PM's Presser: Volatile Politicial Parties And Turbulent Journalists
Click for big version
Today's post-cabinet press conference opened with Prime Minister John key welcoming news of the death of Osama Bin
Laden. He also summarised a report on the success of the Government's programmes to control methamphetamine.
The week's political ructions dominated the press conference. Hone Harawira's new party was discussed but questioning
focussed on Don Brash's takeovber of the Act leadership. Mr Key was confident of the propriety of arrangements from the
Government's point of view, including making decisions about cabinet postings on the advice of a party leader outside
Parliament
Regarding prisoners taken by the NZSAS in Afghanistan, Mr Key said he fully accepted today's report from the army, which says their processes "are legally and morally sound". He said there would be no independent
investigation into the matter.
My Key also attacked the credibility of the journalist Jon Stephenson, whose Metro article raised the question of
whether prisoners were being handed to authorities know to torture. Key said Stephenson had once sent him a late-night
text "impersonating Duncan Garner".
********