Brown ‘like a crying baby’

I read in yesterday’s paper yet another tantrum by the Minister of Finance over the United Nations membership issue. He displayed this childish behaviour on television on Thursday night. As I watched him talk and as I read his statements in CINews, I could not help but think that here is a man desperate for attention. But worse, he is seeking such attention in a very childish way – much like a crying baby pointing the finger at my team in the Democratic Party for spoiling his day. I mean, is this the same minister who was “donged” on the head several times by Wilkie Rasmussen, CEO for the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, for saying things that were not true and for having incorrect facts? It is rich isn’t it, that the very person that should check first as to whether he has the integrity to level accusations of lying at others has been caught red-handed by the public for not telling the truth. Remember the Papa Williams accusation he made, and that Papa Williams was then employed by the Office of the Leader of the Opposition? And yet Papa, a private citizen with very critical views of the government, was not. We see with this sort of conduct that the minister’s heart in its rapid and frenzied beat is raising his blood pressure to a dangerously high level. Goodness me, let’s hope he does not faint from the heat of politics. I mean, we can’t have this absolutely integral, top man of the Cook Islands Party and government keel over and succumb to the pressure of accountability in politics. After all, isn’t that what this is all about? What we have is a minister and the Prime Minister being grilled by opposition MP James Beer for allegedly lying that they did not raise the issue of the Cook Islands pursuing a seat on the United Nations with the New Zealand government – and in particular the New Zealand Prime Minister. The minister vehemently denies that this ever took place – and he can deny it if he must, but the precursor behaviour of the minister and Henry Puna is a testament to an agenda about them taking the Cook Islands towards acquiring membership of the UN. But why is the minister of finance asking for an apology from James Beer for making such allegations? Isn’t that what politics is all about? Isn’t it true that Minister Brown is in the glasshouse for all to see and for all to throw stones at? If he insists on an apology, how about he apologise for his undermining comments of the Democratic party in the past, some of which were absolutely unnecessary and inappropriate. But this is the man who often says that this is politics. And whether you get plastered by nasty comments, derogatory remarks, insults and putdowns – tough luck. Well, it’s clear what he must do – toughen up and not be obnoxious about it. I defend my team and we are focused on winning the next election. We don’t want to get tangled up with petty issues like the one Mark is wasting parliamentary time on. Triviality will generate more of the same and it will not be good for a government struggling to maintain composure against the ever-growing and expanding Democratic Party. But if they let the public judge, then I have no doubt it is going be pretty painful. So the more Mark makes these sorts of comments the better.

I read in yesterday’s paper yet another tantrum by the Minister of Finance over the United Nations membership issue. He displayed this childish behaviour on television on Thursday night. As I watched him talk and as I read his statements in CINews, I could not help but think that here is a man desperate for attention. But worse, he is seeking such attention in a very childish way – much like a crying baby pointing the finger at my team in the Democratic Party for spoiling his day. I mean, is this the same minister who was “donged” on the head several times by Wilkie Rasmussen, CEO for the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, for saying things that were not true and for having incorrect facts? It is rich isn’t it, that the very person that should check first as to whether he has the integrity to level accusations of lying at others has been caught red-handed by the public for not telling the truth. Remember the Papa Williams accusation he made, and that Papa Williams was then employed by the Office of the Leader of the Opposition? And yet Papa, a private citizen with very critical views of the government, was not. We see with this sort of conduct that the minister’s heart in its rapid and frenzied beat is raising his blood pressure to a dangerously high level. Goodness me, let’s hope he does not faint from the heat of politics. I mean, we can’t have this absolutely integral, top man of the Cook Islands Party and government keel over and succumb to the pressure of accountability in politics. After all, isn’t that what this is all about? What we have is a minister and the Prime Minister being grilled by opposition MP James Beer for allegedly lying that they did not raise the issue of the Cook Islands pursuing a seat on the United Nations with the New Zealand government – and in particular the New Zealand Prime Minister. The minister vehemently denies that this ever took place – and he can deny it if he must, but the precursor behaviour of the minister and Henry Puna is a testament to an agenda about them taking the Cook Islands towards acquiring membership of the UN. But why is the minister of finance asking for an apology from James Beer for making such allegations? Isn’t that what politics is all about? Isn’t it true that Minister Brown is in the glasshouse for all to see and for all to throw stones at? If he insists on an apology, how about he apologise for his undermining comments of the Democratic party in the past, some of which were absolutely unnecessary and inappropriate. But this is the man who often says that this is politics. And whether you get plastered by nasty comments, derogatory remarks, insults and putdowns – tough luck. Well, it’s clear what he must do – toughen up and not be obnoxious about it. I defend my team and we are focused on winning the next election. We don’t want to get tangled up with petty issues like the one Mark is wasting parliamentary time on. Triviality will generate more of the same and it will not be good for a government struggling to maintain composure against the ever-growing and expanding Democratic Party. But if they let the public judge, then I have no doubt it is going be pretty painful. So the more Mark makes these sorts of comments the better.