The people who ru(i)n our country

Michael Cullen has refused to say he has confidence in the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), after its head, Grant Liddell, was before the Privileges Committee today.

As you know, the SFO is investigating the country's Foreign Affairs Minister for fraud. Winston Peters is still the Foreign Affairs Minister but has had his portfolios stripped pending the investigation. The problem is that Michael Cullen is also the Attorney General, - chief law officer and primary legal advisor of the New Zealand government - despite having no legal qualifications whatsoever. Liddell reports to the Attorney General.

He did so again today.

Liddell addressed his boss, the Attorney General with no legal training - but only because said boss is not only the country's Deputy Prime Minister, he is a member of the said Privileges Committee that is discussing possible fraudulent behaviour of a former Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer who does have law degree and is now the Foreign Affairs Minister. The investigation is over a donation the Foreign Affairs Minster received in his role as a political party leader in 2005 but failed to declare it as required by law. The person who had donated the money had earlier funded the Attorney General's political party to the extent that it won the last election and became the Government - which is why the said Attorney General is still the Deputy Prime Minister.

But after Grant Liddell has addressed the Privileges Committee, his own boss, the Attorney General, refused to say whether he had confidence in the Serious Fraud Office, while earlier refusing to advise his own boss that the fraudulent Foreign Affairs Minister should be sacked.

This boss so happens to be the Prime Minister who is also the boss of the said Foreign Minister. But she has not only got the fraudulent Foreign Affairs Minister's portfolios, she is trying to get his party supporters to vote for her party at the next election because that Foreign Affairs Minister's donor won't give her party any more money, and musician Chris Knox won't sing "It's a bitter way with Labour, way bitter" any more.

But that hasn't worked very well as a political poll just out had the said Foreign Minister's political party doubling in support, and Labour falling.

So there you have it.