In the wake of UN bank account revelation – when would Robertson move against Shearer?

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The person who ended up with the most amount of power once Cunliffe was publicly flogged wasn’t David Shearer. It was Grant Robertson.

There has been much blogged and posted about why the sudden remembrance of a UN bank account with over $50 000 by David Shearer bites so much deeper than a simple mistake can cover.

In the first exchange after the news in Parliament, David Shearer asked John Key if he stood by all his statements. John Key gleefully jumped up and exclaimed, “Yes, and I stand by all my bank statements as well”.

Ouch.

The spin that Shearer isn’t your typical politician just got un-spun. What’s worse is that with the Government and its allies constantly forgetting things, Shearer just blunted Labour’s best attack strategy with the electoral killing smell of hypocrisy.

Everytime Labour launch an attack on forgetfulness, the cheap come back will be Shearer’s UN bank account and you know that’s the only line that will get airtime on the News.

How much this damages Labour is yet to be seen, but there must be serious nerves beginning to be felt. One way the old guard could be moved along would be by a sudden change in the power dynamics within the Party.

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All that would take is a phone call from Robertson to Cunliffe with a ‘have I got a deal for you’ conversation.

Robertson as leader, Ardern as deputy and Cunliffe as Finance. Now wouldn’t that be a front bench. I’m pretty certain that would get Charles Chauvel back from the UN which would be a delicious irony considering that’s where this latest leadership wobble has started for Shearer.

14 COMMENTS

  1. How much this damages Labour is yet to be seen, but there must be serious nerves beginning to be felt.

    In the long term? Not much, I suspect. It’ll be forgotten by the end of the week.

    On the other hand, Bank’s Dotcom/Skycity memory-fades will have entered into the public consciousness – much like Lange’s “I can smell the uranium on your breath” quip. Though both are at polar ends in terms of fame and infamy.

    By obfuscating at each stage; refuting the obvious; lying; and insisting he wasn’t to blame, Banks gave legs to the issue.

    Had he done what Shearer did – ‘fessed up; took full responsibility; didn’t point the finger at anyone else – it would’ve been done and dusted and any future reference to the issue by the Left would not have made any impression with the public.

    That’s the difference between Banks and Shearer.

    As for Key – he’s another kettle of hoki altogether. His habitual fnger-pointing and blaming others is fast gaining currency in politics and public perception. Quite simply, whenever there’s a stuff-up, he’ll blame someone else. It’s become a joke.

    The only time the Nats appeared to take responsibility was the Kate Wilkinson thing. And that was nothing more than damage control to shut down debate over the findings of the Pike River Commission on Inquiry.

    The public won’t remember that for the same reason they’ll forget Shearer’s blunder by lunchtime; it was over and done with by the end of the day. (Which is what damage control is designed to achieve; shut a scandal down.)

    The other thing about Key is how close he’s skated to being found out lying. The dodgy “email” from an un-named “friend” over Standard and Poors downgrading NZ’s credit rating had a Labour government been in power springs to mind. There are plenty of others.

    By the way, I write this with no particular preference for who leads Labour. For me, problems surrounding Labour go far deeper, in terms of its very foundations.

    • Frank the Tank,

      “As for Key – he’s another kettle of hoki altogether. His habitual fnger-pointing and blaming others is fast gaining currency in politics and public perception. Quite simply, whenever there’s a stuff-up, he’ll blame someone else. It’s become a joke.”

      You need to get out more, mix in some different circles. Key (and National) are still very popular, especially when you consider they are about five years into their leadership.

      Stating that the Shearer issue will be gone by the end of the week is completely missing Martin’s point. It will live as long as Labour with Shearer attempt to highlight the oppositions forgetfulness/carelessness

    • Had he [Banks] done what Shearer did – ‘fessed up; took full responsibility; didn’t point the finger at anyone else…

      He couldn’t do that as it would have landed him behind bars (which, IMO, is where he should be).

      The only time the Nats appeared to take responsibility was the Kate Wilkinson thing. And that was nothing more than damage control to shut down debate over the findings of the Pike River Commission on Inquiry.

      And that’s true of every time that the Nats “take responsibility”. When they find themselves in a position where they can’t blame someone else they’ll make a small sacrifice to shut the situation down and move on ASAP.

