Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Dirty Politics

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  • Angela Hart,

    I wonder what the impact of the case Winston Peters took against the Electoral Commission will be on Dirty Politics?
    http://pundit.co.nz/content/who-will-be-the-first-blogger-that-winston-peters-puts-in-jail

    Christchurch • Since Apr 2014 • 614 posts Report

  • izogi, in reply to Alfie,

    Is the copyright thing related to Dirty Politics somehow, or is it just a National Party thing? I've lost track.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report

  • Alfie, in reply to izogi,

    It was mentioned a lot earlier in this thread. I agree that it's hardly Dirty Politics, but sometimes there's nowhere appropriate to post certain comments.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • Rob Stowell, in reply to Alfie,

    Just to say: I really appreciate keeping this thread open. We must not forget. And it's not over.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Alfie,

    a teaspoon of fear…

    Police are speaking to both of his recently resigned electorate secretaries about the “secret recordings” at the centre of these disputes.

    Reporting continued yesterday in Stuff:
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/77791872/police-look-to-arrange-interviews-regarding-todd-barclay

    But I’m not really reading that the Police are responding to complaints laid by the staff… they seem in the dark as to what the Police want as well.

    I’m just hoping Parliamentary Service or someone higher up the food chain aren’t using the police as ‘guard dogs’ to ensure the staff don’t say anything out of line or that might breach any confidentiality clauses that came with their employment.
    That seemed to be the case when they paid pre-emptive visits on TPPA protest organisers. 'Behave!'
    We live in rapidly changing times…

    The recent armed Kawerau stand-off also seemed to be more about a show of abundant force, with community policing ideas pushed to the background – they don’t seem to have tried negotiation until way late in the piece – from my admittedly distant viewpoint.
    I dread to think the cost of all those helicopters and mobilising LAVs etc….
    The ‘we know best’ attitude seems a tad high horsed and heavy handed, especially as local knowledge and input finally resolved it.
    Just sayin’…

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    The recent armed Kawerau stand-off also seemed to be more about a show of abundant force, with community policing ideas pushed to the background...

    The rot was setting in before National took office.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • Alfie,

    Eighteen months after the illegal Police raid on Nicky Hager's home, his computer equipment will finally be returned today. There will also be some sort of ceremonial destruction of a hard drive and memory card cloned by the cops at the time.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • Alfie,

    With three resignations so far following allegations of Todd Barclay's "secret recordings", the National Party's Gore branch secretary admits...

    The atmosphere in the Clutha-Southland electorate is ‘‘awkward''...

    One imagines that's quite an understatement. Police have spoken with Parliamentary Services but oddly, not to Barclay himself. Yet.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Alfie,

    There will also be some sort of ceremonial destruction of a hard drive and memory card cloned by the cops at the time.

    Which despite being court-ordered, police are forbidding media from covering. Sore losers.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Angela Hart, in reply to Alfie,

    Eighteen months after the illegal Police raid on Nicky Hager’s home, his computer equipment will finally be returned today.

    I hope he gets compensation for the loss of his work equipment for 18 months, I guess a sincere apology for the despicable way he and his family were treated is too much to expect.

    Christchurch • Since Apr 2014 • 614 posts Report

  • simon g,

    The story has been covered tonight on One News - half an hour into the bulletin. It was a fair (even amusing) report, but it represents a tiny fraction of the lead coverage given to the original raid, and the ensuing Hager-bashing in various public forums.

    As so often (see Bradley Ambrose, John Stephenson etc) the belated vindication is only a footnote, the damage has already been done.

    Some journalists themselves could review their own behaviour here. Many have been prominent in the media telling us about nasty online abuse they get from trolls, but the same broadcasters/columnists are shamefully silent when the abuse comes from those in power.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to simon g,

    Some journalists themselves could review their own behaviour here. Many have been prominent in the media telling us about nasty online abuse they get from trolls, but the same broadcasters/columnists are shamefully silent when the abuse comes from those in power.

    I sometimes wonder how many of them are auditioning for ministerial press secretary roles or commercial PR. If they're admiring of or otherwise blind to abusive state power, would they still be so if the Govt of the day staged a Leveson Inquiry, or even went full-on Putin/Erdogan?

    Censorship is bad, but useful idiocy masquerading as free speech is even worse.

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

  • Alfie,

    Another Todd Barclay staffer has resigned, this time his senior executive assistant in Wellington. And there are accusations within the party that he spends too much time in Queenstown at the expense of the traditional electorate base of Gore.

