In violation of the inverted pyramid model of news writing (most important factoids & points at the top) NZ Herald political writer John Armstrong buried his strongest line in the third-to-last paragraph of his narrative of Kim Dotcom’s appearance at the NZ Parliament’s Intelligence and Security committee last night:
Outside the hearing, Dotcom accused Key of lying to all New Zealanders when he had said he did not know about him. Proof of that would be presented at Dotcom’s extradition hearing. If it stands up, Key’s resignation might well be in order. It is as simple as that.
Oh, the ignominy, if those baleful events were to transpire!
Click to read at NZHerald.co.nz
Whatever’s become of Barbecue John?
– P
How would Dotcom’s supposed proof Key has met him or knew him result in Key’s resignation? I doubt most people care – he is the most popular PM we have had in decades and the alternatives are just too cringe-worthy to consider. I would imagine he would just let people decide at the next election & if he loses perhaps resign after that. But certainly not before. Just saying….
Thanks for dropping by.
Yes … I agree that *IF* Kim Dotcom did ‘prove’ (that’s a very big ‘if’) that the PM’s explicit and oft-cited statement — that he “hadn’t heard Kim Dotcom’s name” before the morning of the Hollywood-style police raids on Dotcom’s Coatesville mansion — was CLEARLY FALSE … even that certainly may not result in Mr Key’s resignation.
Indeed, Mr Key & Mr Joyce’s political management skills are
legendarynotable. Consider the skewed Sky City conference centre ‘tender process’, the shoulder-tapping of school chum Ian Fletcher as GCSB head, the death of representative democracy in Canterbury and other minor scandals.Certainly Team Joyce/Key seems much, much better at spin and damage control than their combined political opposition (Winston Peters excepted).
One imagines if there was any ‘fallout’ from just another dubious half-truth being exposed as such, it would most likely be subject to the same brazen spin doctoring par excellence which has characterised this Administration.
John Armstrong’s (implied) prediction is, as I said, ‘pretty bold’.
If John Key wants to contest the 2014 election as National Party leader, I see absolutely nothing standing in his way.
– P
Even if John Key did lie about being aware of Dotcom prior to the raid – it wouldn’t be the first time he has lied to the public. He has never resigned before – so to say he would resign over this lie is definitely a bit of over the top wishful thinking on John Armstrong’s part – in my view.
Fair enough.
Personally I don’t find John Key’s public persona any more dishonest than a typical politician.
He and Mr Joyce and their colleagues have had a pretty easy ride from the Opposition … which promoted a ‘business ethics’ approach to government, as we’ve discussed. His use of ‘outsourcing’ at the Intelligence and Security committee yesterday typified that. Brazen, with little self-awareness or respect for Constitutional hand brakes. (But that’s just an opinion.)
Some National Party stalwarts affect to be offended by any reference to this government’s cronyism and ‘stacking’ appointments in the public service — that seems to me to have been a factor in this Administration … but more than ‘typical’? No, probably not.
My sense of things is that Mr Key will leave the political stage in his own time, on his own terms (Knighthood etc.)
– P