The Government will move quickly to repair the damage to its
image now New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has stepped
aside from his ministerial portfolios to deal with a Serious
Fraud Office inquiry.
Climate change is firmly on the election campaign agenda
after New Zealand First and the Green Party this week backed
Labour, allowing Prime Minister Helen Clark's prized
emissions trading legislation to proceed through
Parliament.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters last night proved the
old adage of be careful what you wish for, when the Serious
Fraud Office took him at his word.
The political career of New Zealand First leader Winston
Peters hangs by a thread as Prime Minister Helen Clark
prepares to meet her Foreign Affairs Minister this morning to
hear his explanation about a Serious Fraud Office
investigation.
Prime Minister Helen Clark faces a dilemma: sack New Zealand
First leader Winston Peters as Minister of Foreign Affairs or
face a growing perception she is prepared to hold on to power
at any cost.
National Party leader John Key played semantics with New
Zealand voters by saying New Zealand First leader Winston
Peters would be unacceptable as a minister in a government
led by him, but giving himself an out.
Controversy
continues to whirl around him, but New Zealand First leader
Winston Peters will today be in the familiar role of
kingmaker as the Government awaits his decision on whether or
not his party will support its emissions trading scheme.
Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons yesterday said her
party's support for Labour's emission trading scheme was
based on the setting up of a $1 billion fund to be spent over
about 15 years on insulating homes and making them more
energy efficient.
