NZ has consistently been rated one of the least corrupt countries in the world. I fear this will not be the case in the next round of ratings.
Here is an article from stuff.co...
Peters says staff destroyed emails
21 November 2006
By MARTIN KAY
NZ First leader Winston Peters says his staff destroyed leaked emails from National Party leader Don Brash after Dr Brash asked police to investigate how his personal correspondence was distributed.
Mr Peters said yesterday that emails to and from Dr Brash - which Mr Peters had boasted were "the most damaging information" in the Western World - were destroyed in September, when police were asked to investigate leaks from Dr Brash's office.
He said the destruction was decided by staff in his absence, and he had no problem with the move.
But Dr Brash said last night the revelation was staggering and he found it "hard to believe" Mr Peters played no part in the decision.
"Remember, this is material that Mr Peters said would `blow their heads off'. He repeatedly made extravagant claims about the contents of the emails. Yet today, he appears to be saying that his staff didn't bother to consult him before destroying material that their leader had bragged about over a number of months. That is just incredible, and Mr Peters needs to come clean."
He said Mr Peters' staff had destroyed evidence that was subject to a police inquiry, but Mr Peters said the claim was "nonsense".
"The police have all the information about the emails - what they want to know is who leaked it. That's the offence which was brought to their attention.
"Don Brash knows that person. He should just tell you."
Mr Peters revealed the emails' destruction after he was asked to comment on the High Court injunction won by Dr Brash on Friday to prevent the distribution and publication of his personal correspondence.
In a rare move, the order was issued against "John and Jane Doe" - meaning anyone later found to have the emails - and was sought after rumours they were being made into a book.
Mr Peters has made no secret of having some emails from Dr Brash, and in December he mimicked American actor Clint Eastwood's gun-toting Dirty Harry character as he taunted National about the damage they would do.
"Oh, I know what those members are thinking: they are wondering whether I have one telephone book full of those emails, or 10. Well, I have to tell those members that, in all this excitement, I myself clean forgot to count them. But given that this is the most damaging information seen in the Western World, and could blow their political heads clean off, they have to ask themselves this question: Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, punks?"
Mr Peters said last night he did not know who sent him the emails, which arrived in hard copy form.
Police said Dr Brash's complaint was still being investigated.
... What is fascinating about this situation is that we have a senior Minister in government saying that when the Police took an interest in some documents, his staff destroyed them... BUT I didn't know about it because they were only "...the most damaging information seen in the Western World...".
There are two phrases that come to mind...
Perverting the course of justice and unbelievable!
If anyone else admitted to destroying evidence because the Police started sniffing around, they would be charged. However the Police HQ have shown a complete lack of spine to do their job in the face of political pressure from this current corrupt government. Paintagate. Speedgate. Tenisball-gate. Give-me-a-visa-and-I'll-tile-your-house-gate.
It is now time for the National Party to make it clear to top civil servants... who should be neutral and do their jobs... that they will be fired for these past inactions once the Labour Party is turfed. I realise this is a slippery slope but we are already on it. It is too late.
The first to go needs to be the Police HQ. The second the Labour Dept. The third Health.
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