Kevin Skinner gave us a lesson in the useful application of a bit of biffo.
Alf and his true-blue mates were dismayed by news of Crusher’s resignation as a Minister.
Fair to say, Alf’s dismay was tempered by the realisation – “hope” might be a better word – that this may well mean The Boss promotes him to the ministerial job that has been his ambition for some time.
But for now, those ambitions are being kept very private and for public purposes – well, the Member for Eketahuna North is declaring that he is devastated.
He is also highly disapproving of Labour’s leaping in to exploit Crusher’s plight.
Of course, that’s what one would expect from a bunch of lefties and greenies whose political aspirations far exceed their collective talents.
Hence they are apt to be desperate.
And so (according to this Herald on Sunday report):
Labour leader David Cunliffe says all ministers should be subject to a full commission of inquiry to get to the bottom of the allegations made in Nicky Hager’s book Dirty Politics.
Mr Cunliffe has appeared on TV3’s The Nation this morning and said a full commission of inquiry is needed into the allegations of dirty politics between Ministers in Parliament and Cameron Slater’s blog Whale Oil.
“This is not what New Zealand expects of their government,” he said.
Dunno about that.
The dirty politics stuff has been around for a week or so now but the polls don’t indicate it has seriously dented the Nats’ well-deserved lead.
That’s because of many things.
Among them, we are a sporting nation and we expect a bit of roughing up to go with trying to win.
Just take a look at what happens during a rugby test. If there wasn’t a bit of biffo now and again, and the All Blacks lost, the fans would demand the rolling of heads.
Just hark back a few weeks to the death of Kevin Skinner, the legendary front-row prop
The tributes flowed.
He was a hard-nosed, durable and tough prop who had his finest moments in the historic 1956 series against South Africa when he came out of retirement for the last two tests and was credited with the being the man who regained the physical edge for the All Blacks.
He did not win these kudos by playing to Queensbury rules or by resisting the temptation to duff up a few Springboks.
And we Nats aren’t a political force in the land by munching on muesli and being much too bloody precious to eschew trying to duff up our political foes.
Bill English isn’t quite putting it in those terms, of course.
Nor is he saying we Nats have been bruised by the sustained campaign to discredit Crusher.
Appearing on TVNZ’s Q & A this morning, he said the allegations against Ms Collins were serious and “that’s why the Prime Minister’s launched an inquiry into them”.
Ms Collins’ resignation had not derailed the National party’s election campaign and Prime Minister John Key was right in waiting until yesterday to act, he said.
“The Prime Minister – as he said yesterday – made judgements on the facts that are before him. He’s got a new set of facts today.
“I think he’s made the right decisions and now there’s going to be an inquiry into what is a serious allegation.
“It hasn’t become bigger than the campaign. In the end the campaign’s about the voters, this is an argument about a blogger, maybe a minister and a bunch of other people who generally aren’t in the public eye.”
And so Crusher has been thrown to the wolves.
If they are smart, the wolves will leave her alone. She’s as tough as nails and dining on nails would do a serious mischief, Alf imagines, to their digestive systems.
Alf Grumble 