Let’s put aside what happened or didn’t happen for a moment.
Let’s suppose a party went out deliberately and completely and utterly routed the system in order to win an election. Let’s say to over a million dollars worth of taxpayer’s money.
What would happen?
See, the thing is, not much would happen very fast. Investigations have to be made, facts have to be compiled and these things take time. In the case of a deliberate act of corruption, all sorts of roadblocks can be put in place to dragged out an investigation. People can go on holiday at critical times, meetings can be double booked, the list goes on.
Even the most blatant stealing of elections, if managed correctly could be pushed aside for years. More if you are prepared to subtly tweak legislation in retrospect. “Oh, does that affect your investigation? Sorry, didn’t realise…”
Just look at Mugabe. This is where he started – only a fool would say Zimbabwe is ok now, but a few years ago it was very hard to tell.The thing is, in a peaceful society like ours we expect people to hold to the rules, and even if they break them, to only do it in some limited way. I’ve noticed that if you just go hell for leather, people can’t cope with it. They don’t want to think of people that badly, even if there’s a lot of evidence.
Exhibit A: 81% of people want Labour to pay it back, but Labour still has much more than 19% support.
Anyway, my second point.
Does anyone seriously believe that if the money is paid back (and we know it won’t be) that will put ends to rights?
If a crook cleans out your bank account and then buys a Ferrari, would you like him to still have the car when he’s put in jail. Or more correctly, should he give back the car and stay out of jail?
Actually, that argument makes me think.
I was going to say we need a new election, a fair one. We do.
But first, Helen Clark and her inner circle need to be dragged before the courts, and the officials they have thumbed their noses at, and be told to answer for their actions.
I believe they should go to Jail.
All of them. Hard time. The longer the better.
That will in fact be a small price to pay for what they have done to this country.
Who knows, Helen might enjoy it?
Update:
I thought I’d explain the above a little more before publishing.
I used to be able to hold hand on heart and say this country was not corrupt.
I simply can’t do that anymore.
Neither can international watchdogs.
That makes me both sad and angry. Is it really worth it to ruin a country, just so you can remain in control of it? Are we Zimbabwe? As much as I’d like to admit it, Helen is a better person by far than Mugabe, but she seems hell bent on proving that she isn’t.
Something should go here, maybe later. 