Editorial: Honourable move if it really is just about mid-priced plonk

Phil Heatley's snout might not be the most cavernous or grasping ever to be dipped into the ministerial trough.

This only makes his decision to stand down as housing and fisheries minister – ostensibly over a bill for $70 worth of wine – that much more intriguing. Has Mr Heatley set the new standard for misbehaving politicians? Is it that he fears more revelations to come? Roll on Auditor-General Lyn Provost's perusal of the former minister's accounts.

Prime Minister John Key has been comparatively supportive of his now ex-minister, calling the slip untidy and careless rather than intentional wrong-doing and suggesting short-term suspension pending the audit would have sufficed. The Whangarei MP's electorate chairman describes the breach as "technical". Mr Heatley claimed the $70 for "food and beverages" for himself and his wife when in fact the bill was for two bottles of vino for a table of party delegates at the annual conference. He says he had not properly studied the rules for ministerial credit cards – which reads like the first line of the next Tui's "yeah right" billboard.

If he did really find the rules that difficult to get his head around then he clearly has done the right thing in standing down as a minister. The requirements for a Cabinet career demand greater intellectual firepower than this episode would suggest he has at his disposal. Besides, investigations by the Dominion Post reveal he was warned more than once about his ministerial credit card spending, and referred by Ministerial Services to the five principles covering their use. His distraught claims to have not understood the comparatively clear-cut rules ring hollow.

Mr Heatley's resignation follows earlier controversy over his inappropriate spending. Earlier in the week he agreed to pay back $1000 for a family jaunt around Marlborough, incorrectly plopped on the plastic. He was also pinged around the same time as Finance Minister Bill English last year, for claiming $1000 a week in accommodation expenses after moving into a larger home when he became minister and letting his ministerial apartment to a colleague. The picture is of just another politician with an inflated sense of entitlement – though his political opponents have been comparatively muted in their response to his downfall. When in glasshouses...

If it were simply about a couple of mid-priced pinots or chardonnays, Mr Heatley's decision would seem unusually noble, even for a politician. However, in the real world, admitting a $70 misappropriation would be firm grounds for instant dismissal. While Mr Heatley has handed himself a $112,000 pay cut, along with the loss of his ministerial limousine and self-drive car, house and that credit card that got him into his predicament, at least he still has a job with a $143,000 salary. He won't necessarily be on toast and baked beans for the rest of his days, or even limited to $8 sauv blanc imports.

Cabinet ministers are supposed to be honourable. They even get the right to call themselves just that. By standing down in this fashion, Mr Heatley might have helped restore just a little public faith in our politicians, at least for now. There is still the auditor-general's finding to come, of course. The court of public opinion will reserve its judgment in the meantime.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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ROSCOE   #1   12:41 pm Mar 05 2010

When is someone going to stand up to all politicians and say --"enoughs enough !!" With the world in recession and budgets tight, we have these pompous lot in their "Ivory Towers"having all these treats on the taxpayers expense.I can now see why they want to jack up the GST--so they have more money to increase their "expenditure"on themselves. With the rate they are paid,shouldn't that be it ?? No more plastic card,limousine,self drive car,house,Superannuation etc--just survive on their paltry $143,000 (plus) and find out what is like to pay the week by week necessities like mortgages,rates,gas,electricity,insurance,rego,fuel,car maintenance and not forgetting the ever increasing food bill. I truly believe they are not entitled to the "regal" treatment in our current climate and if they don't want to change their over the top freebies--get out into mainstream and see what is on offer for $143,000 and let the run of the mill take on their positions ? Would make a very interesting concept--don't you think ??

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