The allegation centres on the decision to roll over the contract for the ministerial BMW's. Labour alleged that just days before the deal was signed off, John Key went to a fundraiser at BMW, and a $50,000 donation followed for the National Party. Trevor Mallard details the allegation at around the 2min mark in this speech, and Chris Hipkins continues the smear from around the 35sec mark in his contribution. Hipkins seems to have a fetish about heated seats; we don't know quite what to make about that!
Now if these allegations had any substance, there might be cause for concern. But as with so many of Labour's ham-fisted attempts to smear John Key, this one's an own goal; check out this release from the PM's Department:
Prime Minister John Key says that on a day when Labour has no answer to the National-led Government’s responsible Budget plans, it has resorted to the gutter yet again with false allegations.
“In the House today, Labour has falsely asserted corrupt dealings in relation to the contract between the Department of Internal Affairs and BMW NZ Ltd to roll over the VIP Transport contract,” says Mr Key.
“BMW NZ is not the same entity as the one named by a Labour MP today as having made a donation to the National Party.
“The company named in the House is an Auckland dealership – and is not the company which the Department of Internal Affairs signed the contract with for the replacement of the VIP Transport fleet.
“That contract was also signed under the last Labour Government - not the National Government - and rolled over by the department under its delegated authority.
“This is not only a baseless smear on my integrity, it is also a smear on the integrity of officials in the Department of Internal Affairs who are responsible for the contract."
Mr Key says New Zealanders will judge for themselves what Labour’s latest smear attempt demonstrates about the priorities of that party's MPs.
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Labour saw the BMW's, saw the name Team McMillan BMW, put two and two together, and got 22! Team McMillan BMW is independantly owned, and is nothing to do with BMW New Zealand Limited, with whom the DIA was doing business. And Trevor Mallard and Chris Hipkins have got things wrong; yet again.
Perhaps Labour is jealous that John Key can turn up at a fundraiser, and the suits in attendance reach for their chequebooks. But the attack by Hipkins and Mallard on Key's integrity and ethics is such that if repeated outside Parliament, it could well be actionable.
When Parliament resumes at 2pm today, it would be nice to think that Trevor Mallard and Chris Hipkins would take points of order, and 'fess up to having got their facts wrong yesterday. That would certainly be the honourable thing to do. We won't be holding our breath though.
UPDATE: Since we typed this post last night, Labour is already in damage control mode - the Dom-Post reports this morning:
Labour MP Chris Hipkins raised questions in Parliament yesterday about a $50,000 donation to National last July 30 from Team McMillan, an Auckland BMW dealership. He said the donation followed a meeting by Mr Key's chief of staff, Wayne Eagleson, with officials about the rollover of the BMWs.
Mr Hipkins later clarified that his concern was about who would sell the old BMWs. Internal Affairs said no decisions had been made yet but, in the past, old vehicles were disposed of in a variety of ways, including auctions.
Hmmmm; does anyone else sense a run for cover here?
11 comments:
A riddle for you to wrap your mouth around "What does Chris Hipkins have in common with Darren Hughes?"
For some reason I'm struggling to log on to Whale's place at the mo, so I'll just say here that his "Charge of the Lightweight Brigade" made me properly Laugh Out Loud.
Anon
8.20 am
Let me guess.
Not letting all the facts get out there?
What a tool.
Hipkins was clearly trying to link the function at McMillan BMW with the Fleet sale by BMW NZ, however much he spins it now.
@ Alex - one only needs to watch the video of Hipkins' speech in the General Debate yesterday (link is in the main post) to know EXACTLY what he was alleging. His attempt to spin it now falls into the "explaining is losing" class.
The BMWs are symptomatic of a hypocritical government. The economy is tanking. Yet Key cuts savings and gives tax cuts to the wealthy. Why not raise the age of super?
Now Chapman a right winger with as much goodness in his heart as you'd expect, is leaping into the mix because the politics of Brash and Key are opening doors for him. The country is heading for a meltdown as it always does under conservatives.
I was also at the function (making up the numbers) so know that what he says is absolute cobblers.
It also shows that he has no knowledge of how things like the motor vehicle industry works, or any industry for that matter.
Anon, the BMW's are symptomatic of a thing called a contract.
Once signed you are bound by them, unless you want to have your backside sued off.
What chance you directly call bullsh*t by Mallard and Hipkins on Red Alert IV2? Hipkins, the choirboy MP with a 'chippie' on his shoulder
The stupid thing about all this is Labour actually have a message to sell.
No asset sales. No changes to WFF, Kiwisaver and Student Loans. Increase top marginal tax rate. Tax exempt income. Reinstate ECE subsidies. Etc Etc.
Stuffed if I know how they will pay for all this. But it is better than trying to throw mud at teflon Key.
own gooooooooaaaaaaaalllllllll
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