Clare Curran attacks Fran O'Sullivan and Nick Smith in today's NZ Herald. In so doing she makes a couple of BIG mistakes. She has just ensured that the media spotlight is going to stay on her, and probably intensify (and knowing what we know about Ms Curran we wouldn't be doing that if we were her). She also rakes over the coals of the SSC report which she is suggesting has vindicated her. We don't think it has. She doesn't quote the e-mail from Minister Parker's Private Secretary describing the closeness of her relationship with Minister Parker for example. She would have been wiser to let things lie. There remain many questions about the proriety of her appointment and the nature of the role she played while working for MfE.
Audrey Young seems to be in similar space to us on this in her article in the NZ Herald today.
She does not come without risks, with an inquiry about whether her contracts at the Environment Ministry were the result of political connections. The inquiry was published just before Christmas last year and National will be tempted to do more with it when the House resumes next week. Lucky for her the target is Energy Minister David Parker and Clark's adviser Heather Simpson, but the mud may still stick to her.
It is going to be interesting to see how the good people in Dunedin South react to all this over the next few months.
