We're generally supportive of John Key's National-led government. However we're not party hacks who blindly follow the party line. But we're deeply disappointed by Roger McClay's fall from grace - read on:
Former children's commissioner Roger McClay has admitted double-dipping $25,000 from charities and taxpayers.
McClay, 65, was charged in March with 56 counts of fraud, carrying sentences of up to seven years. But by pleading guilty to three representative charges in Auckland District Court yesterday, he is likely to avoid jail and serve a sentence of community work.
He has admitted billing $11,800 to non-profit organisation Keep New Zealand Beautiful, which he chaired, and World Vision, for flights for which the taxpayer had already paid $12,887.
As a former National MP, McClay was entitled to a travel subsidy of 90 per cent on 12 personal domestic flights every year.
Clearly, abuse of privileges of this nature is unacceptable, regardless of what party the offender may have represented. McClay had a solid Parliamentary career, and served as Children's Commissioner in his post-parliamentary life. It's sad that he will now be remembered for having defrauded the organisations which he served, but actions bring consequences, and McClay is now facing them
28 comments:
yes, some consequences - community service and loss of travel perks.
What a deterrent.
Disgraceful behaviour from a National Party figure.
New Zealanders will be wondering just how deep this sort of rot extends into the body of the party.
Richard Worth and others raised questions, McClay has answered some of them.
Nice one Robert. Should we mention Winston Peters, Phillip Field and the Greens' superannuation rorts as well? What about Phillida Bunkle?
Fraud is fraud regardless of what colour rosette the wearer displays.
Just enforces the utter disgust for those in politics. None can be trusted to keep their fingers out of the till or not be rorting the taxpayer. As IV2 says, rosette colour is immaterial. The nature of the game is one of continual troughing. Even their understudy's in the likes of student unions, are practicing the same dark arts.
Totally unacceptable.
No Invent. Let's deal with this instance. I guess you'll be making multiple posts on McClay, just as you have done with Peters. Or do you regard this as a minor issue, a misunderstanding and something that should be brushed over and not whipped up into more than it is, just a little FRAUD.
Surely the National Party doesn't have such fraudsters in its ranks, we would like to think. Let's move on.
(I'm counting your posts Invent. This has to be aired until sunlight, antiseptic etc.)
Wonder what Winston will make of all this?
I take your point Robert, but there's a none-too-subtle difference; McClay hasn't been an MP since 1996, whereas Peters wants a seat in Parliament next year. There's still the small matter of the $158k that NZ First used illegally, and hasn't repaid five years on. That's why I go on about Peters, whereas McClay rates a mention now, and perhaps again when he is sentenced.
BTW - do you reckon that Labour was right NOT to support the censure motion against Peters just before the last Parliament rose, in return for his support of Labour's ETS. I frequently lampoon the Greens, but commend them for voting to censure Peters, not cozying up to him as Helen Clark and Michael Cullen did.
But let's not escape my bottom line; what Roger McClay did was unacceptable, and he has been rightly convicted.
"Consequences"? Don't make me laugh. This lying thief should be behind bars.
But then, he belongs to the wrong "class" for that, doesn't he? He's a member of the tight little club that runs NZ and as such is all but immune to real consequences.
And all of these are totally inconsequential compared to the blatant corruption and electoral fraud under the Clark/Goff Labour/Union government of the last 10 years!
What's been done about that: nothing
Invent. I'm sorry, I can't be bothered at all with churning over Labour or Winston issues. This is the issue of the moment. Roger McClay. You're constant reference to 'something else' is dull. face up and explore the issue odf the moment.
As for 'anonymous' with his 'totally inconsequential' dribble.
Robert Guyton, you are being a complete muppet again.
Why not bring up the hoary old chestnut about Wyatt Creech's early association with young Labour it is just as relevant.
The fraudster's association with the National would, I assume have ended with his contribution to NZF. That is far more indicative of the man than his even older connection to the Nats, particularly the current govt.
And Worth R.? you are showing your desperation.
He should receive gaol time as a warning but that wont happen as he possibly had a traumatic childhood, maybe two parents and had to go to some ghastley well regarded (by some) school.
A Crook is a crook is in this case a fraudster and as with so many sufferers of "entitilitus" it will not be his fault.
Imagine if you will that poor man (advisedly) having to go home to his nice house after reading all those trauma inducing reports on child abuse, one could easily, in the moments his mind was disturbed, indulge in a little Double dipping, unintentionally of course.
@ Robert - you ask why I don't "face up and explore the issue odf the moment." (your spelling btw) - what the hell do you think this post is, under the title Unacceptable if it's not exploring the McClay issue.
Were I to in some way condone what McClay has done, you would have a point. I haven't; quite the opposite. And I certainly haven't deemed him of only being guilty of trying to be helpful, because that's patently absurd.
"Should we mention Winston Peters, Phillip Field and the Greens' superannuation rorts as well? What about Phillida Bunkle?"
"What the hell do you think this post is, under the title Unacceptable if it's not exploring the McClay issue."
I spy a disconnect Invent.
Not at all Robert. You are the one who said "Disgraceful behaviour from a National Party figure.
