Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Power to the people....'s rulers
The sole charge Taranaki policeman charged with drink-driving after going to a fatal crash on his day off has been let off without conviction.
"You were dealing with an emergency," Judge Louis Bidois told Jonathan Erwood.
"You had to make a snap decision, effectively on the hoof."
Mr Erwood's supporters, packed into the New Plymouth District Court, burst into applause at the decision.
So it's official then, if you drink and drive you're a bloody legend.
In other news, those aloof wankers on their six-figure salaries down in Parliament have decided they are above the law.
Labour strategist Pete Hodgson says his party will not repay any taxpayer money unlawfully spent on its election pledge card.
His statement yesterday was the first time a senior member of the party has said it has no intention of paying any money back.
Once again, it's one rule for the people another for their rulers.
There was a great story in the Herald a while ago (can't link to it because of their gay user-pays charges) about a solo-mum being forced to repay money she had been overpaid by a Government department - despite being on the bones of her arse and having to support kids.
"You just have to pay it back, it was their mistake but there's just no choice, it's the Government I'm dealing with," was her basic argument.
And she's dead right.
Comments:
The pledge card spending was legal in 99. It was legal in 02. And now it is "illegal" in 05. What changed in the interim? Answer: nothing.
This is hardly an open-and-shut case. No authoritative "legal" decision has yet been offered (we await Danton v. Clark).
At best the spending is "contested".
This is hardly an open-and-shut case. No authoritative "legal" decision has yet been offered (we await Danton v. Clark).
At best the spending is "contested".
# posted by 
: 13 September 2006 at 15:49
: 13 September 2006 at 15:49
Post a Comment