My next question was going to be "What the hell is David Benson-Pope still doing there?" ;)

In any case, Anjum Rahman, sometime PAS participant, kiwistargazer and The Hand Mirror blogger, is standing on the Labour list.

Damn shame her name's not spelled right. But best of luck Anjum. The Hand Mirror candidate!

Maybe it wasn't my mistake after all...

In any case, Anjum Rahman, sometime PAS participant, kiwistargazer and The Hand Mirror blogger, is standing on the Labour list.

My mistake. I meant number 61 – Anjum Rahman.

Department: Information Systems & Operations Management
Address: Owen G Glenn Building
12 Grafton Road
Auckland
Faculty: Business & Economics

Bum. Another Owen Gren lionk ;-)

65 Koro Tawa Botany

Press Release: 17th July 2008

Labour chooses University Lecturer to contest Botany Electorate.

The Labour Party selected university lecturer, Koro Tawa, as its…

I would have presumed that all electoral candidates would have made the list. Wonder why Grant Robertson isn't there (and any others).

I suppose fact-checkers take Sundays off.

Take note of number 65. A long way down, I know, but there nevertheless. Wouldn't it be great if she got in. If not this time, next time, maybe...

I know there are those out there who feel the Gallery has a duty to tell the public all it knows. But on the flipside we also have ethical responsibilities not to be a conduit for unsubstantiated gossip.

Felix, the impression I have from the sidelines is that there is…

Also, if I was Winnie, I would be glad that Peter Williams QC was representing me.

So would I, and it can't hurt that Williams does bill his clients and his definition of pro bono doesn't include soliciting contributions to pay said bills. Or I hope not.

I know there are those out there who feel the Gallery has a duty to tell the public all it knows. But on the flipside we also have ethical responsibilities not to be a conduit for unsubstantiated gossip.

Quite. I think it's been outside the Gallery that some poor judgements…

Felix, thanks for the inside perspective. Without dropping yourself in it or revealing any potential scoops, can you give us regular folk some sense of how much the gallery knows but hasn't published yet about this whole Winston mess?

The thing about news is there is always a bit more…

i think you actually mean it's argot

Pendant.

Odds that Che Tibby has never used an Americanism?

Except that it's a fantastically useful shorthand

i think you actually mean it's argot

and is used to make new zealand politics seems more like jane clifton's favourite tv show.

What's wrong with 'Americanisms' anyway?

Thank you Deborah, thank you thank you thank you.

it's still an americanism.

and should be purged from the public consciousness.

Except that it's a fantastically useful shorthand for describing the group of people who are likely to be interested in political issues, daily, indeed fascinated by them, and eager to spend time talking and analysing politics.

What's wrong…

I think it was the Electoral Finance Bill but I'm not entirely sure

I think you can thank/blame Jane Clifton for popularising it. She's been using it for at least as far back as the Listener is archived online.

Her exact words were "outside the beltway". So journalists, being the respectful creatures that we are, have made the most of it.

it's still an americanism.

and should be purged from the public consciousness.

The use of "the Beltway" stems from a comment the PM made at one of her post-cabinet press conferences some time back.

Ha, I remember that, now that you mention it. When I reflect on that, it lowers my opinion of Clark somewhat...

And really I don't give a fig about the donations and I've never approved of Winston. Anyway, I doubt if the odd hundred thou has ruined our democracy. I guess Nats have lots of tricky way…

We were quizzing her at length on an issue (I think it was the Electoral Finance Bill but I'm not entirely sure – forgive me I've been writing…

why should we lead the world with the emissions trading scheme?

We're not. The European Union has been running an emissions trading scheme for 3 years now. That's 27 nations we're not leading. And Australia is literally only months behind and intends to release draft legislation late this year to…

Anyone know if it is possible to view old party political broadcasts somewhere on the net?

That's just so sad....

Clark should sack him, even if it means the government dissolves.
She's sacked Labour ministers for less.

