Thread: A New Zealand "Bob the Builder"

Bob The Builder takes wrecking ball to Labour

OUTGOING MP DOES A DEMO JOB


Sunday News | Sunday, 18 May 2008

OUTSPOKEN National MP Bob “The Builder’’ Clarkson has launched a blistering attack on Helen Clark’s Labour Party as he prepares to quit Parliament after just one term in office.


The construction millionaire, right, who has courted controversy since ousting Winston Peters from the Tauranga seat in 2005, condemned “dirty’’ personal attacks on opposition MPs.


And he sensationally claimed Labour keeps a “diary of shame’’, detailing sleazy behaviour and indiscretions committed by its political rivals.


The 69-year-old also accused Clark’s government of dragging New Zealand politics to an all-time low and said it was dominated by gay agendas and “hairy-legged ladies ... with bloody warped minds’’.
Clarkson’s comments come on the back of the latest Fairfax Media poll, which yesterday showed National was on track for a landslide 2008 election win with a 27-point poll lead over Labour.


“They are naughty and I am sick to death of a place that concentrates on personal things rather than solving the problems and helping the country out," Clarkson told Sunday News.


"They apparently keep a diary of bad things about us guys, whatever they can find. "You just see the amount of personal stuff that they throw at us now and again. When we came back from Christmas, they really got stuck in for two weeks so it's obvious that they work on that."The judgement on your ability as a politician should be on your record as a politician not on your personal life.
"Keeping a record of slip-ups in the house is fair enough, but when it's there to keep tabs on the dirt in someone's personal life, then I have a real problem."


But Clarkson, who was targeted by Peters over sexual harassment claims during the election campaign three years ago, warned that Labour should be careful about airing dirty laundry in the house.


"Without naming names, there are some people in the Labour Party who should be very careful when pointing the public finger at other politician's personal lives," he said.


"There have been a lot of Labour MPs who have been having hassles for various reasons."


Clarkson then launched an extraordinary attack on what he describes as Labour's bias towards the gay community.



"I don't want to be mean ... but what makes me struggle is why does Labour favour the hairy-legged ladies?


"They favour one section of society and that's homosexuals and lesbians.


"That's unfair," he said


"I have a little bit of a problem with that but that's their choice and good luck to them.


"I cross-examine some of theses ladies in the select committee, and guys for that matter, and they've got warped bloody minds.
"They don't even do their business right.


"But unfortunately, those people seem to stick together and if they get an idea they try to drive it through whether it's right, wrong or anything.


"We've got that in the Labour Party from the top to the bloody bottom.


"That's unfair. It limits other intelligent people from getting into parliament."


Prime Minister Helen Clark was last night in South Korea and unavailable for comment but a spokeswoman described Clarkson's comments as "rubbish".


Meanwhile, the Fairfax Media poll predicted a grim result for Labour in the upcoming election, with the possible loss of 14 MPs.
The poll also revealed 51 percent of New Zealanders want tax relief immediately, despite warnings from deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen cuts could keep interest and mortgage rates higher for longer.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sundaynews/4552235a15596.html