Today, I briefly thought we might get an answer to the question I posed last week about who actually leaked Tau Henare’s email . This was the question that was put by media to Tau Henare, but his only response was to describe Rodney Hide as a ‘buffoon’ and a ‘jerk-off’. Oh dear.

The tail truly is wagging the dog here. From Rodney Hide and Pita Sharples answers in the House today we learn that the reason John Key went to see Hide in early June was to see how he would feel about a possible deal Key was doing with the Maori Party on Maori seats. Hide told him that he would have to resign as Minister if that happened, and lo and behold no deal is done. Key has acknowledged that Hide’s threat was ‘ a factor’ in the Cabinet decision. I think this reflects poorly on Key’s leadership, and Hide must be delighted that he can play the PM in this way with 3% of the vote behind him.

Meanwhile the Select Committee process on this issue seems to be utterly irrelevant. I actually feel really sorry for John Carter who in my observation has done a great job with the Committee, and the other members who put in so much time.  Above all I think the submitters and the Committee were owed the courtesy of the Select Committee finalising its report before announcements were made. Alas no, somewhere between Rodney tossing his toys, Tau losing the plot and John doing a flip-flop, the Parliamentary process went out the window.