Political scrutiny and responsibility...

Got rather a shock when I got home last night. Leader in the news was that David Parker had resigned as Attourney General.

Say WHAT?

Parker is one of those people who could do good to great things as a politician. There is now a very large "BUT" associated with his name.

So what happened?

Background -

In NZ, every company is required to furnish an Annual Return to the Registrar of Companies. The forms involved, if the Company Secretary does his job right, take about 10 minutes to put together.

One of the little procedural matters every company must address every year is the appointment of auditors. A company can resolve (with 100% vote in favour) that auditors not be appointed. That resolution has to be considered each year at General Meeting.

So, what did Parker do?

He signed a Declaration that the resolutions had been properly passed when in fact they had not. A legal offence of some importance even if the penalties are not excessive. Note - the offence was in relation to the Declaration, not the procedural omission.

Intentional, careless, mistaken or whatever - he is no longer Attorney General.

UPDATE

Just announced that Parker has resigned all Cabinet posts.

Mr Parker quit yesterday as the Government's chief legal officer after disclosures that he filed false returns to the Companies Office.

And this morning it was announced that he was going from his other portfolios -- transport and energy.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said she accepted the resignations and that if he had not offered them she would have requested them, Newstalk ZB reported.

Earlier today, Mr Parker said he was "ashamed" about his mistake but that he would "tough it out" and had no intention of giving up his other portfolios. "I do believe I've got something to offer in those portfolios," Mr Parker said on National Radio earlier this morning.

Helen Clark told reporters that since then Mr Parker sought "a range of opinions".

"I have this morning accepted Mr Parker's resignation from all his portfolios," she said.

Mr Parker is expected to make a statement to Parliament this afternoon.

A week used to be the benchmark for a "long time in politics". Seems now that a day is all it needs.

Now, about Tennisball Benson Pope, Auntie Helen...