When Claudette Hauiti was appointed an MP just over a year ago, on the back of Aaron Gilmore having to quit because he abused his position, many people were happy to see a person who has a lot of attributes National is missing take his place. Not only is Hauiti obviously a woman, she's also gay and Maori. This made many on the left hopeful that the government was becoming more progressive.
Unfortunately the new MP soon proved to be nothing more than just another capitalist con-artist who was only in government to line her own pockets. Not only is Claudette Hauiti corrupt, she wasn't smart enough to keep her abuse of the parliamentary charge card, which is funded by us taxpayers, under wraps. But if that wasn't bad enough, the Prime Minister is refusing to say exactly how much Hauiti stole, which makes a mockery of John Key's claim that he would be transparent about MPs' spending.
Yesterday (updated today), Radio NZ reported:
The problem for Key is that the public has a right to know the exact amount Claudette Hauiti stole off us, the taxpayer. In not providing that information, he's not only going back on his word, he's in fact protecting a thief and a liar! Nobody believes that Hauiti only spent $200 on a return trip to Australia.
The only reason Key won't tell us the exact amount stolen is because Hauiti's abuse of the parliamentary charge card will be extensive. It's likely to have started as soon as she got her hands on the card as well, which will cause even more uncomforted for the PM when questioned about why it took so long for them to put an end to Hauiti's criminal activity.
What we do know is that Hauiti's sense of entitlement caused her to abuse her position of power by running up huge bills at the taxpayer’s expense.
On top of Hauiti buying herself a celebrity lifestyle at our expense, the disgraced National MP will keep her salary of nearly $150,000 as well as over $16,000 a year in expenses. You can be sure as death and taxes that she won't be working for her constituency while she's in the dog box either. Instead, Hauiti will have her snout in the trough for another three months after the election on full pay, which makes a mockery of Key's claim that he will hold National MP's to a higher standard.
Claudette Hauiti is a thief and should be treated as such. In my opinion she should be charged and prosecuted by the police. By trying to protect a thief, John Key runs the risk of this controversy eating into his baby kissing propaganda campaign to get reelected. He runs the risk of losing votes because most New Zealanders don't like to be ripped off by politicians.
John Key needs to front up and come clean on just how much Claudette Hauiti has stolen. If he truly doesn’t know, which is highly doubtful, then he bloody well should find out…because without accountability and honesty from those currently in power, we may as well vote for a change in government.
Unfortunately the new MP soon proved to be nothing more than just another capitalist con-artist who was only in government to line her own pockets. Not only is Claudette Hauiti corrupt, she wasn't smart enough to keep her abuse of the parliamentary charge card, which is funded by us taxpayers, under wraps. But if that wasn't bad enough, the Prime Minister is refusing to say exactly how much Hauiti stole, which makes a mockery of John Key's claim that he would be transparent about MPs' spending.
Yesterday (updated today), Radio NZ reported:
PM under pressure over Hauiti
Mr Peters said on Wednesday the matter is more serious than has been made public so far, and that Mr Key knows more than he says.
But the Prime Minister says he does not, and rejects suggestions that Ms Hauiti is getting away with it. He told reporters he has not asked how much money is involved.
"That's actually not a matter for me. That's a matter for Parliamentary Services and her. She made it quite [clear] to me that she was standing down from Parliament and that was on the back of the advice she'd had from the party, which took a pretty dim view to her making a mistake."
The problem for Key is that the public has a right to know the exact amount Claudette Hauiti stole off us, the taxpayer. In not providing that information, he's not only going back on his word, he's in fact protecting a thief and a liar! Nobody believes that Hauiti only spent $200 on a return trip to Australia.
The only reason Key won't tell us the exact amount stolen is because Hauiti's abuse of the parliamentary charge card will be extensive. It's likely to have started as soon as she got her hands on the card as well, which will cause even more uncomforted for the PM when questioned about why it took so long for them to put an end to Hauiti's criminal activity.
What we do know is that Hauiti's sense of entitlement caused her to abuse her position of power by running up huge bills at the taxpayer’s expense.
Parliamentary records show the MP spent about $22,000 on travel and accommodation from January to March this year. That's about $8000 more than other National Party list MPs based in Auckland.
On top of Hauiti buying herself a celebrity lifestyle at our expense, the disgraced National MP will keep her salary of nearly $150,000 as well as over $16,000 a year in expenses. You can be sure as death and taxes that she won't be working for her constituency while she's in the dog box either. Instead, Hauiti will have her snout in the trough for another three months after the election on full pay, which makes a mockery of Key's claim that he will hold National MP's to a higher standard.
Claudette Hauiti is a thief and should be treated as such. In my opinion she should be charged and prosecuted by the police. By trying to protect a thief, John Key runs the risk of this controversy eating into his baby kissing propaganda campaign to get reelected. He runs the risk of losing votes because most New Zealanders don't like to be ripped off by politicians.
John Key needs to front up and come clean on just how much Claudette Hauiti has stolen. If he truly doesn’t know, which is highly doubtful, then he bloody well should find out…because without accountability and honesty from those currently in power, we may as well vote for a change in government.
