THE GOOD, BAD AND THE UGLY

First the good. The new 90 day employment proposal. It makes sense and will give a heap of people the chance of a job. The only down side is that it has woken Labour from its slumber. Goff looks like he has lead in his pencil again. This was the best debate on the topic today - on Marae..

The Bad ?  The Tua fight - its over for the Tuamanator... Sad but its a bit like the All Whites being unbeaten  - its pretty good but its not winning.

And the Ugly?

Well we reckon it has to the the growing revelations in the Hubbard Inc debacle...

POLICE DECISION NO SURPRISE

But kiwiblog puts it into perspective.

Winston is still a corrupt creep.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

Whale oil and Kiwiblog have been cooking up this billboard for a while. It went up in Tauranga today - and with Winston back in the headlines for being a lying corrupt creep - the timing could not have been better.

Go you good things!

THE HITCHHIKERS GUIDE TO WINSTONS TRAVELS

My, My, Justin Allen is good at writing fiction it seems


Read this post we did a while back

then this at Wellington Hive re the Las Vegas story

This is the important bit.

Well in one instance we have been able to view the original reply received by Rodney Hide to some questions that were answeredin mid September. So we can answer question 8311. According to the document history the itinerary was drafted by Justin Allen on 17 September. This, in itself, is interesting given this post on the blog Roar Prawn. But it is interesting that a new itinerary was created as opposed to the original itinerary from the Ministerial visit programme being used. This will have to be investigated in due course.

Too bloody right it will - we dont let things go .... we chase em down ....

NEVER LEAVING LAS VEGAS

Queen bee has a very interesting post on Las vegas - Helen Clark has tried to shut this down. It wont be. Read here

NZ SLACK ON MONEY LAUNDERING

Queen Bee at wellingtonhive is back on form this morning after it was obvious by her late night posts that she got sozzled last night.

She points us to an interesting story about Money Laundering by Denise McNab and why NZ needs some money laundering legislation.

We here at the Prawn couldn't agree more.

We wonder just how vigilant our airport customs people are about large amounts of cash coming back from say, Las Vegas?

Where does the boxing fraternity put all its cash it wins at those big fights?

PM MANAGING WINSTONS PR?

Why is a NZ First staffer employed by the PM's office?
What role did Justin Allen perform for Winston Peters and is it true that he is now on the PM's payroll?

What work is he doing for the PM?

Did he answer those questions about Winstons visit to Las Vegas that Rodney Hide asked?

PESCATORIAL HEAVEN - SHED FIVE

When I had a lot to do with the seafood industry on a daily basis, Shed Five was one of my favourite restaurants to take visitors from overseas and it still is a favourite for a special night out or a languorous long lunch.

My Auckland haunt remains Euro.

Simon Gault is one of the best and I will always remember an extra fine dish of Moonfish washed down with Dom Perignon, with my cousins from Bluff, at Euro , on the day they left to fly out for the Tua fight in Las Vegas... many years ago.

It was one of those days. They are crayfishermen, but the moonfish that day is a meal they still talk about.

I also remember a couple of great lunches there with the media Lothario, the late Rod Pederson - he knew food, wine and good times intimately. He introduced me to Te Motu of which I have a few bottles tucked away for drinking in the far future to remember him by.

So I was delighted to get an invite to a night out at Shed Five next week, which is part of the Gault stable the Nourish Group. The evening is called Aqualine 08 and it promises Gaults finest and champagne..

My favourite entree there is West Coast Whitebait with blond asparagus and aioli. Bliss!

And they do a nice turn with Alaskan King Crab for main.

so no blogging next Thursday ...

WINSTON WORRIED ABOUT NATS AND MAORI PARTY BEING NEW BEST FRIENDS

Winston craps on about National working with the Maori Party.

With Clark cosying up to the oldies and the Nats being best buddies with the Maori Party Winnie has only got the conspiracy theorists and the demented that will support him. Oh and a few race horse owners, and maybe some olive grove owners, a couple of drug taking boxers, and perhaps his missus.

Press Release: New Zealand First Party

2 October 2008

Nats Should Explain Maori Party Links

New Zealand First has called on National and the Maori Party to come clean about their plans for trying to sort out a coalition deal.

Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters says the National candidate for Mana, Hekia Parata, is openly touting for party votes for the Maori Party and he says she would not be doing this without the approval of the National leadership.

