Sheepgate the final chapter
The final chapter of the Saudi Sheepgate saga has now been written with David Parker pulling the pin on the deal and saving the country $1 million.
murray mccully
#sheepgate: National paid out money to settle a non existing dispute without legal advice
In a case of extraordinarily bad timing for National it has been confirmed that despite claims to the contrary MFAT never provided National legal advice about the merits of any possible claim made concerning New Zealand’s banning of live sheep exports.
Your government MPs in the news
Who can even keep up with it all?
Netanyahu accuses New Zealand of committing a declaration of war
Israeli Prime Mininster Benjamin Netanyahu told Murray McCully that New Zealand supporting the rights of Palestinians in the homeland areas would be regarded as a declaration of war.
Well done Murray McCully
Murray McCully has had New Zealand co sponsor a successful Security Council resolution condemning Israel for violating International Law through its resettlement policy.
McCully is going
Murray McCully has announced that he too is standing down from politics at the next election and his removal as a Minister this week appears almost inevitable.
So sheepgate was Key’s fault
According to Fran O’Sullivan the cause of Sheepgate was Key’s decision to abandon leadership of a business mission in 2010. As to the subsequent scandal – Watkin and Hooton voice the anger we should all be feeling.
Sheepgate: Government celebrates finding that McCully is not corrupt
The Auditor General’s report into Sheepgate has been released and there has to be questions about the accuracy of what Murray McCully has told Parliament and his ability to fullfil his role as a Minister.
McCully and the Auditor General’s report on #sheepgate
It has been over a year since the Auditor General announced an inquiry into the circumstances around Sheepgate. Why has it taken so long?
Saudi sheepgate coverup continues
What was the payment for, why did the Nats go ahead with it against all advice, and why won’t they release the letter?
The silence of the lambs – media (not) on McCully
Interesting discussion on the silence of the lambs. Where have all the journalists gone?
#Sheepgate – The Compensation payment for the claim that did not exist
The Nation has been doing some digging into #Sheepgate and last weekend broadcast its results. There were some findings that if confirmed should result in McCully’s cabinet career being ended. Not to mention a potential Privileges Hearing to decide if he has misled Parliament.
Memo from Crosby Textor: Murray McCully and the Hagaman donation
The Standard has obtained a copy of a Crosby Textor memo concerning risks posed by Murray McCully’s handling of issues surrounding the awarding of the contract for the Niue resort.
The whiff of corruption follows McCully around
There is a clear conflict of interest in the Niue resort case.
McCully, the National Party donation and the Niue resort
Murray McCully has assured New Zealand that there is no link between the granting of valuable rights to manage a luxury resort in Niue and the making of large donations to the National Party.
The Whitehead Report does not exonerate Murray McCully
The Whitehead report into the circumstances surrounding the failed waiver of diplomatic immunity for the Malaysian attache charged with sexual assault charges has been released and blames the incident on an inadvertently worded email. But questions remain about why Murray McCully only took active steps after media broke the story and the effects his reorganisation of MFAT has had on its ability to do its job.
Abattoir Blues
The Sheepgate scandal rolls on. PM John Key has just confirmed we will be celebrating the Saudi Arabian government’s recent execution of 47 political opponents by gifting them a portable abattoir.
Key should apologise to Tania Billingsley and Slater should be ashamed
The disputed facts case involving Tania Billingsley’s complaint against the Malaysian Diplomat suggests the diplomat was engaged in some bizarre drug induced behaviour and completely exonerates Ms Billingsley. John Ken will have to reconsider his petty refusal to apologise to her. And Murray McCully’s actions will be closely monitored as soon as the completed report into the invocation of diplomatic immunity is released.
#Sheepgate – but wait there’s more
At the same time that there is an Auditor General’s investigation into the appropriateness of the Government spend on the sheep farm in the middle of a Saudi desert the Government has announced a further spend of $2.6 million on a kit set abattoir. And the resumption of live exports by ship may be in the pipeline.
Three minutes to midnight. John Key incoherent.
Same ole, same ole. Except, this time, US neoconservative imperalism might have a problem. Russia.
