Shamed minister quits top law post
Thats the headline in Stuff / Dominion Post this morning:
A shamed David Parker has quit as attorney-general and is facing calls to step down from his other portfolios amid claims that he filed false company returns.
But Prime Minister Helen Clark is standing by her minister’s judgment that the offence was not serious enough to give up his $216,000-a-year ministerial salary as transport and energy minister.
Mr Parker said he was ashamed of the “mistake” that cost him the prestigious attorney-general’s portfolio, but said it was made “without sinister intent”.
Now, I dont know enough about the circumstances of his situation, but I now have a LOT more respect for him than almost any other member of parliament. Why? Because he stood up, said ”I screwed up”, and resigned. None of this crap like Donna Awatere-Huata (who was found guilty of defrauding a government funded reading program, and STILL refused to resign from office). Nice and simple, own up to your mistake, take the outcome, and get on with it.
Now, let him sit on the bench for a while (or, at least, continue with his other portfolios), then get him back doing something USEFUL. I think we need more people in the beehive with a similar attitude.
