Hypocritical Greens

Once upon a time the Greens were known as a party of principle. They would say if they thought something was wrong, regardless of party. They would refuse to vote for urgency motions without good reason etc.

Now after months and months of saying nothing at all about Labour’s deliberate $450,000 overspending, they suddenly jump up and down to protest on behalf of broadcasters that National’s GST error is unfair.

Since National voluntarily disclosed the mistake, it has been known that it was the broadcasters left out of pocket. National in fact tried to pay them, but this would further breach the Act, so for the Greens months later to suddenly demand they pay the broadcasters back is bizarre.

What should have happened of course, is for the Police to charge National over the GST error. Because while it was a genuine error, it did result in an advantage of $112,500 (around 1/4 of the Labour over-spend). However with the Police determined not to charge Labour for a much more serious offence, they could hardly then charge National. The correct decision would have been to charge both.

I find it hilarious the Greens are also demanding that National deduct the $112,500 off its 2008 election budget. I now await them also demanding that Labour deduct $420,000 off its 2008 budget. Their failure to do so, indicates the rank hypocrisy at work here.