National loves white-collar criminals

Early last year, former Cabinet Minister (and National Party MP) Doug Graham was convicted of making a false statement in a company's offer documents. The offence was a strict liability one - but because of Graham's laxity, the company he was supposed to be overseeing, Lombard Finance, was able to bilk its investors out of millions. Today John Key announced that this man - who enabled fraud on a massive scale - will keep his knighthood. So, John Key thinks its appropriate for a convicted criminal to hold one of our country's highest honours. But I guess Graham is one of the club, so his sins will be overlooked. Meanwhile National will continue to call for ever-harsher sentences against (other) criminals, while protecting those in its midst.