The Winston Allegations

TVNZ reported last night on allegations that there were “cash payments from Simunovich Fisheries to Winston Peters” and these have been made by way of a sworn affadavit, meaning criminal sanctions are possible if the affadavit is false.

Various MPs have been playing pass the parcel with the affadavit, none of them wanting to be seen to be endorsing the allegations, which are at this stage unsubstantiated.

Peters really need somethign more convincing though than claiming they are simply part of a vendeta by Bill Ralston.

There is an irony in Peters facing such allegations, as he built his political career on making unfounded false allegations against dozens of people, destroying many careers un the process.

The role of Ross Muerant is potentially pivotal in all this. He was once a National MP also, and few have good memories of him. He became a ROC MP and was eventually sacked by Bolger as an Under Secretary when (IIRC) he refused to accept that one can not be a member of the Executive, and also be a director of a Russian tax dodge bank registered in Vanuatu.