Goff says he would do it again

Phil Goff has effectively said in the NZ Herald that conversations with foreign VIPs are normally “absolutely confidential” unless he thinks he can score political points by releasing them. I am amazed he does not see the contradiction.

Goff is going against even the Chief Ombudsman by saying he would do it again, and in the process destorying any chance of MFAT being allowed back into sensitive meetings involving Opposition MPs.

Goff says he only would do it to expose hypocrisy, but such a judgement is exceptionally political, not objective. Many reasonable people would say a throw away comment that was of so little moment not even the Senators could recall it, is in no way contradictory to National’s stated policy position.

It is only one step removed from SIS agents bugging MPs, so the Government can reveal to the world any “hypocrisy” they overhear.

Anyway I have a solution for all this. The Government should give me access to all MFAT files (I used to have a top secret security clearance so shouldn’t be an issue) of meetings involving Goff and Clark and foreign VIPs, and allow me to release any which in *my* opinion show hypocrisy. Then let the public decide.

After all, what is good for the goose, is good for the gander!