Posts by Chris Waugh
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Hard News: The Letter, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,
I certainly don't disagree with you. I just like the fact there is now something to argue about. Arguing over Cunliffe's Letter was getting rather depressing. Now here are some real issues to discuss.
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Hard News: The Letter, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,
How so?
You're right, I just mean that there is actually something resembling substance here, not like that letter. I like the Andrew Geddis post you and Russell link to, but I'm sure those determined to make a scandal of this issue will, it's just nice for them to actually have some material to work with.
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Hard News: The Letter, in reply to Russell Brown,
And now the Herald gets to the $100k donation to Labour that the PM and half the National Party have been hinting about – because, it turns out, it’s been noted in a written statement by Liu since May 3.
And so now we have something that might actually be somewhat scandalous. Why did we have to waste so much time and energy on the total non-issue that is Cunliffe's letter? Especially if the statement was made on May 3?
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summer solstice sunset 2
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summer solstice sunset
and in b&w
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about to be lost
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And Donghua Liu rises to Rick Barker's challenge. He says he gave "equally to Governments of both colours", and:
"Any political donations have always been given in good faith without any expectation. It is over to the politicians to make any appropriate declarations," Liu said in a statement.
"However, because I've built relationships with politicians, made donations, because it's election year and, dare I say, because I'm Chinese, I suppose I've been an easy target for some to gain some political mileage and score some points."
I'm not sure I agree with his comments on immigration policy - there is much to be fixed, but I'm unconvinced it's the investor visas that need fixing - and there is a bit much "woe is me" - there is plenty to cast doubt on whether he meets the good character requirements of his visa. But still, he does make some good points.
Similarly, the resignation calls Cunliffe faced after the Herald broke the story that the Labour leader had signed off a letter on behalf of Liu bordered on risible.
That letter was clearly a pro forma note written by his staffers. There was no element of special pleading. It's no wonder he had forgotten it. It should not have sparked a Gotcha call from political journalists.
[......]
But it would reach the heights of delusion to equate this episode with the obvious transgressions that cost Maurice Williamson his ministerial role when he called police on Liu's behalf, and should have cost Judith Collins her place in the Cabinet when she overstepped the line in the Oravida saga.
And off-topic but relevant, John Key clearly has a very high opinion of his fellow Kiwis, or:
There is a pattern in all of the things New Zealanders are "not interested in" - they are all potentially damaging to National.
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Hard News: The Letter, in reply to Caleb D'Anvers,
the nature of National’s dealings with China.
With a few businesspeople, if you don't mind. Yes, Donghua Liu is Chinese, as are the people behind Oravida, but they're hardly representative of the entire country.
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Australian numbers that probably hide a lot of stories:
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres told an audience at the UNHCR-NGO consultations in Geneva this week that he was ''very concerned'' about Australia's offshore processing centres for asylum seekers and Australia should take the ultimate responsibility for people who arrive on its shores.
''Australia is a very strange situation,'' Mr Guterres said.
''It has the most successful resettlement program I can imagine and the community integration is excellent.
''The problem is when we discuss boats and there, of course, we enter into a very, very, very dramatic thing. I think it is a kind of collective sociological and psychological question.'' -
Hard News: The Letter, in reply to Craig Ranapia,
Wait, Craig.... 11 years ago an immigration agent contacts David Cunliffe's electorate office looking for assistance finding out how long Donghua Liu can expect to wait for a decision on his visa/residence application. A letter is typed up and signed. Cunliffe is asked about his dealings with Liu and remembers nothing. The letter surfaces. So far as anybody can tell it really is just the standard type of thing electorate MPs offices do. It could be interpreted as advocating for Liu, but such an interpretation requires a bit of effort and more emphasis put on the introduction than the body of the letter. There is no evidence of any further or deeper contact between Cunliffe and Liu (well, not yet). And you're trying to compare the pickle Cunliffe has found himself in with what? Tax evasion? Benefit fraud?
Well, I suppose if Person A is trying to wriggle out of prosecution for not paying tax on $20,000 of income earned last year by pointing out that Person B seemed to acquire an extra $200 that could perhaps be taxable income 11 years ago, the comparison might hold a little water. Otherwise, I'm just going to sit here struggling to figure out what, precisely, Cunliffe has done wrong and why the Press Gallery seems to have collectively completely lost all sense of proportion.
