Last week, a New Zealand Cabinet Minister¹ was confronted with allegations of having an affair with a teenaged girl working for him as an au pair in the mid-80s. Since there were questions over the exact age of the girl (either 14 or 17), the Minister in question voluntarily submitted the allegations to the police for them to investigate for any criminal wrongdoing.
This week, before the police report has even been completed, let alone released, the Minister was called into the Prime Minister’s office who, in light of further accusations coming to light, asked the Minister to resign. He refused, forcing the PM to sack him instead.
Just looking past the possible criminality of the relationship for the time being, should he have been fired or even resigned from his government posting?
Should we really see adultery (or anything non-criminal in one’s private lives) as any great flaw in our political leaders anymore?
It is a fairly large club, after all. Offhand I could probably name at least ten recent world-leaders and senior politicians caught with their pants down. More if I put some thought into it.
¹ A senior government minister and part of the central decision-making body of executive government, responsible for key portfolios like Defence, Finance, etc.
Ok, being that I come from the country with the most high-profile adultery escapade in the history of politics, I have some opinions.
**Should he have resigned? **I don’t think so. This happened in the 80’s ferchrissakes! So, he’s been punished for something that happened more than 2 decades ago? that’s cute.
**Should the politicos private lives as flaws? **I’m not so sure, we are all people, after all, and if this isn’t something about drugs or violence, and it doesn’t affect his job or how he fullfilled it, who cares?
I don’t know that there’s a politician out there that hasn’t indulged in women, booze, drugs or any other vice. You’d be hard-pressed to find one, and unless his genitals don’t work, I’m pretty sure he’s done it with the secretary, assistant, the girls that the latest lobby brought over, etc.
My only point is that if he can do his job, and this doesn’t affect it, why do we care?
I’ve a hunch that most oft, this is simply a ploy to get one person ouyt of office and another, more desireable person in office.
This is close to the truth, but only as far as ‘politics of the hour’ are concerned.
Our Prime Minister apparently has known about the accusations since January, and being assured that was little substance to them, left the matter where it was.
It’s only been in last day or two, that word of fresh allegations seems to have soured her support for her colleague.
But yeah, booty seems to come (so to speak) with the office.
As Hank Kissinger said “Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.”