Last week I proposed a firm programme for cleaning useless cronies out of public office.

The writer of Friday’s Herald editorial is concerned about cronyism, but got so far down the wrong end of the stick that the Herald lost sight of who could be holding the other end.

The editorial alleged:

"The [Coalition] agreements contain provisions that confirm the "scratch my back" spirit remains alive and well in politics.

Probably the most blatant example is the presence of an Act representative on the Cabinet committee on honours and appointments. Previously, Act has been quick to criticise any hint of honours being awarded for deeds that had more to do with contribution to a political party than services to the community.

 Dead wrong, I suspect.

The provision may reflect an ambition to put Sir Roger Douglas back where he can perform the same service he and Richard Prebble performed 20 years ago.

Their SOE appointments drew astonishment. They looked solely for merit. Many apointees were known to have little sympathy for them or for Labour. That Labour government established a pattern that served well for a decade, giving SOE’s boards that transformed many state-owned businesses so effectively New Zealanders rapidly forgot what dogs they’d been.