Peters, The Weakest Link, Is At It Again

[Lawrence D'Oliveiro]

I said soon after the formation of this Government was announced, that
Peters would be the most likely one to bring about its collapse.

This bee in his bonnet that he’s got over the grounding of the Aratere is
a case in point. It’s clearly just a rumour that somebody who was supposed
to be on the bridge went off on a “coffee break”. Yet he keeps insisting
that it be investigated as though it were fact.

Notwithstanding that politicians shouldn’t be interfering in accident
investigations, if I were to think of someone I would consider more likely
to be right until proven wrong, it would not be Winston Peters.

[Tony]

Post by Lawrence D'Oliveiro
I said soon after the formation of this Government was announced, that
Peters would be the most likely one to bring about its collapse.
This bee in his bonnet that he’s got over the grounding of the Aratere is
a case in point. It’s clearly just a rumour that somebody who was supposed
to be on the bridge went off on a “coffee break”. Yet he keeps insisting
that it be investigated as though it were fact.

We await the pronouncements

Post by Lawrence D'Oliveiro
Notwithstanding that politicians shouldn’t be interfering in accident
investigations, if I were to think of someone I would consider more likely
to be right until proven wrong, it would not be Winston Peters.

More left wing rhetoric. Get a life.

[Lawrence D'Oliveiro]

Post by Tony

... politicians shouldn’t be interfering in accident investigations ...

More left wing rhetoric.

Your attitude to the independence (or not) with which such crucial work
should be undertaken is noted.

[Tony]

Post by Lawrence D'Oliveiro

Post by Tony

... politicians shouldn’t be interfering in accident investigations ...

More left wing rhetoric.

Your attitude to the independence (or not) with which such crucial work
should be undertaken is noted.

And incorrectly. Ministers have every right, indeed an obligation, to request
or order accident investigations and to question the accuracy of such. That's
what I pay them for amongst other things - what do you pay them for?

[Lawrence D'Oliveiro]

Post by Tony
Ministers have every right, indeed an obligation, to
request or order accident investigations and to question the accuracy of
such.

Political meddling is a great way to totally destroy the credibility of
any supposedly-independent organization, don’t you think?

[Tony]

Post by Lawrence D'Oliveiro

Post by Tony
Ministers have every right, indeed an obligation, to
request or order accident investigations and to question the accuracy of
such.

Political meddling is a great way to totally destroy the credibility of
any supposedly-independent organization, don’t you think?

Maybe, but we are not talking about "meddling", at least I am not. I am talking
about ministerial responsibility. You on the other hand may prefer meddling.

[Lawrence D'Oliveiro]

Post by Tony

Post by Lawrence D'Oliveiro

Post by Tony
Ministers have every right, indeed an obligation, to
request or order accident investigations and to question the accuracy
of such.

Political meddling is a great way to totally destroy the credibility
of any supposedly-independent organization, don’t you think?

Maybe, but we are not talking about "meddling", at least I am not. I am
talking about ministerial responsibility.

Politicians are meddlers. It’s what they do. “Ministerial responsibility”
means stepping in where questions are raised about the operation of some
body, not to start issuing direct orders as to how the body should
operate, but to make sure there is an independent investigation into those
questions.

So there is an investigation into the grounding of the Aratere. It is not
the responsibility of a Government minister to try to push particular
theories, particularly conspiratorial ones, as to what actually happened.

[Tony]

Post by Tony

Post by Lawrence D'Oliveiro

Post by Tony
Ministers have every right, indeed an obligation, to
request or order accident investigations and to question the accuracy
of such.

Political meddling is a great way to totally destroy the credibility
of any supposedly-independent organization, don’t you think?

Maybe, but we are not talking about "meddling", at least I am not. I am
talking about ministerial responsibility.

Politicians are meddlers. It’s what they do. “Ministerial
responsibility”
means stepping in where questions are raised about the operation of some
body, not to start issuing direct orders as to how the body should
operate, but to make sure there is an independent investigation into those
questions.

So you say, but your lefty slip is showing.

So there is an investigation into the grounding of the Aratere. It is not
the responsibility of a Government minister to try to push particular
theories, particularly conspiratorial ones, as to what actually happened.