New Zealanders will be wondering just how deep this sort of rot extends into the body of the party."
You are the one who slurred the whole National Party on the basis of the actions of one of its former MP's.
It is and they will.
"Winston Peters, Phillip Field and the Greens' superannuation rorts as well? What about Phillida Bunkle?"
All current members of the party we associate them with, are they IV?
Robert Guyton often confuses ideology and philosophy then just makes shit up and smears it on his window to the real world,thus making it very difficult to have a reasoned debate with him.
His debating position is often based on the premise that what you say is barely or totally irrelevant and his high horse is so much bigger, cleaner brighter, better and more acceptable than yours.
When he is wrong he is still right, I mean left, I mean, oh what the hell.
Just don't let your facts get in the way of his attack points, they will be demolished with denigration, half truths, unrelated rubbish and smears.
To finish a little Victor Borge on phonetic punctuation, with apologies to Mr Borge of course.
"As he departed to the well known sound of his departing horse ich Phht"
Gravedodger - be still! I fear for your health and state of mind.
Your heated defence of the National Party and his supporters is admirable on one level - you're tremendously loyal and who wouldn't want you on their side but disowning McClay so readily knocks a little of the gloss off your coat.
RG as I slide into my daily reverie accompanied by my constant advisor, one Mr Tanqueray, spare me your condescending concern for my health and sanity for I am well able to separate the supposedly loyal National Party Member of Parliament c. 1995 with the subsequent fraudster of the later years following his departure from the ranks of the party that currently occupies the treasury benches.
That a man with the resources of income and opportunity McClay enjoyed at the public trough, to admit to fraudulently charging an NGO and a charity for airfares that were already paid for to 90% as part of his ex MP entitlements, then to deny that he had done so, would be extremely unlikely to retain any support from me. It has absolutely nothing to do with my support or lack of it. He is an admitted and convicted fraudster who has had no link whatsoever between the offending and the current government and your attempts to make that link make you look decidedly simple IMHO
I have no particular loyalty to the National Party other than they are currently the lawful government of my country and just as I accepted Helen Elizabeth Clark and her coterie of liars, bullies, assorted crooks and charlatans who propped up her barely legal regime as the government of my country it implies no acceptance that breaking the law is acceptable.
How many of the current National government caucus were even in the parliament when McClay departed. You may just as well tar the current Labour caucus as being party to the disloyalty of John A Lee that lead to Lee's expulsion for his realistic assessment of the ability of the Rt Hon M J Savage to govern with his overwhelming health problems that were such a tightly held secret from the citizenry.
As to the gloss on my coat, again it is just fantasy as it is an all wool 3/4 coat and was coveted by many outside the old school chapel yesterday in the cold damp ChCh easterly, but you were being rhetorical weren't you, silly old me. As I say to the young guns down at the fire/rescue station when they occasionally acknowledge my declining, wisdom, I will admit that much, "call me old but don't call me stupid"
Good Health Robert, cheers, slangovar.
Marvellous response Gravedodger!
"As I say to the young guns down at the fire/rescue station"
Do you require rescuing often GD?
Is it your fondness the combination of open fires and Tanqueray?
Most Friday nights RG.
Where the hell did you get the idea for a fireplace and me in the same house. We just sit and shiver while that nasty Mr Key makes our life a misery. We go to bed early and get up late, that helps when it is sunny and warm. Another trick is to go next door when they are away and watch "A place in the sun" on the living channel. during cold days the library is warm after about 11 30 but it is three kilometers and uphill all the way home.
Went right off the open fire crap when we had a total loss house fire in the rural Wairarapa in the ninetys. Copy cat neighbor John Faloon up the road suffered the same disaster shortly after.
And its Mr Tanqueray to you unless he is a personal friend which I would doubt, he would be far too classy and suf hic soff ishic to kated for you. You know how I am prone to name drop, shameless I know. Old Tanks autographs every green bottle personally you know.
Ah well its off to raise some money for other worthy causes now I am nicely preloaded, see ya
Here is another story about a former minister but he is from "the party that must not be named".
How unusual to mention former minister and yet, miss out the party he represented.
Oops, forgot the link:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4017278/Former-Cabinet-ministers-Supreme-Court-appeal
@ Anon - hush; you'll upset Robert all over again!
You have a bed GD?
Luxury.
Are right wingers prone to committing fraud?
McClay's performance suggests so.
" There were 'undred and fifty of us linin' in shoebox in middle of t'road."
"Cardboard box?"
"Aye"
"You were lucky!"
Are right wingers prone to committing fraud?
I seem to remember a certain MP convicted last year of 11 charges of bribery and corruption, and 15 charges of perverting the course of justice.
If you want to make wild generalisations about a political ideology based on a single individual, this might be a good place to start.
If you aren't that stupid, it merely demonstrates that crooks can associate with any set of beliefs.
Robert
McClay was indeed a National MP 14 years ago, and rose to the dizzying height of Minister of Youth Affairs.
More recently, he has been heavily involved in NZ First, including their somewhat colourful funding arrangements. See the link:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10531309
Remember NZ First? They were in coalition with (ahem) Labour during the last parliament.
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