John Key’s told media they don’t need to talk to him about Judith Collins and her Cameron Slater choices, they should talk to her as she’s no shrinking violet…
But Radio NZ, The Herald, TV3 and I imagine all other media have been trying to contact her for days.
Cut Your Hair has some great analysis of who is the “policy free zone” that Key is claiming the left is…
Another music vid that John Key and the Electoral Commission won’t like…
Poor John Key must think he is in the movie Groundhog Day. The media clearly do not accept his explanation for Dirty Politics. And each day further information comes out which casts more and more doubt on the veracity of what he has been saying.
Just Wow. Morning Report failed to get hold of Bob Harvey to offer balance on their coverage of National/Labour’s opening ads this morning, […]
Here’s a tweet from Felix Marwick this morning that blows a big hole in John Key’s denials about not knowing about the strangely rapid OIS releases from the SIS to Cameron Slater. What is the bet that he is going to argue that he had a sloppy memory lapse – just like the one that he keeps accusing Phil Goff about? Updated: Phil Goff’s response.
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 …
Chalkie has a fascinating article in today’s DomPost on why foreigners are so keen to buy New Zealand assets – tax. He discusses Wellington Electricity Network and Lochinver to make the point that “the real appeal of investing in New Zealand is how easily foreign companies manage to avoid paying tax” – anywhere. Labour’s tax avoidance clampdown will benefit Kiwis much more than National’s soundbite approach to policy exemplified in Joyce’s bullying.
Labour has launched its campaign video.
I trust that the media will be interested to know which senior Nats Slater was working with on the release of data hacked from Labour servers.
In this part of the transcript of John Key’s Aug 14 standup, Key repeats dubious spin lines, & tries to maintain his Mr Clean image. Topics include Jason Ede, Judith Collins, Bronwyn Pullar. Key tries to implicate left wing blogs, naming The Standard
In 2008 National breached copyright by using a song suspiciously like Coldplay’s Clocks. The DVD had to be withdrawn. It may not have learned as its latest campaign video has music that sounds suspiciously like an Eminem song. Has it learned and does it have permission?
John Key has been running a pretty simple diversion strategy over the past week asserting that Labour knew about Hager’s book (they didn’t), that they aren’t interested in policy (our mailbox is full of their policies), and that the public will ignore the book (our stats are skyhigh). He is a loser. Rob Salmond puts his view.
Pot pourri, grab bag… Nicky Hager’s sister’s response, Media Take, John Key’s wanting to talk about policy, political passion, at the end of the day…
Swearing is not often a major factor in the political debate. Yet John Key’s alleged use of the “f-word” seems to have assumed considerable significance in the run-up to election day in the light of the Slater debarcle. National has a lot invested in John Key’s nice guy facade.
Tom Scott says it all. And the DomPost reports that National hopes to get their campaign back on track by showing an eight rowing together. That’ll work.
Accountability is not dirty politics. You can’t be smeared with the truth. John Key’s lines are as worthless as his promises of ministerial accountability.
Writing in The Press yesterday morning, Chris Trotter argues that politics is essentially dirty. No Right Turn rejects that. So do the authors on this site. None of us do this kind of crap. Nor do most people in the political arena. Why taint us with the brush of John Key’s blackops team.
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 …
Scott investigates a crime wave that may or may not have any connection with Nicky Hager.
Key’s giving Collins a “last last” chance! After she’s outed an innocent public servant to an amoral blogger! Duncan Garner said it six months ago about Oravida: “John Key won’t like this, but by Helen Clark’s standards he looks weak.” That’s too generous – by anybody’s standards he looks weak, as well as unprincipled. He’s no leader. Update: Email here – name, job title and phone numbers including mobile
How slippery is John Key? Part one of transcript of Key’s press standup last Thursday. On accessing Labour’s website private details, OIAs to the SIS, Dirty Politics, Nicky Hager and Mr Slater. [Updated]
Simon Collins has published a very good article comparing various parties policies on social security. As is the current trend, he doesn’t fully examine the deep and lasting contribution good child care & education make towards society & the economy. It’s about material and social well-being.
David “Princess Parties” Farrar at Kiwiblog is trying to wash off some of the stench of Dirty Politics. Turns out it’s after the election (of course) – and so heavily qualified as to be meaningless. Expect business as usual at the sewer.
Five months ago John Key gave Judith Collins a final warning regarding her Ministerial Career after misleading him and the media about Oravida. Following the release of Nicky Hager’s book Dirty Politics and the allegations, backed up by emails, that Hager has made against Collins her last chance must have now been used up.
BLip has a look at Aaron Bhatnagar and his role in the disgusting events documented in “Dirty Tricks”. In particular the way that Judith Collins seems to have rewarded her crony Cameron Slater’s mate on the taxpayers purse.
Part of John Key’s frantic spin is that left wing blogs are just the same as Whaleoil. As a left wing blogger I take personal umbrage – there is no equivalence. [Update: As also stated by RNZ political reporter Brent Edwards on Morning Report this morning (7:25am)]
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 …
I think it’s likely that the emails leaked to Nicky Hager for “Dirty Politics” have everything to do with the National Party. Nicky Hager identified the main source for his previous book “The Hollow Men” as six people from the National Party. He thanks “the National party staffer who first suggested he work on this subject” in the preface to “Dirty Politics.” It may well be that the both leaks come from the same source, and for the same reason. There will be many people in the National Party who will be disgusted at what is now being done under their name.
While the right tries to distract and deflect from Dirty Politics, it pays to take a look at who got hurt by Cameron Slater and his buddies.
A video montage of Key’s denials to recent reporter questions about Dirty Politics.
John Key is sticking to his defensive strategy: deny everything, label Hager’s book a smear campaign, and – when pressed on specific allegations – say he doesn’t know the details. There is of course a very easy way for Mr Key to become acquainted with the details, which he doesn’t seem keen to do, and that’s to simply ask the right people….
Revulsion. That’s what’s coming out from a range of people who have ploughed through the inner thoughts of Slater, Farrar, Ede, Collins, Lusk, Odgers, Jordan Williams – they’re all repulsive. It’s the strength of that gut feeling in response that will sink their plot. Despite all John Key’s efforts to move as quickly as possible to the end of the day, …it’s still not ok. Key’s try at cover up is pathetic, and doomed to be futile. But what it shows is that he has chosen the moral low ground with the rest of them. TeamKey indeed.
Has Jordan Williams been dumped from Franks & Oglivie? Or is it merely coincidence that he disappeared from the web pages within days of the release of “Dirty Politics”? Could this be contributing to his foul mood?
Helen Kelly tweeted an image of an extract from Dirty Politics, highlighting some very nasty misogynistic writing by Slater and Jordan William. Williams replied.