“National and the Maori Party have been cosying up to each other for months, and it is unlikely that Hekia Parata, a person of some standing, would be acting independently of her party.

“National and the Maori Party have every right to hold talks but they should come out in the open and tell the people of New Zealand what they are discussing.

“No matter what John Key says about abolishing Maori seats, always remember that National has extremely flexible principles when it is pursuing power,” said Mr Peters.

ENDS

We haven't left Las Vegas yet

good to see the Herald on Sunday playing terriers on this one.


Two questions remain - what is Winstons attraction to the boxing world ( should we ask Johnny Glozier, a personal friend of Winstons, and someone who has spent sometime in a dark and cold place where the only music is the clinking of keys ) ?

And WHEN did he pay the money back?????!!!!!


Rodney has asked MFAT a few interesting questions about the second question...

Go Rodney.

Will pretty boy floyd bring down Winston ? Hide asks the good questions

Questions for written answer and the dissolution of Parliament04 Sep 088059 (2008). Rodney Hide to the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs

Did the Minister pay directly for his flight from Berlin to Las Vegas for the Oscar de la Hoya – Floyd Mayweather fight and then to return to his official itinerary as described in the Herald on Sunday 14 September 2008 or did he reimburse either Ministerial Travel or Foreign Affairs; if so, when was the reimbursement made?

Question15 Sep 088058 (2008). Rodney Hide to the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs

What was the Minister’s itinerary and what was the cost broken down by flights and accommodation and other expenses for his trip to Europe in April and May last year for the Anzac Day commemorations and European Union Business as described in the Herald on Sunday 14 September 2008 and what were the places visited each day?

Question15 Sep 088057 (2008). Rodney Hide to the Prime Minister

What gifts, if any, has Rt Hon Winston Peters obtained her permission to retain in the last three years as required by Cabinet Manual guideline 2.79?

Question15 Sep 088056 (2008). Rodney Hide to the Prime Minister

Following Rt Hon Winston Peters’ admission in the Herald on Sunday 14 September 2008 that he made a private trip from Berlin to Las Vegas to the Oscar de la Hoya – Floyd Mayweather fight while overseas as Foreign Minister, can she confirm whether she knew about the trip; if so, on what date did she know, and had Mr Peters obtained her prior approval for the trip as required by Cabinet Manual guideline 2.113?

AHHH Whale Joins the dots and it spells BIG STORY!

It looks like the Prime Minister’s Office is lying again. Helen Clark’s Chief Press Secretary Kathryn Street is telling journalists that the Prime Minister didn’t know about Winston Peter’s Las Vegas junket until two Fridays ago - but that is at odds with what MFAT sources are telling WOBH.
WOBH is reliably informed that the Las Vegas junket, and its unorthodox nature, was discussed at the very time it was underway at no less and august forum than MFAT’s Friday morning Divisional Officers’ Meeting. This is a big meeting at which MFAT bosses get instruction from the Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Senior Management on what is going on all around the world within the organisation, including what the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Trade Minister, and their Associates, are all up to.
Also represented at this meeting are the Foreign Affairs representative in the Prime Minister’s Office, Andrea Smith; the Foreign Affairs Private Secretary in the Foreign Minister’s Office, Rob Moore-Jones; and the Trade Private Secretary in the Trade Minister’s Office, Taha Macpherson. They keep in close contact not only with the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, Heather Simpson, but also with the Chief Executive Officer of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Maarten Wevers.
WOBH’s deep-throat sources within MFAT and the Beehive say Wevers, Smith, Moore-Jones and Macpherson are all savvy political players.
Wevers is a former Ambassador to Japan and the mastermind behind New Zealand’s successful hosting of APEC in 1999. Former Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, former Foreign Minister Don McKinnon and former Trade Minister Lockwood Smith are eternally grateful to him, and continue to keep in touch, to the extent appropriate given his close relationship with Helen Clark.
Smith has represented New Zealand in Brussels, Jakarta and Washington and is about to go off as Ambassador in Turkey. She worked closely with Tim Groser, now a National MP, on agriculture negotiations at the World Trade Organisation and was deeply involved in producer board reform...........


for the final part of this story - go to whaleoil



so is Clark in trouble deep?

The prawns think so.....

And some people have the temerity to call me the Cleaner!

just when you thought things couldnt get more tangled read this latest installment from Queen Bee who seems to know where all the smelly bodies are.