      The other thing about Key is how close he’s skated to being found out lying.

      He’s already been found lying several times – he’s just managed to avoid having to be accountable for those lies.

      By the way, I write this with no particular preference for who leads Labour. For me, problems surrounding Labour go far deeper, in terms of its very foundations.

      Me too

      Labour is no longer a party of the workers but a party of capitalists and they’ve been that way since the 1980s when they dumped free-market economics on us. An economic system that has increased inequality, increased poverty and damaged even more of our land. All it does is increase the wealth going to the few and, more often that not I suspect, those few are foreigners.

    • “It’ll be forgotten by the end of the week.”

      I doubt it.

      From now on Shearer or Labour can’t question “can’t remember” or it will be thrown back at them.

      From now on Shearer or Labour can’t criticise rich pricks, or it will be thrown back at them.

      From now on Shearer or Labour can’t question overseas investors or it will be thrown back at them.

      From now on Shearer or Labour can’t question fininacial knowledge or it will be thrown back at them.

      Key may have ‘memory’ problems but I’m sure he and English will remember this during the next election campaign.

      Of all Shearer’s mistakes this is potentialy the most damaging.

      He may have put right a minor omission from his disclosure, but this has the potential to hover over Labour right through to the next election, if Shearer doesn’t deal with it comprehensively – and I doubt he is capable of that, even if he could see the necessity.

    • Or got wind that the excrement was about to hit the fan and fessed up to limit the damage.

      And you want a guy who can make a ‘simple’ mistake over a large sum of money sitting in a foreign bank account to run the Country?

  2. It’s obvious Robertson is leader-in-waiting, it’s just a matter of timing, and they shoul dbe reviewing the calenadr frantically right now.

    That would be a huge step up for Ardern, I have my doubts she’s up to it, yet at least.

    I’ve said for some time that the only way of effective rebuild and reconciliation is to reinstate Cunlifee, by far their most effective politician.

    But there has been little sign of intelligence or common sense for years.

    • Got it in one, DeepRed.

      It’s interesting to note that Key responded with this comment,

      “You don’t get cut any slack from the Labour Party when you say (you’ve made) a mistake but when they make one they don’t want anyone to have a look at it.”

      It’s obvious that Opposition attacks on National’s incompetance is scoring some heavy hits. Key has admitted as such, and is taking a toll.

      Otherwise why would be complain that “you don’t get cut any slack from the Labour Party when you say (you’ve made) a mistake”?

      What Shearer’s stuff up does do is remind Labour and Green MPs to be absolutely certain that they are abiding by Parliament’s rules. There is simply no room for taking things for granted.

    • Yes, good on Shearer, but he has opened a big can of worms for Labour. The best thing about it is it would have been worse if it had become known later, especially if discovered and not revealed.

      Banks had every right to poke back at Shearer over memory – but then he kept at it and undid any points scored by grossly overplaying his hand, which has turned the spotlight back on his own embarrassments.

  3. The story will fade away, for now. But then …

    2014. One month before the election.

    Media (and/or the Nats) to Shearer: “Do you still have an offshore bank account? How much is in it?”

    Shearer: “Er … um … private … forgot … um …”

    End of Shearer.

    So he’s screwed. National just need to bide their time, and strike whenever they need a distraction. The bank account is toxic, and Shearer needs to get rid of it. (If he had any political acumen at all, he would have done this years ago. But he has none).

  4. What exactly does David Shearer do? It looks to me like he just shows up to eat his lunch and collect his pay packet. What has Labour done since he has been the leader? They have completely abandoned us in Christchurch Central since the Earthquake. Brendon Burns lost his seat by 46 votes because John Key plastered his photo all over the Nat candidates billboards and people were so certain Brendon would get in they didnt vote as too stressed out from Earthquake stuff. Brendon was so far down the list he didnt get into parliament at all. He and Leeanne Dalziel were our only advocates. Now Shearer has sent her to Siberia as well. Post earthquake debacles are a perfect opportunity for Labour to make some Political Capital and they have totally squandered it. They have thrown us beleagured citizens of Christchurch to the dogs and the machinations of Gerry and the Nats. Shame on the Labour Party

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