Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Finally, the Teapot Tape?

117 Responses

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  • Sacha, in reply to Islander,

    I doubt nearly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory was part of it. Still, we all have our off-moments.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Islander, in reply to Sacha,

    Yes.

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX,

    IMHO Key and Banks come across as cringe worthy and asinine.

    As a nation we need to find something for people like Banks, Peters and Brash to do in their twilight years that does not involve national politics.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • linger, in reply to Islander,

    The cock-ups were simply rampant. Here’s what I think were the most, uh, prominent, in sequence.

    (1) Key holding a media event from which he then excluded the press.
    Muppet move.

    (2) A freelancer leaving a microphone behind as he was hurried out the door – can we assume, for the sake of argument, that that was accidental?

    (3) Key overreacting wildly to the existence of said recording, and calling in the police. Again, muppet move, and not an endearing muppet either.

    (4) Newspapers failing to state clearly enough that the main reason they weren’t going to publish the tape was because it wasn’t really that interesting. (Yeah, playing up a possible story is business as usual for the MSM, but it doesn’t serve the public at all well.)

    (5) Media and opposition alike letting themselves be distracted away from more important (if less sensationalised) topics.

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler, in reply to Russell Brown,

    The police saw fit to append this to today’s press release.

    Editors note:

    Police reiterate that it is an offence to disclose private communications unlawfully intercepted. This offence, is punishable by up to two years imprisonment where any person discloses the private communication, or the substance, meaning, or purport of the communication or any part of it, or discloses the existence of the private communication if he knows that it has come to his knowledge as a direct or indirect result of an offence against s216B Crimes Act

    Did the police just disclose the existence of a potentially illegally-recorded private communication?

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to linger,

    Again, muppet move, and not an endearing muppet either.

    I'm torn between Animal on P, or Oscar on a diet. Then again, Ernie can be a spiteful prick when you hide his rubber duckie.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Graeme Edgeler,

    Did the police just disclose the existence of a potentially illegally-recorded private communication?

    Delicious, isn't it?

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to DexterX,

    cage-fighting

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler, in reply to nzlemming,

    Delicious, isn’t it?

    Yes, but not really. The police have an exemption from this bit of the law for the purposes of investigation. Parliament sometimes doesn't stuff up completely :-)

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Sacha,

    cage-fighting

    I'd go 1-up on that... The Running Man NZ edition.

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

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to linger,

    (5) Media and opposition alike letting themselves be distracted away from more important (if less sensationalised) topics.

    And that is the only part of this I really care about. Because it kind of sorta really mattered that no half-way credible economist or policy wonk I can think of believed a word of English and Cunliffe's rosy projections of when the nation's books would return to the black.

    I'm not so sure I like the word "distracted", which carries the connotation that the media went Teapot Crazy and fixated on turning Auckland Central into a cat fight through some kind of involuntary reflex. That's nonsense, but as I've said a lot it's funny how our media outlets have their editorial decisions made by magic elves when everyone else has gone home, isn't it?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock, in reply to BenWilson,

    Hey, that’s a d-vice device.

    So, cock-up rather than conspiracy?

    <coat>

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • Danyl Mclauchlan,

    Because it kind of sorta really mattered that no half-way credible economist or policy wonk I can think of believed a word of English and Cunliffe’s rosy projections of when the nation’s books would return to the black.

    Their predictions were based on the Treasury forecasts, which Treasury emphatically stood by whenever they were questioned, and then revised less than a week after the election.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX, in reply to Sacha,

    cage-fighting

    Armed with buckets of slime - the nature of the Act party implosion.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Danyl Mclauchlan,

    Their predictions were based on the Treasury forecasts, which Treasury emphatically stood by whenever they were questioned, and then revised less than a week after the election.

    Yes, so it would have been useful to spend say 10% of the space dedicated to TeapotMania reporting on how Treasury arrives at these estimates and why they're so often *cough* reality-adjacent since they were the foundation of both major party's claims to fiscal credibility.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Danyl Mclauchlan,

    which Treasury emphatically stood by whenever they were questioned, and then revised less than a week after the election

    Yes, where's the investigation into that piece of election-influencing behaviour?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens, in reply to Sacha,

    It was bumped for a bikini photo of Sonny Bill Williams latest piece of fluff.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    have to love the word "introduced" #pimpin

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Ian MacKay,

    It seems very clear to me that what Key fears (feared) most was being ridiculed foe such an inane un-Primeministerial conversation better suited to a pair of adolescents. So what to do? Use the police to try and hide it all. Shame on him!

    Bleheim • Since Nov 2006 • 498 posts Report Reply

  • Ross Mason, in reply to Jarno van der Linden,

    At about 7:50 it sounds like the recorder is being put in a bug

    heh.

    I wonder. Did both of them see the "recording device" and think the other one was recording the conversation? It occured to me that there was a lot of deferring "Prime Minister" and the non verbal "comments" that made me think they were aware of it. Then not until it ended and JB did not pick it up that JK figured it wasn't JBs. Then he opened the bag and lifted it partially out and told those around him that it was a recording device.

    Just thinking.

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    What's in the bag Prime Minister?

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • linger, in reply to merc,

    is that a recording device in your manbag or...?
    meanwhile, MSM gaze rests firmly on pressing concerns of whose cock-up whom...

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    I was thinking it very silly for the whole security thing for the PM to suddenly reach into an unknown bag. My goodness living in London no one went near unattended bags, they even had bomb proof rubbish bins to chuck them into.
    Meantime the PM is not only jawing next to an unattended bag on his otherwise clear table (teacups excepted), he's also dumpster diving it while his security look on.
    Banana PM hour.
    As for the MSM, bought and paid for obviously.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • linger, in reply to merc,

    in Key’s case, such reckless inattention to personal danger is at least preferable to his reckless inattention to democracy, governmental responsibility and everything else about his job that doesn’t get polled or photo-opped.

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • Greg Dawson,

    can we avoid implying we'd like nasty things to happen to anyone please - even if they are people we thoroughly disagree with.

    eta: perhaps especially when they are people we thoroughly disagree with.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 294 posts Report Reply

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