The brighter future
Welcome to John Key’s “Brighter Future”. Here are some headlines: “Violation speaks ill of our democracy”, “Chilling attacks on freedom”, “Govt betrayal on a monumental scale”, and many more…
Politics
activism
Spying scandal forensics
National’s Friday afternoon document dump of emails between the Henry enquiry and Parliamentary Services is a trove of information. John Armstrong describes the whole mess as “Govt betrayal on a monumental scale”. For an initial forensic analysis of the evidence trail, check out Pete George.
Friday document dump
The government has tried a good old fashioned Friday Document Dump, releasing the email correspondence relating to Henry Inquiry. More incompetence and or lies are revealed, and Peter Dunne is pissed. No doubt we can expect the same levels of honesty and competence when the Key-Dunne spying bill extends the potential for spying to us all.
NRT: Look! More terrorists!
I/S at No Right Turn questions the legal status of Key’s “warrants”.
John Key’s big movie love
A recent report claims there is little economic benefit from tax payer funding for big overseas movies. Key’s damaging love of big Hollywood corporates is seen in the complex of Hobbit laws, intellectual copyright, secret TPP negotiations, & the Kim Dotcom-GCSB-Vance saga.
Key shows how much he really cares about security
John Key claims there are Al Qaeda-linked Kiwis in the country and in Yemen. That raises several questions: 1) why haven’t they been arrested? 2) why do you need additional spy powers, if you already have these people 3) why is the PM breaching security and jeopardising the spying on these people? 4) isn’t that an extraordinary thing to do for the sake of political point scoring?
88 flavours of bullshit
Presumably there is some tiny but “real” risk of terrorist action in NZ. But it doesn’t justify the broad powers of the Key-Dunne spying Bill. Recent experience and the government’s own protocols show that these spying powers will be used on activists and journalists that the government of the day doesn’t like. The 88 who have been illegally spied on already call bullshit.
Spy scandals – today’s required reading
Here’s today’s required reading (so far) in the ongoing spy scandals that are swirling around John Key and his fiasco of a government. Hey Peter Dunne, are you really going to vote for more GCSB spying? Really?
Waking up the fourth estate
Is this what it takes to wake up the fourth estate so they truly fulfill their role to speak truth to power? Andrea Vance is mad as hell about the “hacking” of her phone records. Press freedom and all our democratic rights are in danger. Stop the GCSB Bill!
Diss Loyalty
So, what’s with all the negativity toward the Labour Party? Why so many comments on the Standard rubbishing the leadership, running down the party’s prospects at the next election, putting the boot in to the only party with enough mass support to bring an end to the dismal Key Government? They must really love Labour?
This is Key’s scandal
Key’s loyal retainers are trying to keep him out of the Vance spying scandal. Major players are straight-out lying. Sadly for Key, the evidence of the timeline is clear. This is his scandal, start to finish.
Idiot tweet of the day – Collins
Anonymous NZ hacks National websites
Anonymous NZ protests John Key’s spying Bill by hacking various National MP websites.
Key explains the need to spy on us all
One of the many criticisms of John Key’s spying Bill is that it isn’t needed. Well rest easy citizens consumers, because PM Key has laid those fears to rest. Here he is, in his own words, explaining why this violation of our basic human rights is absolutely necessary.
Politically aligned or misinformed
On Thursday last week hundreds attended a public meeting in Mt Albert, and on Saturday thousands of people marched in 11 centers all round NZ to protest against John Key’s spying Bill. Key’s response? They are either “politically aligned” or “misinformed”. Like the Law Society and the Human Rights Commission, no doubt.
Journos need to get serious on spy Bill
Key’s new spying law will mean our own spooks can legally spy Kiwi journos. Experience shows it will happen. Time for that ‘democracy under attack’ Herald campaign. Time for journos to start taking this seriously. In a democracy, we don’t give the State powers that it doesn’t need and/or that are open to abuse. We don’t create a turn-key totalitarian state just because it’s ‘convenient for the spies’.
Nothing to hide, nothing to fear?
Nicky Hager’s investigative journalism explains why the government uses state surveillance against investigative journalists, academics and political activists. Jane Kelsey explains why spying is used to prevent legal activities, democratic processes and NZers speaking truth to power.
The Auckland Protest
Some photos from today’s Auckland protest. It was a great occasion. The question needs to be though, where to from here? This momentum needs to be built on.
