Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: How long the leash on the Fourth Estate?

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  • Carol Stewart, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    although it was hardly comforting to hear him say in an interview when visting Australia in the late 90s that he felt that his own brand of satire had long been overtaken by events.

    He also said that satire became officially redundant when Henry Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize.

    Wellington • Since Jul 2008 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX,

    Key in his capacity, as a private citizen, who is also the Prime Minister, has made a compliant with the Police on a matter, which he considers is a criminal breach of his privacy.

    The Police in investigating the matter have executed a search warrant – after first waiting for the outcome of a declaratory judgment sought by Ambrose as to whether the tape was private or public. I am OK with this it is what it is - it isn't to my mind media on a leash.

    A copy of the judgment is here:
    http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz_images/news2011/pdf_documents/Ambrose%20v%20AG.pdf

    The Judge refused to issue a declaratory judgment for good reason and the police investigation continues.

    Read Paragraph 13 of the Judgment – Key and his staff after being asked for the tape by Ambrose handed it over – I think I recall footage of this on the TV News which showed someone, Key perhaps, opening the bag handing it over to someone who turned it off and removed the batteries.

    This action to me indicates that Key knew the machine was on, that it was likely the conversation had been recorded, and I am not disputing the fact that Ambrose states leaving the tape/microphone on the table was unintentional – despite the recording device being on and in a bag that is in clear view.

    Interesting what Key and Ambrose say as reported on Radio Live:
    http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Bradley-Ambrose-the-teapot-tapes-freelancer/tabid/506/articleID/24469/Default.aspx

    Police are investigating a complaint made under s 216 of the Crimes Act.

    Under the Crimes Act the s 216 B Prohibition on use of interception devices
    (1) Subject to subsections (2) to (5), every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years who intentionally intercepts any private communication by means of an interception device.

    To me the matter concerns the behaviour of two (three if you include Banks) private citizens, which will likely be decided by criminal proceedings, which will produce a watershed judgement on matters relating to matters of private conversation (of public figures) and intercept and intention to intercept.

    Ambrose will be placed in the position of having to prove his innocence.

    There are obvious political nuances to all of this. Though I am comfortable with two private citizens exercising their rights at law in a way that will set a judicial precedent.

    What concerns me about the event is that Key was WITLESS enough to put himself in this position and I wonder did he have to first get legal advice on how to contain the oversight before lodging the complaint – was the complaint signed on the 14 Nov 2011 actually signed by him and did he have to trot down to Auckland Central and be interviewed by the police before they acted - I would love to see a copy of the complaint.

    It would be funny if “it” is a matter of Joyce and Key getting on the “bat phone” to the police after consulting with legal counsel Caisley & Piper, who then lodge the compliant for him. As we all know Key was too busy at the time – so busy in fact he couldn’t appear in Court for the Ambrose hearing – as an aside I would have thought that Ambrose’s counsel should have summoned and served John Key to make sure he turned up as a witness.

    All in all it is about as good as drivel gets.

    How come Banks didn't also lodge a complaint with the police?

    Seriously this Key is running the country – he again illustrates an absence of real life commonsense and a disconnect from reality.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to DexterX,

    in his capacity, as a private citizen

    Puhleese. It was a staged media op, not a private chat. But it's all too late now anyway - the most crtiical part has played out already.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,



    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to merc,

    I’m getting too freaked out now about how tight the media and the Govt. are today in framing their P.O.V

    Yes, I’ve pretty much stopped reading National’s cheerleading team in the ComPost (Vernon Small and Tracy Watkin) for precisely this.

    The only difference between them and Farrar (as far as I can see) is that neither of them were once President of the Young Nats, or get paid directly by the National party to run those ever present “polls”.

    EDIT
    Oh, and surely putting "presumptious" and "Farrar" in the same post was just a bit redundant, Craig? ;-)

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Interesting, though, to hear firsthand about the pressures editors face from business, advertisers, politicos and local busybodies, from the editor of the Waikato Times at the Journalism Education conference last week.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Sacha,

    What, that the smiling assasin was too nice for politics? pull the other one.

    Some wet llittle noob the formidable tag team of Clark and Cullen would rip to pieces without breaking a sweat? Yup...

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

  • Tamsin6, in reply to Rich Lock,

    Piccadilly line is usually worse.

    Dreadful. And the Northern line, usually lives down to the Misery line reputation. But Circle is just edging it recently since they did the weird new spur configuration thingy which makes my brain hurt to contemplate.

    London • Since Dec 2007 • 133 posts Report Reply

  • Tamsin6, in reply to Rich Lock,

    You’re getting a bit het up about this, Tamsin. Calm down dear.

    Hahahahahahahahahah. <sob>

    London • Since Dec 2007 • 133 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock, in reply to Tamsin6,

    the weird new spur configuration thingy which makes my brain hurt to contemplate.

    That would be because the shape now forms the sigil *odegra* in the language of the Black Priesthood, and means 'Hail the Great Beast, Devourer of Worlds'.

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

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Rich Lock,

    tell us man...

    That would be because the shape now forms the sigil odegra in the language of the Black Priesthood, and means 'Hail the Great Beast, Devourer of Worlds'.

    I thought that was the M25?
    The Circle Line looks like a bad seagull* drawing to me...

    *Hmmm... Arch Economagical Mage John Key would probably pronounce that as sigil...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    I thought that was the M25?

    Plagiarise, plagiarise,
    Let no one else's work evade your eyes,
    Only be sure always to call it please research.

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

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