It makes no sense for Key – who usually likes to affect a Presidential ‘above the fray’ image – to go off-brand and involve himself in Labour’s internal disputes by putting the boot into Chris Carter. It’s even more unusual than his mendacity last week spinning our wage gap with Australia. Why is Key acting so out of character? Perhaps a clue to the answer – the unthinkable, eldritch, impossible answer – lies in the last pars of the story:
[Goff] said Carter was out of the caucus and was not coming back. Nominations for Labour’s candidate in his seat would now be reopened, because Carter had indicated publicly that he would not stand again in Te Atatu. His membership of the party would be decided by the party under its rules and it was necessary to follow due process.
“However long that takes I am relaxed about it,” Goff said.
So you’re thinking ‘pod people’?
Comment by Ataahua — August 3, 2010 @ 11:35 am
Not ‘The Whisperer in the Dark’?
Finally bought me some Lovecraft and started reading these stories. Hadn’t realised NZ featured in Call of Cthulhu. Surely Tourism NZ can makes something of this. Though if they were conducting nameless rituals outside Dunedin, I only hope they dressed up warm.
Comment by lyndon — August 3, 2010 @ 11:51 am
“Key joked that Carter should have to provide a doctor’s certificate – something proposed legislation would require of ordinary Kiwi workers who take three days of sick leave.”
Not an unreasonable statement, particularly when Carter initially denied being unwell. He seems so narcissistic as to ignore his responsibility to his electorate and the public- but I suppose narcissism has been a long-term problem for him.
Comment by Dylan — August 3, 2010 @ 12:10 pm
Not an unreasonable statement…
Very much an unreasonable statement. It completely misstates the current law and the proposed changes to it.
Comment by Graeme Edgeler — August 3, 2010 @ 1:24 pm
Perhaps that explains Goff’s new walk. Looks like he has a badly placed Key-pod in an unshiftable position.
Comment by Bearhunter — August 3, 2010 @ 1:41 pm
Apparently the quote about tradable holidays says he is ‘relaxed’ about that.
Comment by lyndon — August 3, 2010 @ 2:51 pm
What i’m surprised about is that no one has brought up Brian Connell doing a similar, and possibly more controversial outburst in 2006…..
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10403013
Comment by max — August 3, 2010 @ 7:36 pm
[...] is a bit out of character for the PM, and I like the Dim-Post’s theory on why this has happened, noting that Phil Goff has started to talk about how relaxed he is about [...]
Pingback by Goff’s Carter problem | Kiwiblog — August 4, 2010 @ 12:01 pm
Remember the doctors certificate supplied by Key when he gave 2 weeks sick leave to Richard Worth .
Apparently he was so sick he never returned to Parliament.
Does Key say anything that isnt a complete farce
Comment by ghostwhowalksnz — August 4, 2010 @ 8:44 pm
ghostwhowalksnz said: “Remember the doctors certificate supplied by Key when he GAVE 2 weeks sick leave to Richard Worth”
Perhaps ghostwhowalksnz should look up the difference between the verbs “to give” and “to take”.
Moving onto maths now, he should also work out the difference between 2 weeks and 2 months.
Bring on National Standards!!
Comment by Seán — August 5, 2010 @ 7:26 am