    It is understood the work hours of the electorate agent in Barclay's Queenstown office have increased from about 20 hours a week to 40; and the hours of his electorate agent in the Gore office have been reduced from 40 to 20.

    Barclay seems to deny this.

    He did not address questions about the changing work hours of his electorate agents, but he said the staff hours in each of the three electorate offices had been either maintained or increased since he became the MP in 2014.

    If I was his age I'd probably choose the "glamour and glitz" of QT over Gore any day, however I'm not an MP in a predominantly rural electorate.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • Alfie,

    The Herald has a (poorly edited) video of Nicky Hager speaking outside the Auckland Court yesterday. He describes the "surreal experience" of watching a police office hit the hard disc with a hammer "213 times" in a windowless, basement room.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Alfie,

    I've heard MI6 (or is it the SAS?) go a few steps further and drop their HDD's into a grinder.

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

  • Alfie, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    I’ve heard MI6 (or is it the SAS?) go a few steps further and drop their HDD’s into a grinder.

    It was the GCHQ with MI5 hovering in the background. Despite the Guardian informing the spooks that copies of the Snowden documents existed in multiple locations, including their US office and Brazil where Greenwald was living, Cameron insisted on London Guardian staff destroying a laptop and hard discs using dremels.

    It was always going to be a pointless exercise – a symbolic display of petulance and stupidity by a pissed-off Tory government.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • Alfie,

    Bradley Ambrose’s defamation case against the PM has been “settled”.

    Are we to presume that Key has paid Ambrose to make this one go away? Or did the taxpayer generously fund this foolishness?

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Alfie,

    Are we to presume that Key has paid Ambrose to make this one go away?

    The obligatory coupla bottles of Pinot Noir from his winery seems to be the going rate for Key's cafe gaffes...

    Her account included a photo of two bottles of JK 2012 PM's Pinot Noir which she says he gave her in apology after she confronted him over his actions.
    "At that point I realised she had actually taken offence cause it was all in the context of a bit of banter that was going on and so I obviously immediately apologised for that, gave her some wine," Mr Key added.
    "She thanked me for that said 'that's all fine, no drama'."

    source: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/john-key-defends-pulling-waitress-ponytail-as-horsing-around-6297009

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Alfie,

    I see the trial of a certain "prominent New Zealander" on twelve charges of indecent assault begins on Monday. Finally.

    The charges, which include allegations of touching the complainants on the breast, buttocks, groin and thigh, are punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment.

    Being a man (formerly) of influence, he’s been granted name suppression for the remainder of the trial.

    [Redacted a bit here: please don't try and skirt around suppression orders. RB]

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Dirty Bomb politics*
    I see 'Captain Transparency' (aka the PM) has let any idiots who didn't know NZ had some small amounts of nuclear material in on the secret - trumpeting it on the Paul Henry show (where he also broke parliamentary protocol by announcing his Washington trip on air before letting his cabinet know officially), on his Facebook page and in self congratulatory press releases before leaving Washington...

    I won't link to them, but the damage is done, nice one, John!
    - Loose Lips Sink Ships!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • John Farrell,

    Dirty economics? New Zealand is named as one of the Tax havens.

    http://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/apr/03/panama-papers-money-hidden-offshore

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 499 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Alfie,

    I had previously understood the name suppression was under the section that protects the identity of victims.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Angela Hart, in reply to John Farrell,

    So we shouldn't be altogether surprised if our very own wealthy PM is mentioned somewhere in these leaked documents?

    Christchurch • Since Apr 2014 • 614 posts Report

  • Alfie, in reply to Alfie,

    [Redacted a bit here: please don’t try and skirt around suppression orders. RB]

    Sorry Russell. I thought I was being discreet in not mentioning names but point taken.

    This does raise the more general issue of the effectiveness of suppression orders when 90% of the country is already aware of a defendant’s identity. This was highlighted during jury selection this morning…

    … Justice Venning told prospective jurors that recognising the accused man’s name was not enough to bar them from sitting on the jury.

    While we’re all aware of the wider ramifications of this case, I appreciate that specific comment should be reserved till it’s over. There is a high probability that permanent suppression may be granted, effectively silencing that important discussion forever.

    [Alfie retreats back to the naughty chair]

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • linger, in reply to Alfie,

    Different thing. 90% of NZers may recognise the name, but probably not that the individual with that name is a defendant in this specific case. The judge’s point is that mere name recognition (as an unavoidable consequence of someone being “prominent”) is insufficient by itself to bar anyone from jury membership. By contrast, prior firsthand knowledge of the specifics of the case, or prior close connection with defendant(s) or victim(s), normally will bar someone from jury membership.

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report

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