Friday, September 02, 2011



"Abhorrent"

That's Governor-General (and former Chief of Defence Staff) Jerry Matepere's view of the allegations in Nicky Hager's Other People's Wars:

The notion that senior military officers quietly undermined the Government's policies and decisions was ''abhorrent''.

''That sort of notion just doesn't sit with being a New Zealander and the constitution that we follow.''

Damn right its abhorrent. But that doesn't mean it didn't happen. Hager presents evidence that it did, including from Matepere's predecessor, Major General Martyn Dunne. That evidence deserves to be thoroughly investigated, so that anyone who did behave in this abhorrent fashion can be held to account. As Governor-General, supposed guardian of our constitution, Matepere should be supporting that investigation, not trying to sweep everything under the carpet. Instead, it looks like he's letting his old job get in the way of his new one.