National endorses Dunne in Ohariu – Nek minnit
National’s supposedly well oiled campaign machine is resembling an episode of the Thick of It rather than a Crosby Textor training video.
Peter Dunne
Dunne over
On current polling the Nats are going to be short at least one of their puppet parties after the election.
Nat letter to Ōhāriu voters says vote for Dunne
From the letter – “Prime Minister Bill English is asking National voters in Ohariu to support National with their Party vote and Peter Dunne with their Electorate vote as this year’s General Election.”
Parliamentary Services is snooping on MPs’ emails
It appears that Parliamentary Services is monitoring MPs emails. And not just for things such as spam and viruses.
Democracy and Dunne
The union movement’s digital campaign arm – Together – has sent out the following email asking for support to put Peter Dunne on the spot with his electorate over Easter Trading.
Stick a Fork in Him, He’s Dunne
The Labour/Greens electoral pact spells the end of the line for Parliament’s most self serving MP, Peter Dunne. National have a choice to make; stand down in Ohariu or stab him in the back. And then there’s the equally supine Maori party. Te Ururoa Flavell’s hold on his seat is also shaky. No Flavell, no Maori Party.
No Mates National. The Brighter Future just arrived!
Tax haven questions for National
The weekend saw the pressure stay on National over our tax haven status, and the role Key might have played in protecting it.
Dunne concerned about “extremely damaging” tax haven label – years too late
Peter Dunne is concerned about the ‘extremely damaging’ tax haven label. Guyon Espiner points out that he used to call it ‘legitimate tax avoidance’.
Time for progress on drug law
Welcome signs of new realism on drugs. Sadly, it’s the sort of progress only a right-wing government can propose.
“Jihadi brides” and Peter Dunne
Like a stopped watch, Peter Dunne sometimes gets it right.
Dunne: Our foreign policy lacks any commitment to human rights
Peter Dunne doesn’t hold back in his assessment of the craven foreign policy – that is the creation of his government.
Banks to go to trial: confirmed
John Banks will stand trial over an alleged fraudulent electoral return. Meanwhile Key, running out of untainted friends, is looking to re-instate the, now vindicated, Peter Dunne. Bit John Key’s role in the inquiry into information leaked to Andrea Vance is looking dodgy. [Breaking: Banks press conference 11am]
Meridian on the block
If you weren’t paying attention you could easily miss the fact that Meridian shares are opening today. that’s because there’s been a lot less mainstream hoopla about it than there was with the sale of MRP. Despite the face there’s been a whole host of taxpayer funded sweeteners attached to the deal.
Chorus of opposition to Key-Dunne spying Bill continues
Yesterday Opposition parties filibustered, and successfully delayed the passage of the Key-Dunne spying Bill. This buys more time to protest, and to put pressure on MPs.
We have never before seen in New Zealand such a broad and ongoing chorus of opposition to government legislation as we are seeing with this Bill. Just yesterday alone…
Law Society – GCSB Bill still flawed
A timely press release from the Law Society. The revisions to the GCSB Bill “do not address the fundamental flaws in the bill and the legislation should not proceed”. Peter Dunne, your last fig-leaf is ripped away. Please do not vote for this travesty.
GCSB Bill to be debated today
The GCSB bill is due to be debated in Parliament this afternoon. It appears that the Government will have the numbers to pass the Bill but what will be of interest will be the linguistic somersaults Key will engage in to show why he should be allowed to strongly defend his own rights of privacy but trash Andrea Vance’s rights and Dunne will engage in to show that there is a principle at stake when he protects his rights of privacy but there is no need to protect our rights of privacy if the price is right.
Spying on another journalist – what did Key have to hide?
Now we learn that another Key enquiry spied on “teapot tape” reporter Bradley Ambrose. This government under John Key does not use its spying powers competently or appropriately. There is no guarantee that some future government will not be even worse. The Key-Dunne spying Bill should be rejected pending a proper enquiry and proper safeguards. Peter Dunne, please take note.
Spying scandal forensics
National’s Friday afternoon document dump of emails between the Henry enquiry and Parliamentary Services is a trove of information. John Armstrong describes the whole mess as “Govt betrayal on a monumental scale”. For an initial forensic analysis of the evidence trail, check out Pete George.
