It’s about the truth

I am very disappointed that the Greens are now with Helen wanting “closure” for the Field affair, rather than wanting the truth to come out.

You see the point isn’t whether Field apologises, or whether he is given an official tut tut note. The issue is not the sanction, but finding out the truth. Until the truth is known, one can’t sensibly debate sanctions.

The PM commissioned a QC to investigate. She gave him no powers. He was obstructed in doing his duty. The PM should be outraged at the obstruction, and be the person demanding that the truth come out. Instead she is the one trying to bury the truth, now helped by the Greens.

Potentially one of her MPs lied to her own official inquiry. His associates were found to have given unreliable evidence. His own evidence was found to be unsatisfactory. Many of his other associates refused to testify at all. Some evidence was deemed to be rehearsed. The cover-up is the issue, more so than the original allegations.

If Field did lie to the official inquiry, then it is not a matter of apology but resignation. And it would be very simple to find this out. You don’t even need a full commission of inquiry. Clark as Minister of Ministerial Services could use her own office to find out who paid for the airfares to Samoa, which appeared to be be booked through his Ministerial office. One phone call to Qantas from Ministerial Services could clear that up.

But she won’t do this. Why? She is scared of the truth coming out. And that is what people should demand. Not fake apologies, or tut tut notes of censure. One needs to find out exactly what happened, before you decide on the next step.