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There is your higher standard of accountability

by Whaleoil on February 25, 2010

In stark contrast to the Clark years, where ministers got 10 in the sin-bin, Phil Heatley has effectively been dismissed by John Key for misuse of his Ministerial Credit Card and other irregularities which will come in in the goodness of time.

John Key had to do something with other ministers becoming a bit loose with discipline. From this day forward they will have had their attitude adjusted with an effective sacking.

Just by way of comparison, despite taking illegal donations, not declaring the donation and lying to the Privileges Committee, Helen Clark and Labour stuck by Peters till the bitter end. Clark only basically stood him down until after the election but still with full ministerial pay and privileges. Don’t forget the staunch defense of Taito Philip Field until he made the fatal decision to suggest he might go independent and then Labour dumped him faster than  shit at 30,000 feet. John Key has acted and acted fast sending a message to his cabinet and to his caucus that bullshit will not be tolerated.

Phil Heatley will stay on as MP for Whangarei.

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  • Excuse Me

    You’ve nailed the stark contrast between the standards of Key and Clark.

    Desperately sad for the promising Heatley, but the only proper thing to do in the circumstances.

  • Michaels

    It’s moments like these we see the ruthlessness of Key. And remember he did the same with the womaniser.
    But yes…. Lets not forget, let NEVER forget No Title Field and Sad oh so Dad Winnie.
    And Labour still has said nothing over Field.

  • bob

    only a b-s politician like Heatley would say “I havent lived up to my own standards”

  • david

    Eery other media outlet had this story way before you. You are just repeating their info again!!!

    What happened to your inside sources whaleboy?

  • Will Self

    Why the hell is Key saying “I don’t think he should have resigned”??? That’s stupid. Completely undercuts the high standards argument.

  • Cadwallader

    The sums are so trivial why is it an issue? The petty nature of the so-called investigative journalism says more about this country than its MPs do.

    Key has shown leadership here. Will he again if Horomia stuffs up with his usual practice of absurdity? I would hope so.

    If MPs have as much difficulty managing their credit cards as it would appear, then why not scrap the cards? The MPs could then be provided with an annual sum paid in cash which they could apply as to their personal wishes dictate.

  • Corruption For Dummies

    If Key is calling for honesty and integrity, he needs to have Nick Smith investigated for corruption, fraud, ministerial irresponsibility, negligence, deceit and bringing an entire economy into risk and ruin.

    Emissions Trading Fraud Accountability?

  • old timer

    Dont forget the other thief gerry brownlee who also rorted the ministerial lack of credit card.
    Good enough for the minister for his and his mates housing to resign it’s good enough for the minister for pies to quit the pigs back.
    Brownlee has been there long enough to know better.

  • John Boy

    Good riddance but its a hydra – another head will pop up. Its pinching again money that is not theirs to pinch for the purpose pinched for in the first place. If I can’t trust someone with $70 I’m not going to trust them with milions.

  • DONKEY

    the part that annoys me the most with this sort of decisive action is that it only happens around these issues – when is JK going to start the reform process and get NZ moving along properly – imagine this type of swift decision making on policy!

  • Will Self

    Door to Cabinet still open for Heatley, says Key
    Hell – he’s meant to be showing leadership, not saying that the guys been caught out but he shouldn;t have resigned and he’s welcome back!
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/headlines.cfm?c_id=280

  • Rob

    Have to disagree with you all on this one. In the early days of Helen Clarks Government she was absolutely ruthless, heads were lopped off left right and centre. In later years when she had to deal with coalition partners and a minority Government it became a political necessity to keep the Government in power. One good reason to get rid of MMP. We need a Government that can pass legislation, in a timely fashion, without having to endlessly negotiate with 2nd rate MP’s, who without MMP would stand zero chance of getting into Parliament. Publicity stunt gone wrong NonKey, has still shown no leadership and is still sitting on the fence “no need to resign and can come back”.

  • Corruption For Dummies

    Rob: respectfully;

    1) Klark was ‘ruthless’ to install her minions. Not through political effectiveness. Klark stuck with people who served her end. Fraud, corruption, manipulating police etc??? Familiar?
    2) There is MUCH DANGER in passing legislation through in timely fashion. Much.

    We have already seen the impacts of this danger through 9 years of rot. Yet, the rot is continuing as National pretend to be a National government;

    *Anti-Smacking = Societal destablisation of youth values to drive a dumbed down social order
    *Emissions Trading Wreck = To expunge funds from the all classes to drive a totalitarian objective; no surprises who is integral in that – Mr Clark?
    * Anti-Democracy; ignoring the public x 2

    etc, etc,

    Society needs a government with competance, pragmatism and integrity.

    These however, are wish list items and will never be achieved. Particulary when corruption and ill-agenda’s drives the prevailling political paradigm.

    Finally, Key simply does what he is told to do. Any change in the political system is a mute point and simply window dressing for the public to be eluded into ‘thinking’ they have some sort of say.

  • mediatart

    English is still in his job, so whats that high standard again. Plus Hide got caught out as well
    Plus its only been 15 months so plenty of time for Heatly to come back, as he seems a genuine person who was caught out
    The talent pool is pretty shallow.
    Wait till a Maori party minister is caught out, we will see if Key has any principles regarding ministerial accountability.

    Remember Too Clark was firm with Bunkle and Co when they had a comfortable coalition majority

  • jabba

    ffs .. how many times do you fwits need to be reminded .. English did what the rules allowed. If he didn’t he would have been kicked out by now. Tell us all what rule/law he broke.
    With Hide, he proved himself to a a hypocrite something you left wing dorks seem to have perfected to an art.

  • Drea

    know i know why i voted for John Key…. not called the smiling assasin for nothing. Now for the country. If he only had the balls to do what needs to be done.

  • mediatart

    Bullshit that what English did was ‘allowed’
    Thats why the latests expenses show zilch for English and his ‘ministerial housing’.
    He changed his trust to get around the rules and then still got caught out.

  • Rob

    Corruption for dummies – Good point well taken. We have had a change of Government but what else has changed. Looks like more of the same same to me.

  • Corruption For Dummies

    rob. setting the place up, purposefully, to fail ever come to mind?

  • Phils Tenant

    Heatley now has a well established history of corruption at the highest level. How many serious slips does it take before one must eventually fall? And why the hell is one of the most corrupt ministers in Government still an MP?? Why do constituents in his electorate continue to allow him to represent their area? Have we all gone mad? Typical, NZ indifference.

  • Rob

    Corruption for dummies – Always been a sucker for a good conspiracy theory.

  • Phils Tenant

    Just saw this headline in Herald online, ‘All MPs’ may be targetted in credit card inquiry’ Why is there are a ‘may’ in that sentence? This should be an entrenched, regular process to keep our elected officials on the straight and narrow. All MP’s should be routinely scrutinised, especially financially, just as various Government Departments scrutinise financial situations of members of the public (benefit users etc).

  • Corruption For Dummies

    Rob: fair enough. Do some digging. You may find theory is reality. The more I know the less I wish I did.

  • Sally

    Who signed off Rodney’s Crome’s trip? The “Prime Minister’s office cleared it, saying it met the criteria.”

    So really our leader John key’s sloppiness aided and abetted the shonkey rules of our parliamentarians.