Key turns the tables

Yahoo News reports:

Prime Minister John Key has turned the tables on Labour and the Greens when they attacked him in parliament over National Party fundraising.

They’re claiming it’s a corruption of democracy for the party to charge people a subscription to “cabinet clubs” where they can attend lunches and get-togethers with politicians.

Labour’s Chris Hipkins and Green Party co-leader Russel Norman on Wednesday challenged Mr Key to say it was acceptable.

“Absolutely it is and it’s been going on for a very long time,” Mr Key said.

“I could show you an example of a political party that asked people to pay $1250 to have one-on-one meetings with the MP of their choice.

“And a political party ran an event, they charged $500 and you could go with the leader and pick an MP to discuss any `important issue’.”

The Labour Party ran both those events, Mr Key said, and he went on to offer to table a speech by former deputy prime minister Sir Michael Cullen to a fund-raising dinner.

“If you really want me to stay on my feet I can continue to do so,” he told opposition MPs.

Mr Key also referred to Dr Norman’s much-publicised meeting with internet tycoon Kim Dotcom, saying the MP had “grovelled”.

“I really think that member needs to recognise his high horse went lame when he parked it up at the Dotcom mansion,” Mr Key said.

The hypocrisy of Labour on this issue especially is massive. Labour have a history of actually selling one on one meetings with MPs, and they complain about National selling tickets to breakfast and lunch meetings with MPs.

The real agenda here is Labour and the Greens want their parties to be funded by taxpayers. We should resist this strongly.