Clark will "let the process continue"

Helen Clark says she will hold off firing Winston Peters until the Serious Fraud Office and the police has completed their investigations into the Winston Peter's saga.

Because Michael Cullen told her to.

Which is precisely what I have been saying all month and on Monday said

Despite whatever the privileges committee says, Peters will still keep his ministerial warrants because the SFO and police will not have completed their investigations before the election. Due process extends as far as the Prime Minster wants it to, which is why she's happy to use the SFO and police as political pawns to extend that process. Nothing is a firing offence in this government unless it is politically expedient to do so.

The reason Cullen advised the Prime Minister so was because he wants people to think that Helen Clark still can't make up her mind which version of events is true.

Peter Dunne, who is on the committee, appeared annoyed that Henry cannot recall much. He put the proposition to Henry that he was not recalling things because to do so would create further embarrassment for Peters. Of course Cullen won't be asking to have the truth clarified.

The PM is deciding nothing. It is Cullen that is making the decisions and the PM is merely agreeing with him. Clark won't make any decision before the SFO report comes out.

updateThat decision not to make a decision is the only decision Clark has made in this saga since she suspended Peters.