Dotcom developments
The public trusts Kim Dotcom more than John Key (no surprise), and Journalist Selwyn Manning describes “some breaking news from Dotcom” on what Key knew, and when…
A king is born: Long Live Inequality!
UK children born on the same day as the new prince will get a silver penny: but their lives will be vastly different. Left foot Forward spells out the inequalities between these new born. John Key gushes over the new prince, while his government slashes, burns and fuels inequalities.
GCSB protest – Auckland tonight
To say that the GCSB law changes are misguided is the kindest possible interpretation, but many people including myself tend to view them as being quite malevolent. They aren’t going to provide any more security for citizens and residents here. But they are going to provide more security for incompetents in the security and police forces from both public and legal scrutiny. There are series of protests planned, and one in Auckland tomorrow. Updated – packed.
So what was Dunne’s price?
Peter Dunne said that the GCSB should not spy on New Zealanders “under any circumstances”, but he will now vote to let that happen. He has made himself a liar and a hypocrite. Why? 3 News and others speculate on what Dunne might have got in return. What was his price?
Turing – so much more …
Alan Turing may get a pardon from the UK government. Turing made major contributions to the development of computing and maths, but was also subjected to damaging surveillance, suspicion and dehumanisation because of his sexuality. Nothing to hide, nothing to fear? How to promote digital democracy?
Dunne caves on GCSB spying
Predictably, Peter Dunne has caved. Vance and Small with the details.
Don’t let them be sidelined: Surveillance Bills
Let’s not sideline the GCSB and related surveillance Bills. It’s about democracy, and against further consolidation of the power of the international, “neoliberal” corporate elites. Nation wide demos this Saturday; public meeting in Auckland this Thursday evening. Phil Goff resists, but bends a little too far. [Update] Protest poster
No free speech at convention centre
National’s dirty deal with Sky City includes the right for the government to ban groups it doesn’t like from booking the convention centre.
Free speech. Use it or lose it.
Defending democracy – then and now
There have been strong and compelling criticisms of the Nats’ spying Bill, similar to the situation that occurred under the previous government with electoral finance. But the responses of the two governments are very different – and very revealing. Where Labour revised its errant Bill to address the criticisms, John Key has threatened the HRC with funding cuts. Predictably, the response of The Herald to the two cases has been very different too…
Informal GCSB poll
Traitor or whistleblower?
Edward Snowden, now applying for temporary asylum in Russia, has been labeled both as traitor and as whistleblower. Is it a breach of trust to expose state use of surveillance to spy on citizens, especially if it is on behalf of powerful multinational corporations?
The long reach of “5 Eyes”: Not in our name!
Eric Holder’s connections with New Zealand’s justice system and GCSB is justified by linking international surveillance with transnational organised crime and crimes by citizens: 5 Eyes’ (alleged) defence of democracy, reaches into homes via “domestic terrorism”, (sexual) violence against women & children, and child pornography.
Knuckleheads – nothing to fear?
The knuckleheads (tm John Key) in the parliamentary press gallery are concerned about their privacy. Are they concerned about ours too?
Campbell Live connects the GCSB dots
Excellent reporting on Campbell Live last night, with a detailed look at the timeline of events surrounding the GCSB Bill, the Kim Dotcom raid, the appointment of Key’s school chum to head the GCSB, and certain visits between Washington and NZ. This government is dancing to America’s tune, and privacy is under attack.
GCSB – independent inquiry needed
A full, independent inquiry of the GCSB is needed , as argued by the Green & Labour Parties, and politics lecturer Damien Rogers. NZ First & Dunne – don’t support Key’s dodgy law changes! Key is masking political motives with spin and secrecy. [update] Campbell Live tonight – must see viewing.
Snowden on US-NZ intelligence
Just up on Stuff, an article about Edward Snowden making links between US and NZ intelligence services, as well as between other “5 Eyes” participants. Does he have specific evidence that the system “insulates” political leaders from backlash? And Key?
Dunne not convinced on GCSB Bill
Key has started making concessions in an effort to pass his GCSB bill to spy on Kiwis – but Peter Dunne is not convinced.
The big issues: GCSB, Dotcom
Bill English diverts attention from questions about Key’s prior knowledge of Dotcom, saying it is not a BIG ISSUE. Trustworthiness, undermining democracy, misuse of GCSB surveillance in collaboration with foreign powers, blurring commercial cyber-security with national security – just some of the BIG ISSUES covered in the GCSB hearings.