The SFO smearing begins

First we had Winston Peters smearing the SFO, basically saying they are corrupt and would be investigating him because of criticisms he made a decade ago about them.

Then senior Cabinet Minister Jim Anderton on Agenda smeared them, saying he thought they were motivated to investigate Peters to stop the agency being wound up (never mind all the staff have jobs in its sucessor agency).

Now we have Helen Clark herself smearing the SFO, saying:

“I find the National Party’s statement and timing interesting because I would say it’s almost certain they got a tip from the Serious Fraud Office that it was about to move,” Miss Clark said today on TV One’s Breakfast programme.

“I challenge them directly to come clean because I think it’s a very serious thing if an agency like the SFO is leaking to the Opposition.”

This is unbelievable. This is not an Opposition politician accusing the SFO, but the Prime Minister of NZ. She is issuing public challenges through the media, when as PM she can ask the SFO directly if they leaked.
What do you call a Prime Minister and Government which attacks and smears a body investigating a Minister for corruption? Reminds me of Italy I have to say.

John Key ruled Winston Peters out the day Owen Glenn contradicted Peters, saying Peters had solicited the donation. But Helen says it is “almost certain” National has been tipped off about the announcement the next day. Well what proof does the Prime Minister has to be “almost certain” in smearing the SFO?

And here is the irony. When National was investigated by the SFO in 2002, a politician was tipped off by the SFO. Not allegedly, but confirmed by the SFO. That politican was Helen Clark through Mark Prebble.

National was obviously very upset that Helen Clark was told in advance, and attacked the SFO for that. But here is the difference – National did not allege something unproven. They reacted to being told by the SFO that it had informed DPMC of the investigation into National.

If Helen Clark has some proof that the SFO tipped off National that they would announce the formal investigation the next day, she should provide that proof. Otherwise she should stop smearing them.