Four false declarations

I’ve now managed to get a hard copy of the White Report (shame on the Government for not having it online) and the 107 pages give far more detail than what has been reported.

What has struck me, and has been unreported, is that Tamihere is found to have made not one, not two but four false statutory declarations. They are:

His 1998/99 tax return
His 2000/01 tax return
His 1999 general election expenses return
His 2003 Ministerial declaration of interests and assets

Now people should consider how this fits in with Helen Clark saying he has done nothing wrong and has a strong future.

As I have said before I personally like John Tamihere and agree with a lot of what he has said. But John has a carelessness which borders on recklessness when it comes to certain things. One could say one or two wrong declarations was bad luck, but four of them? And from a Minister, MP and former CEO and lawyer?

When you combine this with the earlier court case over signing something he should not have, there is a pattern of behaviour.

I’ve had several people say they know Tamihere has done wrong, but because they like what he has to say, they don’t think the wrong doing is important. I can sympathise with that view, but can not agree. One can not have two standards of behaviour for MPs we like, and MPs we do not like.