Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Dirty Politics

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  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Sacha,

    Puts me off Xero.

    Not that they've fallen out with Slater, but that they advertised in the first place and their management seem to be getting mixed up in the pit of Auckland National politics. Don't they have money to make for their shareholders, and in the world outside NZ?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    Drury has always been on the right of that spectrum. It's one reason his advocacy for a state-funded international data cable made people sit up and listen. But yes, who would fund juvenile filth and hair-pulling like that?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    he is berk

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Alfie,

    Slater the younger is still making enemies and influencing people. This time he's turned on one of his own advertisers, Rod Drury's Xero.

    Most people will be aware of the IRD's favourite client, Dave "Hendo" Henderson and various stouches over unpaid tax. In September 2015 Hendo was convicted of another seven charges of not paying taxes to the tune of $163,000.

    Hendo's partner Kristina Buxton is a director of several companies, most of which are in receivership or liquidation, or both. There's still one active company which lists Buxton as the sole director and Hendo the only shareholder, via a trust.

    The Official Assignee requested financial information pertaining to Buxton from Xero. Hendo and Buxton protested, claiming the company had unfairly handed over "private information".

    Then somebody called in either Team Slater or a favour, resulting in a series of attack posts targeting Xero and its CEO Victoria Crone for perceived ill-treatment of Buxton. Slater ran the old never made a profit, government handouts, corporate bludger line.

    The Herald story doesn't make it clear whether these were paid attacks of the kind revealed in Dirty Politics, or just Cam helping out a mate. As a result, Drury has withdrawn all Xero advertising from the site.

    The thing I find most surprising is that Rod Drury was advertising in the internet's sump pit in the first place.

    ________________________________________________________________
    An Aside
    I don't know if the Herald is suggesting schizophrenic behaviour or trying to call someone's dad, but this poorly constructed line could be read either way.

    Calls to both Slater were not immediately returned.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • Alfie,

    Damn. I left the post in draft form for an hour and look what happens.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • izogi, in reply to Alfie,

    The thing I find most surprising is that Rod Drury was advertising in the internet’s sump pit in the first place.

    Maybe being a long time reader had something to do with it, which I'm also quite surprised he so noisily admitted to.

    If he were quiet, people might at least have assumed he was simply ignorant about where the advertising $$$ were going. Now I just have an ugly impression of a guy I previously knew little about.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to izogi,

    If he were quiet, people might at least have assumed he was simply ignorant about where the advertising $$$ were going.

    If he were quiet, he would be hiding something, that he appears noisy to you probably suggests a bit about his ego. He’s a business man through and through.The bottom dollar rules and no doubt readers in that “sump” pit have dollars to spend also. National have laid bare that the likes of Drury are able to apply for state funding and more often than not, will get preference.In NZ we have proof (thanks Nicky) that there are underhand tactics used to denigrate and ruin peoples lives and once achieved, a bunch of arseholes will get together to pat each other on the back and say ,we won, which, I think is all it is. Winning is everything at whatever the cost. In an ideal situation I imagine Drury can and should cut slimey one down.
    When reputation is everything for businessmen, they can’t afford to let slime get in the way. Well that’s if they are sensible. Trouble with the more right leaning, ego can come first.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Reminds me of the possibly apocryphal tale of the advertising manager for an up-market department store ending a discussion with a space salesman for a tabloid newspaper:

    I'm sorry, but in general, your readers are our shoplifters

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • izogi, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    that he appears noisy to you probably suggests a bit about his ego

    It’s more just that he came out and publicly stated he’s been a long time reader Slater’s blog, and liked supporting it. I really struggle to understand the mentality of saying that about a guy who so constantly writes disgusting, inflammatory and cruel things, sometimes in exchange for money and sometimes to get attention.

    If he’s a business man, how is that good business? Why would anyone want to publicly admit to this, unless they’re an idiot, let alone a highly influential figure with the reputation of their business on the line? For example, what did he think about Slater’s dead-feral-in-Greymouth comments? Is taking money to assassinate people’s characters an acceptable thing as long as you’re not the target? I have no idea what he thinks, but they’re suddenly relevant questions.

    Or was he only a long-time reader for the “sunlight” and “good challenging discussions” which surround funny cat pictures?

    Until now, I’d thought of Xero as quite a neat and successful company that employs more than a few of my friends. Now I’m struggling to avoid seeing it as the product of the type of sewer dweller I detest.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report

  • chris,

    If he’s a business man, how is that good business?

    Midway through this year, the first day we took a stall at the local market, I was astonished to see:

    "Whale Oil Beef Hooked"

    written on the chalk board just inside the font door. At that point I’d not been back long and I had given up politics, the MSM etc for a few months and it flustered me to the extent that it prompted me to start posting here again – for whatever good that does. All I can offer to that is that this is Lusk country and business is okay and seems especially so for the market organiser. Different streams – the effectiveness of education being best measured by the weakest link.

    The dirty politics campaign will continue unchecked indefinitely unless the left drops a couple of scruples here and there and get our hands dirty instead of playing for the intervention of some omniscient referee's whistle. Whistle ain't coming.

    Mawkland • Since Jan 2010 • 1302 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to izogi,

    . I really struggle to understand the mentality of saying that about a guy who so constantly writes disgusting, inflammatory and cruel things, sometimes in exchange for money and sometimes to get attention.

    People in the links above show the circular fashion of Drury, Henderson, Buxton, Hide, and around to slimebag. Drury comment of "good challenging discussions" may have an emphasis on "challenging" but yes who knows why people delve there. I must admit I once worked for him, but not long after I left , one night at Cin Cin ,he didn't know me from a bar of soap. His wife chose to ignore me.

