Score draw?
Cunliffe started best, Key got in a zinger and put him off his stride, Cunliffe dominated the second half.
Caption competition
Too good to pass up but keep it civilised …
NRT: The caretaker convention and elections
There was an interesting discussion between Dean Knight and Graeme Edgeler about the caretaker convention and elections. Dean highlighted the fact that Key had a perfect right to call for whatever sort of inquiry prior to an election. Edgeler disputed this, on the basis that the Prime Minister could not be said to enjoy the confidence of the House, because there wasn’t one.
The Press Debate – tonight, livestreamed on Stuff
The second big head-to-head between David Cunliffe and John Key will be livestreamed on Stuff from 7pm tonight.
Puddleglum: We no longer have a Prime Minister
There’s an excellent post at The Political Scientist I want to highlight, plus a few other of today’s Dirty Politics reads…
Spinning the media: commericial imperatives
The main problems with dirty media-blogger connections, as exposed by Dirty Politics lie with the commercial dominance of our news media. Mediawatch focuses on issues raised by the book. Online Standards Authority is not the answer.
Nicky Hager on Democracy – Wellington
Nicky Hager will discuss his recent book “Dirty Politics”, and what needs to be done differently to protect and enhance our democracy. Tuesday 9 September, St Andrew’s Church, 30 The Terrace, Wellington, 5:30-7:30pm. All welcome – registration essential on Fabian Society website.
Whitewash inquiry
I know, let’s put on a production of Hamlet, but leave out the role of the Prince of Denmark.
Open mike 02/09/2014
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Pre-election Factory Farming Debate
WHEN: Wednesday 3rd September 6.30pm
WHERE: St Andrew’s on The Terrace
Participants: Shane Ardern (National), Trevor Mallard (Labour), Mojo Mathers (Greens), Richard Prosser (NZ First) and Miriam Pierard (Internet).
National must be very afraid
The latest Whaledump has a collection of emails that makes no reference to Judith Collins. It makes you wonder if Key did not have the Cathy Odgers email whether he would have sacked Collins.
NRT: More OIA skullduggery from National
Another day, and more evidence the National government is manipulating the OIA process. Judith Collins’ office processed an Official Information Act request in just two days. The problem here isn’t that someone got their response within two days – its that other people didn’t…
Condolences: safety at work
My condolences to those close to the victims of the horrific actions in Ashburton today.
Why Is John Key Not Compelled to Give Evidence Under Oath?
I have today sent an open letter to the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security to ask why Mr Key is not required to attend her inquiry and to give evidence under oath. The letter is attached.
All the way to Key
All credit to Guyon Espiner for another hard-hitting interview with Key on Morning Report today. Espiner tries to get a straight answer from Key over his personal contacts with Slater. Tries and tries and tries, to no avail. It is clear that Key, personally and through his office, is up to his neck in dirty politics.
Black ops – blogger in the House
John Key dropped Winston Peters’ visits to DotCom into an answer to a question in the Houseof Parliament on February 12 2014. Today when pressed by Guyon Espiner whether the information had come to him from Cameron Slater he ducked and dived all over the place but finally had to admit Slater was the source. This episode confirms that Key was part of the black ops campaign, not just his office.
Dirty Filthy Red Herring
Big fish and little fish.
Open mike 01/09/2014
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Labour’s broadcasting policy: public service TV-RNZ
Labour’s broadcasting policy includes setting up a new public service TV channel, to be located with RNZ, incorporating RNZ values. The Greens are open to the idea. NZ First has a similar policy. Laila Harre makes some good points about public broadcasting and industrial relations. [Update: RNZ report; video clip added]
From Twitter
All your trashing the SFO connections. h/t DebsHancock
Well that deteriorated quickly
The Sunday Star Times has reported on the Hotchin – Slater attack on SFO boss Adam Feeley. The email which caused John Key to effectively sack Judith Collins as a Minister was provided by Cathy Odgers. The intent was to put off a SFO/FMA investigation into Hotchin. This is third world stuff.
Wakeup call for the media – has Slater done us all a favour?
National’s dirty politics, for all its corrosive damage, also marks an opportunity for NZ. An opportunity to take stock, recognise such tactics for what they are, and reject them. An opportunity to clean up both politics and the media’s coverage of it.
Open mike 31/08/2014
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
For a better way…
The NACT way is Not Our Way. We need a better way of governance and democracy. One that is for all the people. I joined the hardy souls who went to the Not Our Way rally and march in Auckland.
Whose Resignation?
“There can surely be no more important issue than the fitness to govern of some of these pretending to office. What could be more serious than the abuse of power – its use, not to serve the interests of the country, but to discredit and destroy, in an unfair, vicious and underhand way, those whom the government sees as its opponents?”
Some thoughts…
The English faction is now calling the shots inside the National party.
Judith Collins resigns
Oravida and the mysterious Chinese border control official, the Simon Pleasants leak, Bronwyn Pullar’s Privacy Commission complaint, plotting to roll John Key after the […]
Crusher crushed
Press conference is running late, but Judith’s statement is out – resigning as Minister, but not as MP.
New allegations of her undermining SFO head Adam Feeley have finally been too much.
Update: email attached to post
Is Judith Collins gone?
Judith Collins’ tenure as a Minister may be in some doubt.
“VRWC” exposes rift at top of National
There is a self-appointed “Vast Right Wing Conspiracy” in New Zealand. Odgers and Slater are key members. Search VRWC on Slater’s website and you’ll find their activities. After Pansy Wong’s forced resignation from Cabinet for misuse of her travel perk the VRWC thought the National Cabinet needed “some serious steel going forward.” You can read the minutes of their virtual white-board session on post-it cards – the rifts at the top are deep and nasty.
Fairfax Media’s polling on Dirty Politics
The latest Dominion Post contains survey data on people’s responses to Dirty Politics but attempts to manufacture a message by quoting selected interviews suggesting that Labour and not National have been hurt by Hager’s revelations. The headlines though are that half of all New Zealanders think less highly of John Key and 7.9% of voters are considering changing their vote. National should be afraid.
Open mike 30/08/2014
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
‘Malevolent males’, ‘Mistress Collins’ & a ‘free press’
Dirty Politics shows the need for a reformation of our media, broadcasting and related online content. It’s about democracy. Lucy lawless agrees. Laila Harre and Colin Craig have been added to the line up for Sunday’s Broadcasting Debate in Auckland.
Key can’t work with the Greens because…
They care about Child Poverty (and presumably he doesn’t)
Cyberflailing
Judith Collins has re-entered the election campaign. John Key’s little helper is back. Collins should take her own advice to cyber-bullies earlier this year. Her time is up but she doesn’t realise it. National’s #teamkey campaign has become a train wreck, and John Key looks weaker and grubbier by the day.
NRT: Kiwis care about inequality
Roy Morgan has a poll out today looking at the issues affecting New Zealanders and therefore this election. Social inequality is rising as an issue as the world economy has stopped getting worse.