And why should we lead the world with the emissions trading scheme?
Nobody else cared when we deregulated our trade…

politicians who campaign on the moral high ground

I don't think Winston has campaigned from the moral high ground. If he has campaigned from any high ground it has been the high ground of ethics, something that is, sadly, lacking in anything we have seen from National.
Winston has fought against…

a dead metaphor, dangling referent-free in the linguistic breeze.

Post-election Winston?

BTW. I still think this could blow up in Nationals face, after all, it seems to be geared to distract from Nationals complete lack of coherent policy.

Well, Steve, perhaps the real problem is that it puts the focus on the hubris of politicians who campaign on the moral high…

Inside the Green Parrot?

That fine dining establishment does do wonderful (if extremely unhealthy) things with offal. You may be onto something there, Mr. Break. :)

there is no comparable geographical feature that encompasses the seat of political power and the residences of the influential

I was a volunteer on Mark Thomas' campaign, and believe you me National is still paying the price for that particuar mouth-fart from Bolger.

I remember that campaign, I was a volunteer for Alick... but I knew Mark well from student politics. I felt very sorry for him and parliament…

Just a thought .... "a vote for Winston is a vote for Labour" does sort of encourage those Labour voters in Tauraunga to switch their electorate votes doesn't it ....

Paul: If Labour wants to pull a Wellington Central-style cluster fuck on Anne Pankhurst (and send a clear message to…

In NZ it's a dead metaphor, dangling referent-free in the linguistic breeze. But there is…

Maybe 'The West Wing' helped to internationalize the term?

Maybe 'The West Wing' helped to internationalize the term?

the Dominion Post's collection of political blogs is called "Inside the Beltway".

i'm not sure than anyone actually reads it...

and the bubble becomes a more familiar term if you ever have to work anywhere near it.

It could if NZ First get their 5% & Key needs the numbers.

I guess that's the point – it's not a bold move if there are no risks.

John Armstrong: Key trusts his currency trader instincts in a high stakes gamble
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/466/story.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10529422

I still think this could blow up in Nationals face

Priceless.

It could if NZ First get their 5% & Key needs the numbers.

I still think this could blow up in Nationals face

Priceless.

really hate the term 'the beltway'.

Yup. Fortunately it so often is a reliable marker that it's safe to ignore anything that comes after as being largely worthless.

I'd add before the wellingtonista mafia lay into me. :)

We're above that sort of thing personally, we'd send Sir Brian Lochore around to have a chat with you.

But when you have statements made to you by an alleged donor that directly contradict the statements being made in public by that Minister you can't just let them go nowhere?>>

He is a little more than an alleged donor to Labour and Clark. For goodness sake they took (and…

i don't think there was anywhere the PM could go with this.

Owen: I had a conversation with Winnie
Helen: Is this true, Winnie?
Winnie: No it's not, I swear
Helen: Are you sure?
Winnie: Yes

And in days gone by, Helen would’ve said “One of you is lying; get…

this is wellington for christssakes...

the thordon bubble seems more applicable (with all due credit to the blog of that name)

i don't think there was anywhere the PM could go with this.

Owen: I had a conversation with Winnie
Helen: Is this true, Winnie?
Winnie: No it's not, I swear
Helen: Are you sure?
Winnie: Yes

In the lack of any corroborating evidence, this he said/he said crap can't…

I imagine her meetings with Peters have been ... interesting.

Oh, to be a fly on the wall. This is pretty much "Tuku Morgan's undies" territory – sure, it makes NZF and the gov't look bad, but when it comes to the crunch, it's simply a matter of numbers and…

For more interesting is looking at the lengths the Privileges Committee is willing to go to investigate a party funding issue. Is this a precedent being set, an admission that all is not right in the secretive side of our democracy?

Don: Do you think that this is possible? Who…

This ETS will meet the Kyoto emissions liability

Rly? I was under the impression that it would mitigate but not meet it.

