Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Dirty Politics

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  • Paul Campbell,

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie,

    As is happening far too often, our impartial and totally non-political Police Force are doing the right thing. Not!

    The police have decided not to investigate the Green Party's complaint of alleged criminal activity by Prime Minister John Key's former communications adviser Jason Ede, former Justice Minister Judith Collins and blogger Cameron Slater which was detailed in Nicky Hager's Dirty Politics.

    They were quick to take Cameron Slater's complaint seriously and raid Nicky Hager's house, but sat on our complaint for months and still haven't made a decision to look at the clear as day allegations of hacking of the Labour Party database by staff in the Prime Minister's office.

    Apparently the Police have had a look over the complaints but "...each appears to fall short of criminal offending", Detective Inspector Paul Berry told Ms Turei. Metiria is not impressed.

    We would be very concerned if the police are applying different thresholds for launching criminal investigations depending on what side of politics you come from.

    It doesn't take too much corruption by the upper echelons to pervert the system all the way through. Our poor little country!

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    the Prince of Prevaricators
    I accidentally saw some of a mercifully Hosking-less Seven Sharp the other night - it actually had one piece of interest (well I didn't watch all the show, as the female replacement also seemed to have Hosking's penchant for dumbing things down and is blatantly anti-knowledge, why do they do that?)

    This though, should be required viewing for all who think Key is transparent and honest - Body language doesn't lie - and it confirms everything I think when I watch and listen to the man.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie,

    Attachment

    whaleshit (with a small w) received 'Best Blog' in the 2014 NetGuide web awards last night. These awards are the result of 'public' votes.

    I'm reminded of the stats for that site (see graphic) that were posted by Kim Dotcom in the lead up to the election which show some distinctly dodgy figures. I wonder how many of the votes came from offshore or from "unknown" IPs and used the Safari browser?

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Alfie,

    whaleshit (with a small w) received ‘Best Blog’ in the 2014 NetGuide web awards last night

    Best Bog, surely?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Alfie,

    Maybe they should just rename the award "best use of click fraud"?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Alfie,

    It doesn't take too much corruption by the upper echelons to pervert the system all the way through. Our poor little country!

    Not just NZ either. In Britain, the London Met found itself knee-deep in the Hackgate scandal. And QLD Police Commissioner Terry Lewis was himself busted for being too close to Sir Joh.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    a law unto themselves...

    In Britain, the London Met found itself knee-deep in the Hackgate scandal. And QLD Police Commissioner Terry Lewis was himself busted for being too close to Sir Joh.

    But here in NZ we suffer none of that 'carrion' - all is fine as Louise Upston reassured us in her maiden speech in 2008:

    "Let's not be mistaken. The police are good.
    The criminals are bad. It's that simple."

    I wonder if she still thinks that, but then again she doesn't get out much, as shown by her National website - apparently nothing has happened in her life or electorate since April 2014, no elections, nothing...
    ... obviously another great communicator, like John Key.
    Women's Affairs are in good hands then...

    Speaking of Key's communiques, his address to the 2014 Post-Election conference lays it all out for us:

    Periodically I say to my caucus colleagues, when you walk down the street, look at the people you pass by and think about how we need to reflect the hopes and aspirations of one in every two of them.

    Still working on that country divided, eh John?

    ... he also thanks Bronagh and the kids for letting him follow his dreams, while we have to live in his nightmare
    - that wake up call can't come soon enough!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    But here in NZ we suffer none of that ‘carrion’

    Mr Key said if the Government was to send troops, "it would be in part to try and pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of the ANZAC forces that lost their lives in Gallipoli".

    This is a Government that, for the first time since the 1960s, is positioning itself to make political capital from the potential deaths of 'ANZAC' troops. As the Australian poet Les Murray once said "Even a crappy old idea like Britannia can start to look pretty good if you pile up enough dead bodies around it".

