Secret deals?

The Manawatu Standard has an editorial, which compares the treatment of unions to the Brethren:

Much of Labour’s non-taxpayer funding comes from unions. One of this Government’s first acts of office was to skew the employer-employee, union-individual employment contract balance back in favour of unions.

How is that any less dodgy than the Exclusive Brethren distributing a few pamphlets saying National would do a better job of running the country than Labour? What is wrong with a group of people – any or every group of people – having the right to say what they think about our politicians?

Union leader Andrew Little, who is currently attempting to disrupt the New Zealand Herald’s business in Auckland by taking legal action against APN News and Media, is tipped to be a Labour MP after the next election, with an offer of a safe spot on the party’s list. He would join, or replace, Rick Barker, another former union activist list MP pulling in a six-figure salary courtesy of the taxpayer. Mr Barker was rejected by his electorate, but was returned to Parliament by the Labour Party anyway.

Is the safe union seat intended as a reward for Mr Little’s disruption of a major Auckland business that doesn’t always back Labour? Or because his union has helped bankroll the Labour Party over recent years?

Wouldn’t democracy be better served if such secret deals were exposed to public scrutiny in the same way Ms Clark is applying the heat to the Exclusive Brethren?

Now first let me say I don’t actually agree with the Manawatu Standard. I don’t think there is a secret deal where the EPMU disrupts the NZ Herald because it isn’t sycophantic enough to the Government and that the Rimutaka seat is the pay off. In fact I have said I think Andrew Little will be a fine MP.

But what the editorial exposes is the hypocrisy and double standards of the Government. The paper allege a conspiracy between EPMU and the Government just as the Government has ridiculously beat up conspiracy allegations between National and the Exclusive Brethren – that there was some sort of secret master deal.

Having allied interests is not the same as conspiracy deals. And if Labour is going to throw mud around like that, then it can’t complain if a newspaper does the same back.

Hat Tip: Craig Foss