You’d think Paula Bennett would be self-aware enough to know when it’s best to shut her prodigious gob.
National MP Paula Bennett has called the actions of her colleague Hamish Walker “deplorable” after he confessed on Tuesday that it was him who leaked Covid-19 patient details to media.
Mr Walker yesterday announced he would not run as National’s Clutha-Southland electorate at the upcoming election in September after National Party leader Todd Muller earlier told TVNZ1’s Breakfast he didn’t want him to.
The party’s board is looking for a candidate to take his position.
This morning on Breakfast, former deputy leader of National, Ms Bennett, said she had a lot to do with the MP when she was in her old role.
“It’s sad. I mean, look, there’s no excuse, he has to take responsibility for his own actions,” she said.
“He’s actually done a disservice, not just to other National MPs, but actually to all MPs because it’s just behaviour that is just in no way acceptable.
“I do also sit there an know that he’s got a wife and a baby as well and so this will be, I’m sure, some of his darkest days, but it is consequences for your own actions and those actions quite frankly are deplorable.
“But he’s human so I don’t want to sit here and put the boot into him either,” she said.
So, Paula, sweetie, answer this. Why were you and a number of other MPs spreading malicious rumours around Auckland about Hamish Walker, rumours that had echoes of what has already been done to other male MPs? Have you not learned that despicable behaviour like that ends in tears?
And did you forget about your own brazen privacy breaches to score political points against some mouthy beneficiaries?
I’m pretty sure you will regret opening your gob on this in a few short weeks when you find yourself back in court being prosecuted for rather more serious charges related to your involvement with Anne Tolley on another privacy breach.
Show some grace, if you have any, and bow out of politics in utter silence.
Oh, and since you piped up, how about you tell us about your involvement with Michelle Boag?
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