Friday, 25 August 2006, 4:52 pm
Column: New Zealand National Party
Plain English – Thoughts from your MP for Clutha/Southland
There is No Shame
“The New Zealand public will ultimately decide the standards of public probity in politics. If they let [... get] away with … rort, then standards of transparency and honesty will drop across the board. … New Zealand politics stays clean because all politicians have presumed the public don’t tolerate corruption, and because politicians do not want the shame of being seen as anything but squeaky clean – until now that is. … believe that … can tough it out, that if … doesn’t admit any wrongdoing, the media will eventually drop it, and the public don’t really care. … doesn’t appear to believe the idea than any rules of public probity should get in the way of [the party's] interests.”
Thanks to Jack McDonald commenting on the Standard.
Doesn’t need much elaboration.