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Tim Beveridge: Jami-Lee Ross a one-man wrecking ball

Author
Tim Beveridge,
Publish Date
Thu, 18 Oct 2018, 1:07PM
Ross may eventually find his status diminishing to that of the sound of a dog barking. Photo / NZHerald
Ross may eventually find his status diminishing to that of the sound of a dog barking. Photo / NZHerald

Tim Beveridge: Jami-Lee Ross a one-man wrecking ball

Author
Tim Beveridge,
Publish Date
Thu, 18 Oct 2018, 1:07PM

New Zealand politics has to transcend the one-man wrecking ball that is Jami-Lee Ross.

The latest revelations contained in this morning's newsroom.co.nz report by Melanie Reid are shocking and disturbing, to say the least.

You have to wonder what political party could be expected to withstand the malevolent intentions of an individual seemingly hell bent on not only self-destruction, but the destruction of his party, his leader and his colleagues.

Why would he do behave in this way? This morning, in an attempt to find explanations as to his behaviour, I found myself looking up the definition “psychopath”. It’s behaviour that will no doubt be under further scrutiny and conjecture with the promise of more revelations to come.

Whatever the cause - The issue is whether we can as a country rise about all this when it comes to our politics and interactions with each other. The answer must be a resounding yes.

Stripping it all back.... it’s one man. ONE individual.

Under no circumstance should any political party, or institution of government be capable of being brought to its knees by one individual. One who in my opinion presents more as a bullying psychopath rather than the whistle blower he would have us believe he is.

You might almost argue that Simon Bridges and Paula Bennett be given a point or two for restraint when it came to their earlier clumsy descriptions around his earlier absence and behaviour.

There have been questions asked about the solidarity of the National Party caucus. I would argue that the problems simply congeal around one individual. Remove the man out of the equation and what is left. Not a hell of a lot.

Perhaps some questions about donations and the style of Bridges leadership. But apart from that – nothing in comparison to the accusations now falling at the doorstep of Mr Ross

Is Bridges safe? – Yes. It would be naïve to assume a change of leadership would carry any assurance or guarantee whatsoever of these problems going away. As Bridges stated – Ross has been recording his colleagues for months.

Perhaps In the fullness of time and as developments continue, Mr Ross may eventually find his status diminishing to that of the sound of a dog barking in the distance who people are more inclined to ignore.

As for the damage to National and its leader? Some have said it is incalculable. I would suggest that the last few hours and the latest newsroom revelations about Ross’ behaviour make that calcuation a little more less complicated.

As I argued earlier in the week, it was Bridges’ pursuit of the leaker that has led to all this. Despite how unpleasant it is now, surely the National Party and, ultimately, NZ politics will be better off knowing about the sort of malignant boil festering within its midst.

As for the yesterday’s tape of the conversation between Bridges and Ross it was something of a fizzer. Ultimately it will boil down to New Zealander’s sense of fair play and whether a private conversation should be as damning as some would have us believe.

Regarding the by-election it is hard to imagine National facing too much opposition from Mr Ross whose moral compass seems to be so skew whiff it’s a wonder he could find his way out of the building

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