Dishonourable Judith Collins
Even John Key can’t bring himself to call Judith “Honourable”
dirty politics
How far will the harassment of Hager go?
Hager has said that he will go to prison rather than reveal the identity of the Rawshark / Whaledump hacker.
Two tier strategy on spying
Key ditching responsibility for the GCSB and SIS, and adopting the newly created title of Minister for National Security and Intelligence, is another example of the dirty politics two tier strategy.
About those other police complaints …
Police action in obtaining a warrant to search Nicky Hager’s home in politically charged circumstances raises issues why in other politically charged incidents no similar action has been undertaken.
Police raid Hager
Breaking news, police raid Nicky Hager.
Polity: National’s new ministry: Key fires himself!
Key has basically fired himself from most of his Security and Intelligence responsibilities. This is a big change.
Dirty attacks on academic
Another dirty hit, this time on an Otago academic. It features most of the regular cast of Dirty Politics, and stars Jordan Williams of the “Taxpayers’ Union” (aka a front for right-wing spin and political attacks).
Slater capitulates
Cameron Slater has capitulated and ended his case against various media organisations. He faces the prospect of a significant award of costs against him. There is now no restriction on the media using the Rawshark dumps the media have been apparently provided with. So far nothing has been published. Why the delay?
Dirty Kiwiblog
Dr Jarrod Gilbert was the victim of a typical dirty politics smear campaign via Kiwiblog. In the last couple of days he has done some interesting posts on the subject. Expect dirty politics, and personal attacks on critics of the government, to escalate even further over the next three years.
A clean start
If Team Key manage to stagger over the line it will be a government paralysed from the start by scandal and investigation – inward looking and defensive. A rather Pyrrhic “victory” at best. We need a Labour led government so that we can put this nightmare behind us. We need a clean start.
“We may as well kiss democracy goodbye”
The words of the title of this post are those of the Ombudsman, reflecting on yet another typical Nat government scandal as broken by David Fisher in The Herald this morning.
Another victim of dirty politics speaks out
Herald columnist Wendyl Nissen on being the victim of the dirty politics attack machine. She has resigned from a slot on NewstalkZB rather than share a platform with Slater.
Get clean politics into the Herald
Action Station want to run a full-page ad in the Herald calling on politicians to clean up NZ politics. (Update: only $580 needed! Let’s do it!)
Bombs Away?
So much for any abatement of dirty politics…
One chance to clean up politics
If we, the electorate, reward dirty politics by re-electing a National government, we will be validating the most vile tactics this country has seen since Muldoon.
Giovanni Tiso on Dirty Politics
In a series of tweets Giovanni Tiso has highlighted important issues concerning the relationship between the media and National as disclosed by Dirty Politics.
Slater backs down
The Slater application for an injunction against various media outlets has been settled by the media agreeing to not to use information that was not in the public interest, including but not limited to Mr Slater’s wife, children, medical information, the death of his mother and other inherently personal information regarding Mr Slater and his friends. The way is now clear for further stories on Dirty Politics.
Emmerson – What they did in the shadows
Dirty Politics Watch I
A new series on happy mischief and paying back double.
Perceptions of National’s government
There is how John Key and a few of his acolytes like to think of his government. Then there is how everyone else now does. The many ministers who have been abusing their position, were caught and ‘resigned’. Now we can see the true nature than lurks beneath. A vote for National is a vote for Cameron Slater.
Slater deleting posts
Cameron Slater is deleting posts from his Whaleoil blog. Down the memory hole. Anything he deletes is, of course, of interest in the current dirty climate. Most of it relates to Cathy Odgers / Cactus Kate, but there are exceptions (written by or paid for by others?).
Polity: The big lie
Rob Salmond looks at the Big Lie technique coming from the right and being gormlessly swallowed by some pundits. That Labour and the left aren’t talking about policy. They have been brimming over with policy. The right have vague possible ideas. Pundits are too obsessed in dirty politics to look at the detail of actual policies.
Local Bodies: Whale Oil and Tolley Attacked Principals and Myself
The stench of National’s dirty politics is reeking like decayed blubber. Today it appears that Anne Tolley appears to have used Cameron Slater to attack critics of their flawed education policies. The question is how much taxpayers funds did the ministers use on their vindictive support for the countries most despicable ‘blogger’?
Whaledump twitter account suspended
Whaledump’s account on Twitter has been suspended.
Someone is trying to lock the stable door after the horse has bolted.
Update: @Whaledump2 is providing more dumps and No Right Turn & lprent comment on it.
Blogging isn’t the problem Mr Key
Dirty politics in Dunedin
No. Not Pete George. Instead Andrew Geddis appears to be up to his neck in the mire of organising “Debating ‘Dirty Politics’: Media, Politics and Law”, at a ‘scholarly’ debate on Friday from 1pm-4pm. It is a long-winded scholarly debate inside work hours. But it will be streamed on youtube and hopefully not only live.
Nasty negative Nats
Disgraced ex minister Collins calls Cunliffe a moron. Another John Ansell negative billboard campaign coming. The Nats are nasty as well as dirty. If only there was some positive alternative…
Emerson on Collins Enquiry
Emerson’s cartoon today in the Herald.
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…
Whitewash inquiry
I know, let’s put on a production of Hamlet, but leave out the role of the Prince of Denmark.
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…
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.
Dirty Filthy Red Herring
Big fish and little fish.
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.
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.