Andrea Vance’s privacy breach is going to the Privacy Commissioner
In the latest episode of Kim Dotcom inspired craziness it appears that Parliamentary Services collated and sent Peter Dunne’s emails to David Henry clearly without Dunne’s permission. Dunne and Andrea Vance are understandably apopletic about this. Because this sort of stuff only happens in banana republics …
Friday document dump
The government has tried a good old fashioned Friday Document Dump, releasing the email correspondence relating to Henry Inquiry. More incompetence and or lies are revealed, and Peter Dunne is pissed. No doubt we can expect the same levels of honesty and competence when the Key-Dunne spying bill extends the potential for spying to us all.
John Key trashes the Constitution
John Key is getting into the habit of trashing important constitutional principles. The freedom of the press, the independence of Parliamentary Services and the principle that even the Prime Minister is subject to Parliament and the Privileges Committee have all been attacked recently. What next?
88 flavours of bullshit
Presumably there is some tiny but “real” risk of terrorist action in NZ. But it doesn’t justify the broad powers of the Key-Dunne spying Bill. Recent experience and the government’s own protocols show that these spying powers will be used on activists and journalists that the government of the day doesn’t like. The 88 who have been illegally spied on already call bullshit.
How did Peters know that Dunne was gone?
Winston Peters knew before the Vance telephone use report was prepared that Peter Dunne was the leaker of the Kitteridge report. Either John Key has not disclosed all the information about the collection of Ministerial telephone records or Peters has a source within Parliamentary Services.
GCSB protest – Auckland tonight
To say that the GCSB law changes are misguided is the kindest possible interpretation, but many people including myself tend to view them as being quite malevolent. They aren’t going to provide any more security for citizens and residents here. But they are going to provide more security for incompetents in the security and police forces from both public and legal scrutiny. There are series of protests planned, and one in Auckland tomorrow. Updated – packed.
So what was Dunne’s price?
Peter Dunne said that the GCSB should not spy on New Zealanders “under any circumstances”, but he will now vote to let that happen. He has made himself a liar and a hypocrite. Why? 3 News and others speculate on what Dunne might have got in return. What was his price?
GCSB law changes are a Dunne deal
I was hoping that Peter Dunne was going to make a stand on Kiwi’s rights of privacy. Looks like I was wrong …
Dunne caves on GCSB spying
Predictably, Peter Dunne has caved. Vance and Small with the details.
Peter Dunne’s chance to shine
Peter Dunne may be the best chance that we have of defeating the GCSB amending legislation. He has said that there is a principle at stake in that his rights of privacy have been breached and I believe that he is right. Time to seek his support?
Unbelievable
No Right Turn points out how useless our security minister is. To say this is astonishing would be an understatement John Key’s chief […]
Dunne not convinced on GCSB Bill
Key has started making concessions in an effort to pass his GCSB bill to spy on Kiwis – but Peter Dunne is not convinced.
Spying against the law? Whatever…
Key’s enquiry into the GCSB report leak appears to have broken the law. He doesn’t give a damn. What a clear and timely example of exactly why Key and the GCSB can’t be trusted with further powers. “Nothing to hide nothing to fear” my arse.
Strike breaking Bill in trouble
The Nats’ strike breaking Bill is in trouble, with the Employers & Manufacturers Association and Peter Dunne both stating their opposition. Let’s hope it’s another win for workers and for MMP.
From a sinking ship
Ongoing problems for Peter Dunne and United Future.
Whistleblowers and services to journalism
Two leakers (one a true whistleblower), are in the news right now, both focused on the US-led surveillance society, operating in the interests of corporate power. And today, in relation to this, 2 journalists show the importance of the fourth estate to democracy. Kim Hill & Glenn Greenwald take a bow.
The hairdo takes a haircut from the smiling assassin?
In politics, one week is a long time.
And for this year, the week on either side of Queen’s birthday weekend was especially interesting. And particularly hectic for some key people!
Gone
Having resigned as Minister, how long before we see a by-election in Ohariu as Peter Dunne’s credibility keeps dripping away? And will we see an early election?