Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:55p.m.
By Duncan Garner
Shane Jones has just suffered the biggest blow of his career. He will be lucky to survive this.
The ministerial credit card bills are out for the period 2003-2008 and former minister Jones has been nailed.
Jones chartered a plane for $1200, purchased dozens of pay-for-view movies in hotels, books, CDs, newspapers, Powerades, chocolates, cashews, magazines, panadol pills - you name it - Jones racked it up on the taxpayer and then ignored repeated warnings to sort out his receipts and reconcile it.
But the most worrying trend is the pay-for-view movies at $19.90 a pop.
Jones won't say whether they are adult movies - it's likely they are at that cost. There is a trend in the receipts and it's embarrassing for Jones. He's been completely caught out.
Night after night Jones orders a movie. One night he orders three movies. He says he's a movie buff - but there's something more to it.
He's paid back about $6000, but the cost of this for Jones is yet to come.
Labour is right now unsure how to play it. The party would probably like Jones to resign. But he's showing no sign of that as I write this column. If he doesn't Labour's list ranking committee is likely to demote him so far down the list for the next election that he never gets back to Parliament.
But Jones is not the only offender. Chris Carter has been caught out using the ministerial credit card to send flowers to his partner on his birthday. He also purchased a massage in Cambodia and a sauna in Berlin. Both times they went on his personal card - but it shows up on the list of spending anyway.
Former Associate Maori Affairs Minister Mita Ririnui purchased $600 worth of golf clubs in Australia, and a $900 bike. Both times he reimbursed the taxpayer. Does he not have his own credit card or Eftpos card? He was paid $200k a year.
National's Trade Minister Tim Groser is also in the gun for his spending on alcohol - two bottles of $400 dollar whiskey. Here's to you too Tim!
But it's Jones that's in trouble as I write this. Big trouble.
There's a serious pattern of abuse amongst his spending - and he's admitting it - he has no other option. The biggest question though in al this are the movies. What was he watching? And why didn't he adhere to the repeated warnings to sort all this out.
Jones says he will not resign over any of this. He's showing signs he will tough it out. But his career - in the short to medium term is in serious tatters. He has been touted as a future leader - this is massive blow to his chances.
Indeed - he'll be lucky to be in Parliament after the next election. There's no talk yet of expelling him from the caucus. But depending on how he handles himself over this and how he fronts - Labour's list committee, as I mentioned earlier, may decide to rank him so lowly at the next election that he has no chance of a return.
Jones has let himself down. He will know that now. But what did he expect? He was warned - now the consequences will flow.
Labour no longer has any right to attack Bill English for his spending rorts. This is Jones' day of shame. This is New Zealand's equivalent of the British spending scandal.
All MPs are tarnished by this. It looks like they have a culture of entitlement - and they do. What a disgrace. No wonder the public has little faith. They have every right to be bagging the hell out of Jones and the others as they head into this weekend.
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