Herald say Handley saga is a train wreck threatening the Government

The Herald editorial:

There can be no doubt the Derek Handley saga is a train wreck that is now threatening to derail confidence in the Government. …

However, yesterday the PM found herself having to fend off accusations she had misled Parliament over her own communications with Handley, Finance Minister Grant Robertson was forced to correct his answer in Parliament over emails between Handley and Curran, and new Digital Services Minister Megan Woods was clearly forced to finally call Handley to apologise for the “impact this has had on him and his family”. She also had to retract her statement there had been a confidentiality agreement with Handley over his financial settlement.

What a shemozzle.

So four different Ministers have misled Parliament, either by accident, or deliberately – Ardern, Robertson, Curran and Woods. That must be a record for one issue.

The public needs to be confident there is no political interference in a public appointment. And what about the Government’s assurance it was going to be more open and transparent? At least one commentator yesterday said Ardern had been “economical with the truth”.

This is a serious black mark for the Government. The overall unease around communication, competency and transparency over this issue is now raising questions about the PM’s leadership and the Government’s integrity in general.

I’ve been listening to a podcast on the Clinton impeachment.

Clinton still maintains he never ever told a lie about having sexual relations with Lewinsky as he claims she had sexual relations with him but he did not have sexual relations with her.

It seems the sort of pin pricking argument Ardern now uses to say she didn’t mislead the House on Handley and didn’t mislead the public on NewstalkZB when she denied cutting ties with Curran.