Good god. A former GP, now front bench health spokesperson accepting hospitality from British American Tobacco. Serious misjudgement. Being an obnoxious twat and getting smacked on the nose at said corporate shindig... hard to challenge the government when you're sat on your arse!
I'll leave others to speculate as to why he's not pressing charges.
Gotta love Simon Power's involvement: didn't see a thing, didn't think hanging out with a cigarette firm was an issue, wasn't aware his trousers were on backwards...
5 years ago
4 comments:
I tend to take a market-oriented perspective on these types of things. OK, it's Power and Coleman's choice to attend this kind of function. It's also their choice(s) about how they should behave around others. But, let them be judged on their actions. I say, the public of New Zealand can view both as twats of the first order. Their association with the significant tobacco lobby is also noted.
I'd have thought anyone with an ounce of sense would know better - forget your private views, how can you front a policy that's anti-smoking when you're hanging out with the major manufacturers. Unless National's policy is not to be anti-smoking?
I don't think I'd thump someone who said to my family what he's alleged to have said. I certainly don't condone it but can't help thinking this matter has balanced out between the parties?
It isn't good sense to assault people either. To play devils advocate, ministers from all parties get invited out to all sorts of hospitality bits and bobs. A new health spokesman will be wooed by the lobby groups.. and remember Labour also fund the anti smoking groups who are supposed to lobby the health dept (thats dodgy)
We just have to make sure that these minsters don't enjoy the freebies too much eh!
Heine, Labour and National fund anti-smoking bodies because there policies are to reduce smoking - Coleman and Power's attendance at a BAT gig either compromises them or compromises the policy.
I agree with you that Ministers and MPs get given an unreasonable about of shit from time to time - it's not part of the job to be everyone's whipping boy/girl (outside of your electorate) but it sounds to me as if Coleman's behaviour was pretty outrageous in the first instance.
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