Espiner on the Vote

I missed an update Colin Espiner did on the vote yesterday. It is worth repeating in full:

Labour and NZ First voted against the privileges committee motion to censure, but every other party in Parliament – including independents Philip Field and Gordon Copeland – voted in favour, so the motion passed comfortably.

This was a relief, as it meant Labour and Winston Peters failed to pervert the cause of justice and will of the majority despite the most underhand of tactics. As I’ve said below in this post, Labour’s attempt to politicise the committee and discredit its findings was shameful – amongst the worst things the party has done in the past nine years, in my opinion.

That is really strong language, but justified. This is why lifelong Labour voters are saying they can stomach no more. You had the Attorney-General of New Zealand repeating Winston’s conspiracy theories about how Owen Glenn was coached by his Fay Richwhite supplied lawyer. Yes, seriously. I will blog the Hansard when it is available.

As for Peters, his utter lack of contrition, humility, and failure to show even the slightest respect for the judgment of his peers was nauseous. He has become a parody – a caricature of belligerence, contempt, hubris, and narcissism. His address to Parliament last night was ugly, brutal, and sad. The shame of it all is that if just 5% of New Zealanders either believe him or feel sorry enough to vote for him he will be back triumphant.

It was ugly. There was not even a small fraction of contrition from Winston. Quite the opposite. As MPs such as Russel Norman were making dignified serious to the point speeches, Peters was barracking them almost non stop. It was an insight into how truly ugly this man is. Muldoon was benign by comparison.

Labour have chosen to put all their eggs in with Winston. There is no less deserving person. It wasn’t even that Peters has no respect for the judgment of his peers. He has no respect for anyone but himself. He does not accept in any way he is bound by rules or accountability or obligations. Sadly this is partly because Helen Clark has freed him from all the normal Ministerial obligations such as telling the truth, disclosing interests, following the Cabinet Manual.