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The Greens Have Lost Their Vaunted Integrity

Marama Davidson--bald faced liar.  Green political leader.  No surprises there, it seems. 

In New Zealand we are about to have what is colloquially called the Anti-Waka-Jumping Bill.  It is designed to protect one politician, and one only.  Winston Peters, leader of the New Zealand First party has a long history of infighting amongst his own party.  Peters is a prima-donna.  Relationships tend to fracture when the egos of other NZ First politicians collide with Peters's view of the world.

Therefore, Peters negotiated a back-room deal with the Labour Party to pass a Bill which required that any MP could be ejected from Parliament if he or she did not do obeisance to the respective party leader.  It is a Bill nurtured in the insecurity of one MP--Winston Peters.  Labour gladly rushed to sign up to ensure that the Peters Protection Bill passed into law. 

But, in order to pass it needed one more party's support: the Greens.  Historically, the Greens had been staunchly opposed to any Bill which undermined the sovereignty of Parliament.  They had been decidedly principled on the matter.  But in the end, despite staunch opposition from the Greens rank-and-file, the party has fallen into line and declared it will support the Peters Protection Bill. 

The leader of the Greens, Marama Davidson lied to herself, her party, and to the nation.
  She insisted that the Greens had no choice on the matter.  Because of their own agreement with Labour, the Greens were bound to support whatever Labour supported.  Labour agreed to the Peters Protection Bill; therefore, the Greens were also bound to support the Peters Protection Bill. 

Commentators Bryce Edwards and David Farrar put this imbroglio in sharp relief:

Proof the Greens lied re waka jumping bill

A smoking gun from Bryce Edwards. He has been leaked an internal Green Party document that explicitly says they have been advised by the Cabinet Office that their confidence and supply agreement does not bind them to support the waka jumping bill.

Yet Stuff reported:

“We are doing this because the confidence and supply agreement holds us to it,” Davidson said.

That is a deliberate lie from the Green Party co-leader. She would have known that the Cabinet Office had advised they are not required to support the bill. But she lied and said they were required to, to try and placate their members.

And in case you think Stuff misreported, here is the official Green press release: 

“We are doing this because the confidence and supply agreement holds us to it.” Marama Davidson said.

So the Green Party put out a press release they knew to be false, justifying their support for a bill that their members hate. . . . . 

The question is begged, why?  Why would Davidson lie in such a bald-faced fashion?  The simplest answer--and therefore the most likely--is that Davidson has agreed to support the Peters Protection Bill in exchange for some other shady deal. 

As a result the rank-and-file of the Green Party face a dilemma.  Either they line up behind Davidson and swallow the dead rat of her public lying, or they stop supporting their wretchedly compromised party.  The next election will tell. 

In the meantime, expect more lies from the Greens.