Yesterday’s DomPost headlines said it all: “Second Minister caught in Fish Cash Scandal.” Or some such – the story has disappeared from DomPost’s website already, although Peter Dunne’s rebuttal still remains.
We hasten to add that of course, this Fish Cash Scandal has nothing to do with the Eye of the Fish, and that our electoral integrity remains unimpuned in New Zealand. Although, it does give us a good chance, on the eve of the US election, to run this delightful picture, of a soon to be Ex-President. Thank goodness for that.
Seems kind of apt for our situation too: come on Helen, you must be thinking: time to hand over the reins and let someone else sort out this enormous nappy full of crap the country is in.
The attitude amongst teh politicians appears to be one of low-level corruption, in that typical 3rd world entry into a non-stop seam of swapping bad money for bad politicians. However there is more to this story than you realise. New Zealand is not alone in fishing scandals. It seems kind of relevant to post a link to this here:
http://dearkitty.blogsome.com/2008/10/14/overfishing-in-britain/
“the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas, which advises Europe’s politicians on fish stocks, warned that parts of the North Sea should be closed to mackerel fishing because stocks of the species could be on the brink of collapse. …”
and
“Only eight of the total of 47 fish stocks found around the British Isles remain in a healthy state, the report says, adding that the size and quality of the fish is falling as younger fish are taken out of the sea: “A hundred years ago a large plaice had to be 50-60cm long and weigh 1.5-2kg to be considered big. Today plaice fillets are sold as ‘large’ when they weigh just 125g. Fish this size have never had a chance to breed.”
Peter Dunne is horrible little man and i for one, will be very happy to see him out of parliament. Still haven’t forgiven him for that nasty vicious attack last election when he went from looking like a ancient but still cute pompadoured parrot, and a second later turned into a nasty ankle biting ferret, like Bilbo Baggins being stripped of his Precious. May he retire back to the wild depths of Ohariu Valley, never to be seen again.
Cod Wars, anybody? And the latest one has involved banks rather than fish.
Sorry to disappoint you Rondo, but he’s back ! Due to the vagaries of the MMp system, despite Winston’s party getting screeds more votes than Dunne’s, the Dunnster is still alive, still gurning, and – with a magic sleight of hand swapping of sides, the little bugger is back in Government – on the Nat side now. Let’s see if the dog gets thrown a bone.
I bet it will be the Transmission Gully bauble he is after.
GREAT….
Although at least he beat that Labour lackey Chauvel (barely), so that’s one good thing!