Now remember Mr Calvert is central to the Las Vegas story...

Go to Wellington hive and start joining the dots...

Hooton has Winston on the ropes

Matthew hooton has blooged on Las Vegas and his knowledge of trade trips is very very useful. Hootons investigative skills are as good as any qantas award winner...

And now we have the PM all over this as well

read Hootons column - here - to put this scandal in context.

I see Flying scampi - and maybe another inquiry

Queen Bee at Wellington Hive has the real low down on the Vegas scandal and she points to the need for another investigation..

Here are some pertinent issues the Queen Bee raises.


By now many of you will have read the interesting story in the Herald on Sunday by Stephen Cook. You will know that The Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs travelled to Las Vegas from Berlin for private purposes.

Winston Peters says that the costs of travel to and accommodation in Las Vegas was paid by himself (note not "refunded") and that he "reimbursed" his acquaintance who had furnished the tickets the fight.

Good point QB - Winston never seems to pay for anything himself. People who want ( and get) something from Winston seem to do all the paying - BB


The cost of a Berlin - Las Vegas - Singapore add on to a trip is going to be expensive, particularly if you were not travelling economy. Likewise accommodation, food, and the costs of tickets to a title fight will be expensive also. We are talking many thousands of dollars here. And we are assuming normal conventions apply to this travel, that if private travel is undertaken as part of an official trip, that the whole trip be done on an economy class basis. Was this the case in this instance?Rodney Hide is right to be asking for evidence. Because if it is true that this boxing match was arranged and paid for by George Calvert, it would be further evidence of those with racing interests (in this case harness racing) having leverage over the Minister of Racing at a time when Government was considering a proposal to increase funding for that industry.

Yes Queen Bee is right again - Winston seems to be on the receiving end of the largesse of people he can and does win concessions for.

(Treasury was opposing this proposal forcefully).

This is well known in Wellington - remember both Labour and National opposed the concessions Winston gave the racing industry - what does that say???!!!

We know that Winston Peters' office has been fielding enquiries from the media on this matter for well over a week. This is ample time to produce receipts, from the travel agent or airline that arranged this travel, from the hotels and restaurants at which Winston ate and slept, and from Mr Calvert, for the reimbursement of the tickets. We are frankly surprised that Winston would not have provided this evidence, as this would have made the matter disappear. No one is ever going to take Winston's word on anything ever again given his track record of lies that has been exposed this year.

Yip again Winston could shut this down quickly but producing the evidence to back up his assertions but he doesnt.. Why ? because he cant!

Well done Rodney Hide for taking this issue up. Frankly, unless this issue is cleared up by tomorrow, we think it worthy of an investigation by the Auditor General.All overseas travel by Ministers has to be approved by the Prime Minister. She should release the submission on this trip also.

No doubt this will show that Winston was open about the huge diversion to Las Vegas at all times, and that the fact he had paid in advance for the extra costs involved will be clearly set out.

Haha - I will see scampi fly before that happens!!!!

This submission is recoverable under the OIA.Finally, it will be important for Winston Peters to demonstrate that he paid for all costs himself, and that no party or trust money was used for his private benefit.


More flying scampi .......

So all in all the Herald story has just prised the lid of another pandoras box for Winston

I can hear the Furies cackling from here .

Boxing on = part deux.

Well, well, well, Winston confirmed at a huge boxing match in Las Vegas. With free tickets..
Story in the Herald on sunday
.

So who did he meet while he was there?

Why other boxing associations does he have and my - isnt he getting shitty -?

In HOS
Winston Peters and Rodney Hide are embroiled in a new slugfest - this time over who paid for a trip that the Foreign Affairs Minister made to a glitzy world-title boxing fight in Las Vegas.
Act leader Rodney Hide has raised what he says are "serious questions" over the trip in May last year, claiming several "very credible" sources had told him that Peters' airfares, accommodation and tickets to the Oscar de la Hoya-Floyd Mayweather fight were paid for by wealthy businessman George Calvert.
But Peters said yesterday that Hide's claims were a "pile of crap" and challenged him to put up, or shut up. Peters had been in Europe on official Foreign Affairs business at the time and made a private trip from Berlin to Las Vegas to attend the title fight before heading on to Singapore.

upper cuts and glass jaws

boxing is a murky world - so why does winston support it ?