Parliament’s ridiculous game-playing over the flag started on Monday when John Key planted the idea that if every other party in Parliament agreed to include Red Peak, then he "might" include it.
Of course, National and its hangers-on can easily change the law to do this all by themselves. Why they won’t is a mystery to me. They worked very hard to win the power to do what they want – now they’re refusing to use that power.
To get Red Peak included, Key also demanded that Labour:
… publicly come out and support the process and the change.
Labour has serious concerns about the entire flag referendum process. It isn’t going to disavow its concerns just to make John Key feel better, so wasn’t ever going to sign up to that extra ring-kissing condition.
Labour also wanted to insert the same Yes/No question in the first referendum that we had in both MMP referenda. That would allow people who like the current flag to express that preference, and could save the taxpayer millions if it turned out there was a clear lack-of-appetite for change.
By Tuesday, Andrew Little had offered to meet Key privately to sort everything out and get Red Peak on the ballot. Little had no preconditions to that meeting. In Parliament, Key agreed to the meeting, again without any preconditions.
So, did they meet? Of course not!
Key’s office and Little’s office had informal exchanges trying to set up a time, but Key did not make himself available. Key’s office seemed to think Little wouldn’t attend the meeting until Key gave ground on the Yes/No issue.
This morning, Little wrote to Key clearing up that misconception, saying:
I am happy to meet with you in good faith and without preconditions, in the interests of coming to a common sense solution.
Next step is the leaders meet, right? You’ve got both leaders documented as saying they’re willing to meet,without preconditions, to come to a solution that gets Red Peak on the ballot. Key said so in Parliament, Little said so in writing.
So, did they meet then? Of course not!
Instead, Key talked to reporters about how the lack of a meeting – and everything else besides – was Andrew Little’s fault. The whole thing! Here’s TVNZ’s Katie Bradford:
John Key says if Red Peak isn't on the flag ballot paper it's the sole fault of Andrew Little.
— Katie Bradford (@katieabradford) September 16, 2015
Except there were no preconditions! Little’s letter could not be clearer on that.
Key’s very deliberately playing dumb. He knows full well the difference between a preference – “we want a Yes / No vote in the 1st referendum,” and a precondition – “we won’t meet until you agree to a Yes / No vote in the 1st referendum.” If that’s not game-playing, I don’t know what is.
In fact, it is Key who is placing preconditions on the meeting, not Little. His letter to Little on Wednesday says (my emphasis):
… we have indicated a preparedness to meet to discuss the possible including of the Red Peak flag as a fifth option in the upcoming referendum. This willingness to meet is predicated on my consistent position that the other elements of the flag consideration process remain unchanged.
That letter is also very clear. Key refuses to even meet to discuss anything unless Labour agrees to take absolutely everything other than Red Peak off the table.
Then, having placed a condition on the meeting, Key had the gall to falsely tut-tut Labour for … allegedly putting conditions on the meeting.
That move is as brazen as it is dishonest. Key obviously thinks New Zealanders, and the New Zealand media, are gullible fools.
Key’s refusal to make good on his own public undertakings, and his continued transparent attempts to blame Andrew Little for John Key’s compete screw up of this process, is disgraceful.
The longer he goes on, the more likely it is that the flag referendum goes nowhere, and the further his legacy falls away.
