The scandals that have swirled around the Key led National Govt since 2008 are flocking in to roost as Key announces the election date.
For too long Key has operated as this cartoon illustrates:
Since the Pansy Wong and Richard Worth resignations, the bus ticket flaps at Double-Dipton English, Heatley, Banks, Dunne, Smith and others NZ has witnessed Key manipulating the truth a gross of times.
Now the scandals that have flowed from the Sky City deals, the Warner Bros sell out, Welfare payuts to Rio Tinto and other cash for favours deals we see an arrogant Cabinet minister declare her self innocent of serious conflicts of interest in her dealings with a company her husband is heavily involved in.
The inability of John Key to act and severely discipline his out of control minister demonstrates to the nation that he is, behind the carefully PR crafted image, a weak, ineffective and ethically challenged Prime Minister and figure head leader of the once proudly honourable National Party.
It is obvious that there are serious problems and conflicts crawling from the closets of the Key cabinet as the previously concealed leadership struggles, held in check until Key officially told them that his boredom (The Bellman reckons that unofficially Key has been canvassing his desire to quit NZ politics among his associates as he has ticked off his bucket list of things to do as leader of the National Party. This quotation from John Armstrong's Herald opinionista piece amply illustrates this rumour:
However, there is an eerie feeling that the current circumstances are about as propitious as things can get for National, yet the party is by no means guaranteed victory on September 20.
The onus is thus on Cabinet ministers and MPs to hold the line until polling day by projecting an image of competence and confidence while ensuring as much as possible that this picture is not clouded by foul-ups or embarrassments.
National MPs will be asking why Collins failed to see how her actions were compromising this strategy - and whether, for all her undoubted strengths, there are some previously hidden flaws in her character which have now put her leadership credentials in serious question.
This is not an academic matter. Key made it very clear this week that should he lose the September election, he will not be hanging around Parliament for very long afterwards.) with the position had reached its limit, within the National Party break for open ground.
For too long Key has operated as this cartoon illustrates:
 | ||
| Key attempts to distract the voters from real issues. |
Now the scandals that have flowed from the Sky City deals, the Warner Bros sell out, Welfare payuts to Rio Tinto and other cash for favours deals we see an arrogant Cabinet minister declare her self innocent of serious conflicts of interest in her dealings with a company her husband is heavily involved in.
The inability of John Key to act and severely discipline his out of control minister demonstrates to the nation that he is, behind the carefully PR crafted image, a weak, ineffective and ethically challenged Prime Minister and figure head leader of the once proudly honourable National Party.
However, there is an eerie feeling that the current circumstances are about as propitious as things can get for National, yet the party is by no means guaranteed victory on September 20.
The onus is thus on Cabinet ministers and MPs to hold the line until polling day by projecting an image of competence and confidence while ensuring as much as possible that this picture is not clouded by foul-ups or embarrassments.
National MPs will be asking why Collins failed to see how her actions were compromising this strategy - and whether, for all her undoubted strengths, there are some previously hidden flaws in her character which have now put her leadership credentials in serious question.
This is not an academic matter. Key made it very clear this week that should he lose the September election, he will not be hanging around Parliament for very long afterwards.) with the position had reached its limit, within the National Party break for open ground.
