolio is going to be ditched can't be much of a surprise to the Minister Judith Tizard.

She has struggled to make any headway in the big smoke and the negative legacy of her mother as the Mayor of Auckland in the 1980s lingers in the Junior Tizard's failure to get Auckland traffic moving in a forward direction.

Perhaps the single biggest loser by her was her failure to get another habour crossing anywhere close to being built.

The aging bridge is in danger of collapsing but don't worry Judith has faith that it will stay upright.

Lets cross our fingers.




Cartoon: Emmerson







c Darren Rickard 2007