NZ spies on its Pacific neighbours
Nicky Hager and the Herald have reported that the GCSB has been collecting data en masse from New Zealand’s pacific neighbours and handed it over to the Americans for inclusion in xkeystore.
Politics
Abuse of power
Politicising banking
The attack on banking services for Mega is a high profile example of the politicisation of banking. We’re on a very slippery slope here…
Political donations and conflicts of interest
Whether it’s about election donations or portfolios, some people do seem to think MPs should always get the benefit of the doubt.
Politician salary rises and the minimum wage increase
John Key has yet again asked the Remuneration Authority to limit the increase in MPs pay. And yet again they have said that the law required them to make the decision they did. So MPs get a hefty raise at the same time that the minimum wage is raised slightly. And the media report Key’s comments sympathetically. He is the Prime Minister. If anyone can change the law he is the person best placed.
Aussies & US mount opposition to TPPA – but in NZ we just keep nodding
So much to sell, so little time… When this Government is finished selling, we will have sold our right to make laws for ourselves too. Be under no doubt, if the effect of bringing in a law for the health and well being of Kiwis will cost a corporate millions of dollars, part of their lobbying after the TPP, will be threatening to sue the taxpayers of NZ and watch such a Bill slip into obscurity. And those corporates wielding that power? Most will never pay a cent of tax into the coffers of NZ taxpayers.
NRT: “Close to corruption”
I/S at No Right Turn adds some detail to Matthew Hooton’s extraordinary piece at the NBR.
The Sabin issue timeline
An analysis of the timeline and a reading of Cameron Slater’s comments concerning Mike Sabin raises real questions about the veracity of what Key has been saying to the media. Update: It appears that David Garrett and Rodney Hide have expressed views wondering if Key’s statement about when he was told is actually correct. Update: And Matthew Hooton suggests that the Police may have advised the Government of the invesigation.
The mathematics of surveillance
Mass surveillance cannot accomplish its stated goals, and it’s likely that many within the security / government system understand this full well.
NRT: GCHQ spies on journalists
I/S – “GCHQ considers investigative journalists a “security threat” alongside hackers and terrorists”…
Shortlist for GCSB Chief announced
It makes for great reading and throws the net wider than last time… just Check it out here
Dame Anne Salmond: Erosion of democratic rights
An excellent piece by Dame Anne Salmond in the Dominion Post yesterday. Salmond reviews the government’s attacks on journalists, institutions and privacy.
“But he hasn’t got anything on!”
The self righteousness of the leaders who marched in Paris was there for all to see, but few in the media decry and […]
The state of freedom of the press in the world in a series of tweets
An English student, Daniel Wickham has in a series of tweets questioned the commitment of various world leaders who marched in support of freedom of the press to that concept.
John Key on media freedom
Yesterday John Key condemned the attacking of journalists going about their daily work and said that it was an attack on the fourth estate and the democratic principles of freedom of speech and expression. But his track record on respecting the independence of journalists leaves a lot to be desired.
Free speech and surveillance online
A long, fascinating piece by Glenn Greenwald on The Intercept this morning.
The Government wishes Andrea Vance a very merry Christmas
On the eve of Christmas in a cynical attempt to avoid political damage the Government has apologised to Andrea Vance for breaching her rights of privacy in 2013 after requiring Parliamentary Services to hand over her metadata and attempting to cover up the exercise.
In Solidarity with Sony
Sony this week bowed to pressure to withdraw the movie The Interview because of a cyber attack on it from hackers associated with North Korea. This post is in support of freedom of speech and expression.
Why wasn’t Brownlee sacked?
The Civil Aviation Authority report into Gerry Brownlee’s breach of security at Christchurch Airport has now been released albeit in a heavily redacted form. The report contradicts Brownlee’s claim that the door was opened for him by a Security Officer and that the officer consented to his use of the security area. Why was the release of the report delayed? And why wasn’t Brownlee sacked as a Minister?
This is not business as usual. This is not some hippy over-reaction. This is serious shit!
New author Mandy Hager joins us with some reflections on having become a grandmother: “So that’s why I’m speaking out now, every opportunity I get. Not because I like the exposure (shudder), but because I love this tiny little person and I will fight for his future, come what may. It’s the right thing to do. …”
#TortureReport
finally, we have the release of the report that documents interrogation techniques carried out by the CIA. it’s pretty awful stuff.
The Roll of Shame.
Another day of shame for the New Zealand Government. as they march us in lockstep…….
Towards the sort of police State we used to fight.
Police neutrality
If anyone thought that David Parker was content to fade quietly into obscurity, they been proven thoroughly wrong. Parker has confronted one of politics’ sacred cows – police neutrality.
Is John Key on the skids?
In the House today Megan Woods embarrassed John Key with some very simple yet direct questions about Jason Ede. Key’s attempts to joke away the issue was met with silence from his side of the house. Dirty Politics is clearly having an effect.
Petition for Royal Commission on dirty politics
“Please take immediate steps to call for the establishment of a high calibre, non-partisan Royal Commission to investigate the inner workings of government in New Zealand and recommend a form of governance that has integrity, is truly democratic, and fit for the 21st century.”
Nothing to hide nothing to fear?
I guess we can conclude that Key has something to hide, otherwise what could he possibly have to fear?
The Countering Terrorist Fighters Legislation Bill
The Countering Terrorist Fighters Legislation Bill is set to return to Parliament today with some changes likely to be recommended by the select committee. And John Key is sounding conciliatory by promising to wind some powers back while at the same time promising an increase in powers next year even though a review of the Intelligence agencies has not been completed.
Local Bodies: John the Don and the Family
bsprout on the Local Bodies blog departs from his more usual style and makes some parallels with popular culture. One of John Key’s many hats?
Impeach John Key
The honour system is broken, exposing the flaws of our political model.
Two guilty approaches after Dirty Politics
There are two approaches to being a star of dirty politics and not wanting to answer questions about it. Both were displayed on Campbell Live last night by Jason Ede and Cameron Slater. And Andrea Vance has details on taxpayers paying for Slaters legal bills.
Democracy, Money and Power
The stage was long ago reached where members of the US Government were told they should “wear their sponsors logo’s on their shirts”.
Cut the crap
Andrew Little invokes the phrase that is going to forever haunt our lying, denying and obfuscating PM.
Updated: Question time video of Little added, followed by John Key “lying, denying and obfuscating”.
Updated: General video of Little added – better in the house than expected. PM’s staff writing blogs for Cameron Slater
😈
A Breakdown.
There’s a lot of smash flying around concerning the SIS, the PM’s office, OIA requests, Judith Collin’s and what not. So here’s a simple, stripped back, breakdown
Honourable
A list of things that are apparently now Honourable, even if you didn’t undermine your SFO boss.
John Key vs the truth
Trying to dodge the fallout from the Gwyn report Key simply lies and refuses to accept the facts. He can’t get away with it. Can he?
Calls for Key to resign
Calls for Key to resign, so far from Goff, Norman, and Plunket.
Gwyn report
The Gwyn report finds that the SIS failed to maintain political neutrality.
What did Key know and when did he know it?