And given I was backing up what you said, this may descend into some torturous logical loop. I'll call Winnie for advice =)

Don't worry Winnie is already committed to the ETS.

The heart of the matter for me is achieving a reduction in AGW gas production. The Kyoto based…

She had 6 months to get to the bottom of it. I don’t think what Helen has (not) done here is at the top end of being rotten. But it’s just shabby.

Basically Winston is in the process of bringing this government down as comprehensively as he brought down…

what's Helen supposed to do about it in the complete absence of any evidence one way or the other?

Since Glenn had absolutely nothing to gain by lying, I think she should have at the very least harboured serious concerns about the credibility of her minister of foreign affairs. We…

While she said she wanted to see the matter "dealt with", Helen Clark said she felt she had a duty to be fair.

"I have not known Mr Peters to lie to me, and I have to take people as I find them," she said.

"He is…

she sat on those contradictory statements for so long as proof that she was hoping the news wouldn't break until after the election. This is a disaster.

Are you Duncan Garner in disguise? ;-)

Both Peters and Glenn "swear" they are telling the truth ... what's Helen supposed to do…

I’m afraid that with this revelation she’s lost a lot of both.

Interesting times.

I wonder if Helen will knock back a bottle of whisky this evening and call a snap election.

And will Cullen let her tyres down?

You could probably persuade McKinnon and Wood to reprise their original roles? Winston Peters will make an excellent stand in for Marilyn Waring…

Which, if that's all there is, is much less bad than "Mike Williams gave Winston Owen Glenn's phone number to hit him up for some sly cash."

I don't credit my understanding of the NZ political climate much, but I think you're underestimating how calamitous this revelation is. In an…

And Clark knew back in February.

Which, if that's all there is, is much less bad than "Mike Williams gave Winston Owen Glenn's phone number to hit him up for some sly cash."

She still has to explain why, if Glenn told her otherwise in February, she's been publicly accepting…

The only reason I can come up with for his, apparent, "about face" would be that he didn't get the recognition he thought he may have deserved for his donations in the past

Perhaps the reason could be that he has respect for the truth. Perhaps he gave Peters money…

Labour used to be so good at this, but now...

We do live in interesting times.

I'm fetching the canvassing from the bottom of the wardrobe.

Interesting times.

I wonder if Helen will knock back a bottle of whisky this evening and call a snap election.

And will Cullen let her tyres down?

What Gareth said.

And given I was backing up what you said, this may descend into some torturous logical loop. I'll call Winnie for advice =)

I'm fetching the canvassing from the bottom of the wardrobe.

NZ has already committed to Kyoto

Which is the heart of the matter to me, yet gets absolutely ignored by everyone! We're accruing liabilty for payment right now for every tonne of carbone emitted. We should really be working as fast as we can to minimise that.

Danyl, very interesting…

Watching Winston squirm on the hook of his own hubris is just gravy. :)

I realise that. But hens coming to roost is hardly the point.

I am sure many would like to know, for example, who has been contributing to party funds over the last 20 years, particularly during…

Why should we jump into this ETS like some excited crusaders when the climate debate is still very vibrant.

Jump in? You mean like all of Europe and soon Australia? I can understand some of the opposition to the ETS, but not the objection that NZ is being precipitate.

This issue does seem to be a storm in a tea cup, more to do with hypocrisy and credibility than matters of law.

Well, I don't think the actual matter of privilege involved is a tempest in the good Wedgewood at all. I know New Zealand First (along with ACT)…

Why should we jump into this ETS like some excited crusaders when the climate debate is still very vibrant.

Debate? Bollocks.

I don't much mind whether it's Labour's ETS or a swift replacement from the Nats, but I'm buggered if the taxpaying public should carry the can for polluters.

NZ…

"All this has happened before and all this will happen again."

Aha! My geek credentials regained. I recognise this quote! I embarked on season 2 last night.

It's one of the most damaging fiscal mistakes this country has made since Muldoon froze prices in the 80's.

