Winston Peters

I have long-since ceased to be an active member of the NZ First Party, even though I was a last-minute candidate for them a couple of elections back.
Even though I feel That Winston has put himself between a rock and a hard place other the contributions scandal, he has to date been one of this country's most effective politicians through the vehicle of MMP.

I will not be supprised if he loses very few supporters in his home electorate of Tauranga over the contributions  matter.

If we look hard, we can detect the trepidation in the major parties and some of the minor parties who inspite of the media-pushed campaign against Winston , are not putting the boot in as one would expect.
This is because, regardless of party loyalties, they are each, first and foremost, politicians.
They know that there are very few among their numbers who could really stand a minute scruteny of their own backgrounds and expect to come out 'squeaky-clean'.
Most of the public also strongly suspect that it would be a rare political party which could withstand a similar enquiry into the party-funding and this may in fact be what is holding back the false wrath and indignation of the politicians.

Poor Rodney Hyde!  No matter how his lashings-out in this matter create headlines, or even if they serve to destabilise the upcoming election,
there is little likely benefit for Rodney or any party he is associated with, in it.

Because both politicians and the public know of the lack of integrity and credibility inherent in our political systems and politicians themselves,
Rodney is likely to be last on anyone's list for a coalition partner as he is likely to be seen perhaps as a 'brave little scrapper' but never a 'team-player'  nor a keeper of 'dark' political secrets.