#Sheepgate and the war of metaphor
The war of metaphor requires the continuous repetition of a simple statement in the hope it becomes the accepted truth. Most of the time it works. But with #sheepgate it is starting to unravel.
National’s terrible deal making
A brief analysis of a number of deals that National has negotiated suggests that its reputation as a supposedly tough dealmaker is misplaced.
#Sheepgate – Key’s cheerleaders are sent in
John Armstrong thinks that National has bested Labour over #sheepgate because Key keeps saying it is all Labour’s fault. And Hosking thinks the payment has a good business case despite the payment having not achieved the result that was being sought,
The dump of the #sheepgate papers
The sheepgate papers have been dumped and despite John Key’s claims to the contrary the only evidence of a change in position on live sheep exports is that of the National Government, not the previous Labour Government.
Kia ora Gaza
Native Affairs reporter Ruwani Perera and cameraman Jacob Bryant have been arrested by Israeli forces for being part of a peace flotilla wanting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. If Murray McCully wants to achieve peace in the Middle East he could start by demanding that they be released and that the delivery of aid to Gaza be allowed.
#Sheepgate – some random impertinent questions
Every day with the release of more information there are more and more questions arising over sheepgate. Update: and none of the questions were answered today in Parliament. At least not properly. Video is inserted.
#Sheepgate – did National ask the Saudi Sheep Farmer to sue NZ?
It seems crazy but it appears that National may have asked the Saudi sheep farmer to sue New Zealand. And John Key seems to be relaxed about facilitation payments aka bribes.
Enter Sandman
Nathan Guy reckons he knows what killed hundreds of kiwi taxpayer funded lambs in the dodgy Saudi Arabian model farm. Believe it or not, this time it’s not Labour! No, it’s the Sanding of the Lambs.
#Sheepgate the cabinet papers
The Sheepgate cabinet papers have now been released and show no sign of a legal dispute between the Saudi Sheep farmer and the Government, let alone one that required a payment of $4 million dollars. And there are concerning reports that three quarters of the ewes on the “model farm” have died.
#Sheepgate – it was the official’s fault
National is appearing to be changing tack and trying to now blame a junior official rather than the Labour Party for the failure to complete the Gulf Free Trade Agreement. And the promised release of the relevant cabinet papers proving it was all Labour’s fault has still not occurred.
Sheepgate and National’s last defence: Labour does it too
John Key yesterday went on the attack and implied that Labour did something about Sheepgate in 2007. What it was he did not say but the implication was that Labour did it too. A brief review of dirty politics shows that this is alway’s National’s desperate last line of defence. Update: Labour tried to table in Parliament the Cabinet Paper that John Key talked about yesterday and National refused leave …
Sheepgate: the McCully mess
The media have joined opposition demands that Murray McCully’s actions in relation to sheepgate are investigated. If John Key really expects high standards from his ministers this is the least that should be done. Update: And a claimed “independent audit” of the tender process was conducted by none other than MFAT.
Money for nothing and the sheep are for free
The legal suit offered as part justification for the Government paying $11 million to a Saudi businessman was apparently “off the table” at the time that Cabinet agreed to the payment. So why was the payment made? And why didn’t Murray McCully tell this to Cabinet or to Parliament earlier?
Sheepgate
It has emerged that the New Zealand Government has paid money to a Saudi businessman allegedly to settle a legal dispute that does not exist but more probably to persuade the Saudi Government to enter into a free trade agreement. Update – and maybe there was a threat of legal action but because of the actions of National, not Labour.
How Labour and the Greens win it from here
A great campaign launch from Labour on the weekend, a couple of bad weeks for National and suddenly there is a chance that David Cunliffe may be our next Prime Minister. But how does he succeed and what can progressives do to help?
National and the Kiwi aversion to arrogance
Simon Bridges has spent $237,000 of taxpayers money to wine and dine and house eleven oil executives. And Tim Groser, Murray McCully and Claudette Hauiti have spent up large on the taxpayer tab. Way to reinforce the born to rule feeling National.