No it's not. Even the oft mis-interpreted and poorly researched NZIER report demonstrates that that impact on GDP is hardly measurable over the time period it assesses.

For more interesting is looking at the lengths the Privileges Committee is willing to go to investigate a party funding issue. Is this a precedent being set,…

It's a real pain if it means the ETS legislation can't be passed

No, no, this legislation must not pass. It's one of the most damaging fiscal mistakes this country has made since Muldoon froze prices in the 80's. Why should we jump into this ETS like some excited crusaders…

If Peters stepped down as FM, is he still able to vote on legislation?

Of course he can — the Prime Minister can withdraw a Ministerial warrant, or stand down a Minister for pretty much whatever reason she likes. Doesn't have the power to throw people out of Parliament --…

If Peters stepped down as FM, is he still able to vote on legislation?
If he was fired from his position as FM, could he still vote?

In both cases he could, along with the rest of his caucus. But that would be underestimating his potential to be a self-serving…

It was almost touching to hear the emails from the Peters faithful on Morning Report today.

And Dail Jones proves, if proof is needed, that Winston First draws its caucus from the shallow and stagnant end of the gene pool.

The NZ First MP on the committee, Dail Jones, questioned the…

As for the rest of Owen Glenn's letter, I can't really what conceivable motivation or benefit he'd gain from lying.

The Herald's vox pops suggest that's a widely held view.

It was almost touching to hear the emails from the Peters faithful on Morning Report today.

It's a real pain if…

Dammit, you may well be right. The TVNZ story says Peters "denied" being at Karaka in 2006, but there appears to be no actual statement from him saying that, just that he didn't meet Glenn there that year, but in 2007. Guyon may have got ahead of himself.

Not to…

I don't think the picture of Peters at the Karaka sales is a winner.

Dammit, you may well be right. The TVNZ story says Peters "denied" being at Karaka in 2006, but there appears to be no actual statement from him saying that, just that he didn't meet Glenn there…

It's kind of touching that anyone still believes in the notion of "ruling out". Some previous unequivocal statements from the last election campaign: the Maori Party wouldn't go with Don Brash (but did)

And I hope Don and Tariana used condoms, but back in this universe... (Just as a small…

Getty Images? Who'd expect a fly-by-night outfit like that to now exactly when and where one of its photos was taken?

Well, since the accompanying blurb describes him as the New Zealand immigration minister, I wouldn't necessarily put too much faith in it.

Getty Images? Who'd expect a fly-by-night outfit like that to now exactly when and where one of its photos was taken?

Seriously, I think that's going to go down as a Blog Epic Win

Sure is a nice catch and a credit to David! Not exactly obscure though, being the…

Credit to Peter Cresswell

his just in: Tariana Turia dances jig.

Ruling out is fun. Sticking to it is the hard part. It's worth noting that John Key has gone rather quiet about Roger Douglas, who he ruled out even more emphatically. So that's two down already. Who's left? Presumably Hone Harawira could now…

Why did Winston say on One News tonight that he was not at the 2006 Karaka Yearling Sales (and therefore could not have met with Owen Glenn) when this photo clearly puts him there?

Getty Images? Who'd expect a fly-by-night outfit like that to now exactly when and where one…

Why did Winston say on One News tonight that he was not at the 2006 Karaka Yearling Sales (and therefore could not have met with Owen Glenn) when this photo clearly puts him there?

The last 3 years of Maori Party- National Government have been better than I expected.

"Leave Winston alone" clip on youtube.

With lots of baubles in the background.

Ruling out is fun. Sticking to it is the hard part. It's worth noting that John Key has gone rather quiet about Roger Douglas, who he ruled out even more emphatically. So that's two down already. Who's left? Presumably Hone Harawira could now…

That was exuberantly unequivocal of him just now with Mary Wilson.

Totally. I paused in the act of putting out the recycling to hear the end.

She did well in asking a question that required an unequivocal answer, it must be said.

That was exuberantly unequivocal of him just now with Mary Wilson.