now with even more smut

This has to be the most bizarre month in NZ politics this century. Corruption, corrosion, the Brash affair, Peter Davis possibly kissing another man, Exclusive Brethren and screeds and screeds of nasty comments posted to blogs. It's enough to turn you off politics altogether.

Tonight on Campbell Live, private investigator Wayne Idour reversed his previous assertion that he hadn't been hired by the EB to poke around the Labour party. By proxy, he had - his interview with John Campbell corrected his error. Which wasn't much of a surprise - that the EB are a devious sect with little scruples in trying to sway elections they don't even vote in isn't shocking news to the public.

The interview did have two very interesting revelations though. First, that the EB member who ultimately hired Idour was responsible for leaking information on David Benson-Pope and David Parker. Moreover Idour and other private investigators he was working with have gathered dirt - possibly even evidence of illegal activity - on senior members of the Labour party including Michael Cullen and Helen Clark, in addition to 'information' about Peter Davis.

Secondly, Idour claimed that a "representative or supporter of the Labour Party" (Campbell's words) had instigated a PI to dig dirt on Don Brash and John Key - including rifling through Brash's trash.

I wish I had reason to disbelieve Idour, but it seems unlikely. *sigh* The PM has denied this, of course, but judging from what she said to Russel Brown at the Silver Scrolls on Wednesday I'm not so sure:

I said hello to her as she left.
"Interesting week in politics," I said.
"There's more to come," she said.
I don't doubt it.

Neither do I.

So it's going to get worse before it gets better. If it ever gets better. Nobody has lost their job yet - either from pushing scandal or being the scandal, but I suspect that's what it'll take before it winds up.

Keith Ng has a brilliant interview with Rodney Hide and Russel Norman around the issue. Worth a look.