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Dismal Soyanz, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Anyone who wears the uniforms of our armed forces is well aware of the Anzac legacy. They do not need a deployment to pay tribute. And deployment does not in itself pay tribute to the the Anzacs. Those in uniform must be feeling pissed about this comment but are likely constrained both formally and informally from responding publicly.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2010 • 310 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Mr Key said if the Government was to send troops, “it would be in part to try and pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of the ANZAC forces that lost their lives in Gallipoli”.

    Kind of gives the lie to those that argue that the "remembrance" narrative isn't designed to promote acceptance of current and future wars.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    The dead at Gallipoli were mostly brave but the campaign itself is not something to proudly remember at all. Is Key actually telling us he's planning a disaster?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    what's really sad is that some of what's happening in Iraq/Syria is as a result of the same upper-class-british-twitt behaviour during and after WW1 that also brought us Gallipoli

    Better to let the people who created these messes clean up after themselves, I;d ratehr we just continue to show up and be peace keepers rather than continuing the meddling

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to BenWilson,

    The dead at Gallipoli were mostly brave but the campaign itself is not something to proudly remember at all. Is Key actually telling us he’s planning a disaster?

    As Australia introduced conscription in 1916 the 'dead at Gallipoli' would all have been volunteers. Unlike New Zealand, Australia sent conscripts into combat in Vietnam. With the brief exception of the Whitlam era, Harold Holt's proclamation of "All the way with LBJ" has typified Australia's effective outsourcing of its foreign policy, with Bob Hawke being one of the most gung ho. Key's crass invoking of the old death cult aspect of ANZAC is an attempt to subvert what independence we have left.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    the abasement tapes...

    Key’s crass invoking of the old death cult aspect of ANZAC is an attempt to subvert what independence we have left.

    Independence?
    There's been an American military presence
    and base occupying space in Chchch since the '50s...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Key’s crass invoking of the old death cult aspect of ANZAC is an attempt to subvert what independence we have left.

    Agreed. I shouldn't feel like this, but I find it especially galling coming from someone whose family were not even NZers at the time of Gallipoli, that they invoke the memory of my ancestors for such crude political gain.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    yes – the only violence in an anti-Vietnamn war protest in NZ that I know of involved tearing down the fence around that base (this was an age when NZ airports didn’t even bother to have fences)

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Independence?
    There’s been an American military presence
    and base occupying space in Chchch since the ’50s…

    Whatever it was that Brash reputedly would have got rid of by lunchtime.

    BTW I believe that the US base at Harewood is the only place in NZ that stocks this.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell,

    If we combine with the Australian military presence, surely we'd have to have the same 'rules of engagement'?
    What does that mean vis-a-vis Key's assurance NZ forces would have a 'training role only'?

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    someone whose family were not even NZers at the time of Gallipoli

    More British people were killed at Gallipoli than NZers, though.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Katharine Moody, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    This is a Government that, for the first time since the 1960s, is positioning itself to make political capital from the potential deaths of ‘ANZAC’ troops.

    Who did it in the 60s?

    Wellington • Since Sep 2014 • 798 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Katharine Moody,

    Who did it in the 60s?

    While NZ’s military involvement in the Vietnam war was proportionally much smaller than Australia’s, the conflict was still sold to the electorate according to the then conventional wisdom of the domino theory.

    Although Holyoake, perhaps shrewdly, appears in retrospect to have done only the minimum to appease American pressure, the public support of the then powerful Returned Services Association assured that any casualties would be given the ANZAC hero treatment. Fortunately there weren’t any,

    In practice, NZ was a convenient bolt hole for Australian draftees. While my evidence is entirely anecdotal, I understand that, while the then Department of Labour held files on a number of such people, including a few Americans, a certain high level sympathy to their situation ensured that few if any were dobbed in.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Katharine Moody, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Thanks, yet it essentially says to me that Key's abhorrent "in honour of..." statement is far, far worse.

    Wellington • Since Sep 2014 • 798 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Katharine Moody,

    Key’s abhorrent “in honour of…” statement is far, far worse.

    Agreed. Holyoake may have been involved in some dodgy dealings, but he never stooped to invoking the war dead as part of a campaign to flog off NZ's sovereignty

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

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