Helen – he’s your problem

Helen has to do her job and talk to WInston about the level of behaviour needed to remain Foreign Minister. She made him Foreign Minister when she didn’t have to, so it is her problem. NZ First was willing to just do a confidence and supply agreement without any Ministerial jobs, but she decided to go for more.

She is so embarrassed by Peters, she avoided the media herself yesterday. Not good enough.

Last night TVNZ reported not only his antics during the McCain meeting, and his cancelling the press conference afterwards, but also that he had even refused to detail his itenerary, so the media had to jump into taxis and follow his car like some third rate spy novel.

Let’s be very clear. We the taxpayer are funding Winston’s travel as Foreign Minister. His travel is public, not private. The only way we can judge how well he is doing hos job is by there being media coverage – seeing we can’t all fly over to DC ourselves. His attempts to avoid media scrutiny of his job is offensive and undemocratic. It is the antics of a bully boy who purports to be above scrutiny.

Lots of coverage (domestically and internationally) today. The NZ Herald have a story and audio link.

The Dom Post covers the Rice meeting (halved in time from 60 to 30 minutes) and how the McCain meeting the meeting is now being labelled a diplomatic disaster.

One should also read the Press story that shows Peters blatantly lied to cover up. Peters claimed:

The only low-point of the meeting was the intrusion by New Zealand media. They arrived late but were admitted by Senator McCain’s secretary part-way through the meeting to take some photos.

And Tracy Watkins in The Press:

They had in fact arrived 20 minutes before Peters, and he had to walk past them on his way into McCain’s office.

I know who I believe. Helen – it’s time to neuter the poodle, or alternatively have him put down.