    If he’s a business man, how is that good business? Why would anyone want to publicly admit to this, unless they’re an idiot, let alone a highly influential figure with the reputation of their business on the line?

    I don't know either but John Key had the slime on speed dial. Judith "I'm back " Collins is his family friend. The Minister of Police and Justice let's all know she likes the slime who we now know just how much she likes and trusts slime. This corupt woman's got the highest office of law and enforcement as her plaything now. I think it's more sinister than them being an idiot. I'd watch her next move and closely. She will now make someone pay.

    Until now, I’d thought of Xero as quite a neat and successful company that employs more than a few of my friends. Now I’m struggling to avoid seeing it as the product of the type of sewer dweller I detest

    Well yes, I think one has to be able to separate many things in big business . Hell, John Key had a job before the National Party and there is probably many who worked with him that didn't like or agree with anything he did but did work with him in for example Merrill Lynch. "Smiling assassin " isn't really a title deserving of a well liked person. Your ethics sound commendable to me but the reality is your friends probably need a job and money wins over ethics. That's not to say you now don't have a topic worthy of discussing with your friends. Go for it. I'd love to hear their responses given what you now know or think. National always have jobs for the boys, National have for a long time had the Slaters. National voters still vote for National, therefore National voters vote for Slaters inclusion. That's the "sunlight".

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • izogi, in reply to chris,

    Hi chris.

    The dirty politics campaign will continue unchecked indefinitely unless the left drops a couple of scruples here and there and get our hands dirty instead of playing for the intervention of some omniscient referee’s whistle.

    Maybe I’m being too presumptious but I’d hoped that some of the National Party’s own members and supporters might have recognised and drawn a line on where this is going. At the very least stand up to and tell their favourite party that it’s severely sick, and demand change, instead of ineffectively complaining to their neighbours about how "they’re all useless and corrupt but that’s politics". Why is “that” politics?

    In the end, maybe it will have to be “fixed” by a political opposition, if it’s even possible without multipartisan support, but the risk in this is that it confuses constitutional change for transparency and robust good government with ideological partisan meddling.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to izogi,

    if it’s even possible without multipartisan support, but the risk in this is that it confuses constitutional change for transparency and robust good government with ideological partisan meddling.

    MMP= Give and take, just some will give more and others will take more.
    MMP= Life, many muddling people.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    Colonel Trotter has some reckons about the dirtiness of politics lasting long time.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to izogi,

    At the very least stand up to and tell their favourite party that it’s severely sick, and demand change, instead of ineffectively complaining to their neighbours about how “they’re all useless and corrupt but that’s politics”. Why is “that” politics?

    In the end, maybe it will have to be “fixed” by a political opposition, if it’s even possible without multipartisan support, but the risk in this is that it confuses constitutional change for transparency and robust good government with ideological partisan meddling.

    Whatever happens, hopefully it won't have to take the deaths or bankruptcy of thousands of people to fix things.

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

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    Whatever happens...

    There's a strong case for putting the country back on to factory settings and rebooting it!
    Before the 'hard drive' we once had becomes floppy and obsolete overrun by flash-drives, malls and McMansions held up by flim-flam and 'smile-&-wavium'...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    Judith Collins continues to deny her role. (warning: contains Collins)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    Mr Buchanan adds a mass privacy breach of air travellers to the litany of the hunt for Rawshark. He also notes Police started acting immediately after Slater emailed the Assistant Commissioner directly, not when he lodged a formal complaint almost a week later. Buddies?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • izogi,

    I can’t find anything online just yet, but according to an interim report on Radio NZ just now at about 4.30pm, the raid on Nicky Hager’s home has been ruled to have been illegal. More to come, I suppose.

    Edit: on the Herald, and also Stuff.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to izogi,

    the raid on Nicky Hager’s home has been ruled to have been illegal

    The only reasonable finding they could have arrived at and retained any credibility.
    I'll be interested to hear what the new Minister of Police has to say about this, or for that matter what the new Minister of Corrections thinks of John Key joking about prison rape... it's not like the world is watching or anything...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    I’ll be interested to hear what the new Minister of Police has to say about this, or for that matter what the new Minister of Corrections thinks of John Key joking about prison rape… it’s not like the world is watching or anything…

    What do the 'harden up ya PC wankers' crowd hold sacred? We need something that'll hoist those backwater hicks on their own petard.

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

  • Angela Hart,

    Apparently it is ridiculous to think that the police acted in any way unusually when they raided Nicky Hager's home in his absence:

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/292651/criticism-of-hager-police-'ridiculous'

    Christchurch • Since Apr 2014 • 614 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Angela Hart,

    Apparently it is ridiculous to think that the police acted in any way unusually...

    While Police Association President Greg O'Connor won't be standing for re-election, voting doesn't appear to be due until next October. Whatever his replacement's views might be on issues such as the perceived politicisation of the force, continuing O'Connor's reactionary attitude on cannabis law reform promises to be problematic, even for an opportunist like Collins.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • izogi, in reply to Angela Hart,

    I've just listened to it.

    Wow.....

    I can't tell what's going through his head, but however Greg O'Conner's words are framed it seem to sound fundamentally unjustifiable.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Whatever his replacement's views might be on issues such as the perceived politicisation of the force, continuing O'Connor's reactionary attitude on cannabis law reform promises to be problematic, even for an opportunist like Collins.

    If it's not direct orders from the Beehive, then it's probably the kind of police culture deconstructed by Red Squad veteran Ross Meurant.

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

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