Some leaks from inside NZ First have hit the headlines, and coupled with a recent poll of NZ First supporters they suggest that many members of NZ First were unhappy with the decision to go with Labour:
A raft of internal NZ First documents have been leaked to the media and National, revealing internal discontent about the way the party ran the last election campaign and coalition negotiations.
The documents include minutes from electorate meetings, a formal complaint from several members in the Auckland branch about the way the election campaign was run, and email correspondence between NZ First’s Tracey Martin and a party member about coalition negotiations.
The papers show some were critical of Peters for planning to take legal action against National Party figures before coalition negotiation began and questioned what impact that had on those talks.
Martin replied with an angry email, saying she was “deeply disappointed” by the comments.
It is a very rare breach of the internal secrecy of the party and will be a blow to party leader Winston Peters.
It comes just a week before New Zealand First’s annual conference and days after its president, Lester Gray, resigned after citing concerns about the party’s handling of its donations and finances.
Leaked emails reveal a standoff between party members and Martin.
A Newspaper
Tracey Martin is disliked in the NZ First caucus. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if she is blamed for the leaks.
The real leakers, however, are likely to be a band of drop-kicks and losers who didn’t make the grade to be MPs and are still bitter about it. They’ve been running a rearguard action against Winston, often smearing him with regards to health issues.
Our tipline is constantly sent emails suggesting some ailment or malaise is about to make the news concerning Winston. Most recently was the fuss over his recovery from knee surgery. In fact just the day before his video of him walking the dog in the park we received a tip that he was near death. It would be funny if it wasn’t so serious the lengths these losers go to paint Winston as a frail and infirm curmudgeon who has lost his marbles. Some of those spreading the rumours should know better and the fact they do says more about them than it does about Winston.
The speculation over the resignation of Lester Gray is also rather malicious. If the rumours keep getting spread then it is highly likely that the truth will be told about the situation, and that may prove rather embarrassing for Mr Gray. Let’s just hope he is getting the help he claims he has sought.
Meanwhile, it remains amusing that members of NZ First and others still fail to see why it was that NZ First chose to go with Labour. The leaks don’t change the fact that Winston still had reasons not to go with National and lots of reasons, all good political sense ones, to go with Labour especially with such a lightweight PM. I don’t get why people don’t get that. Winston has always played long game politics.
My pick is that neither Winston nor anyone else will react to these leaks, and someone will be quietly taken out the back and shot. You certainly won’t see grandstanding internal inquiries or witch hunts looking for leakers that then get it wrong as National did.
