Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Dirty Politics

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  • Ian Dalziel,

    A regretful accident...
    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/103764952/bridges-mea-culpa-for-titter-faux-pas-too-much-tweeting-maketh-a-twat
    So now we know that Simon Bridges 'follows' Whaleoil...

    Right wing blogger Cameron Slater - also known as Whaleoil - posted a malicious tweet on Tuesday evening, which Bridges has owned up to momentarily "liking", going so far as to call himself a "twat".
    "I"m not on Twitter very often and I think this shows why. Effectively, I was scrolling down and I saw a tweet that you're referring to, I noticed it, I accidentally liked it, I got rid of that within literally a second and kept on moving.

    He then goes on to show/trumpet his high moral standards:

    "But I'm regretful about it actually, because I've been really clear with my caucus colleagues that we don't want families brought into politics. We know the things in relation to the Prime Minister's partner are untrue and so albeit it was accidental, I am regretful.

    and then this exemplary behaviour:

    "I suppose it goes to show that too much tweeting maketh a twat," he said.
    Bridges said he would be happy to apologise to Gayford "if it was required".
    "As I say, I'm regretful. I make really clear to my colleagues my expectations around politics; around not peddling innuendo or rumours."

    "if it was required" - of course it is required you silly little man!!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Barry Soper attempts following the wounded Metiria Turei to make sure of the kill – still doing his masters bidding , but still doesn’t know how to spell ‘dire straits’.

    Metiria Turei brazenly declared before the Greens AGM last year that she’d been a benefit fraudster to draw attention to the dire straights that solo parents find themselves in. She was asked whether she was encouraging others to also lie to welfare authorities like she had but said it was up to them.

    he gets up my nose but still can't even spell 'nostrils' as this bewildering piece on smoking shows:

    Today thankfully all that's changed, ciggies are not only off limits within Parliament buildings, they're banned from the surrounding area, Helen Clark finally saw to that as she moved to drive them further and further from her sensitive nostrals.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Barry Soper attempts following the wounded Metiria Turei to make sure of the kill…

    Soper is hopelessly out of touch. His reporting, politics and judgement are mired in the 1990s.

    Everyone lives through an era. Soper’s was the neoliberal revolution. Now that era is waning and a new era is dawning, dominated by a new generation. New forces, values and world views are coming into play in ways old men like Soper struggle to understand. Quite often his pieces come across as an old man somewhat bewildered by a state of affairs he no longer recognizes.

    Getting old can be a bummer like that.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    Silly old men give old men a bad name.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Sacha,

    Silly old men give old men a bad name.

    "Show Barry some fucking respect." (Scroll down to "I hate being scooped".)

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Trevor Nicholls,

    Has anyone else observed a marked rightward tilt in the Newshub political coverage since Paddy Gower and Lloyd Burr have been replaced by Tova O'Brien and Jenna Lynch? Or is it just me?
    I stayed away from TVOne because their favouritism was so blatant but it's a bit galling to find that the competition have caught up.

    Wellington, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 325 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    So ... police apologise to "screaming left wing conspiracy theorist" who should "get lost" (both quotes courtesy of John Key, when he was Prime Minister).

    One of those 'law and order' stories that National might not be highlighting.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • Angela Hart,

    Nicky won
    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/359395/police-to-compensate-hager-over-dirty-politics-raid

    and it is important. Doesn't actually compensate for the damage done but we can have hope that the Police will obey the law in future.

    Christchurch • Since Apr 2014 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen R, in reply to Angela Hart,

    we can have hope that the Police will obey the law in future.

    Nice theory. I'm betting that none of the police involved are going to be paying the fines and costs from their own pockets, and if they'd succeeded in figuring out who Rawshark was, they'd be getting pats on the shoulder from their bosses.

    Socialised costs and privatised profits?

    Wellington • Since Jul 2009 • 259 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Law professor Andrew Geddis on the Police apology.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    This is a fascinating thread of great historical significance. Since August 2014 over 650,000 views and 2000 comments. I suspect it still has a way to go. I do hope it is being carefully archived.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    I do hope it is being carefully archived

    Expect so.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    I would like some spokesperson for the Police to explain why they pursued this line of inquiry.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • st ephen, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    The ODT thought the police apology merited two paragraphs on an inside page.

    dunedin • Since Jul 2008 • 254 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    I would like some spokesperson for the Police to explain why they pursued this line of inquiry.

    ..and who exactly was in that chain of command (and then look closely at their other 'investigations').

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    who exactly was in that chain of command

    and what's their relationship with Cameroon Slater, his daddy, and family/party asscociates like Judith Collins?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Sacha,

    the food chain gang

    Cameroon Slater

    Judging by what happens to the Augosoma Beetle in Cameroon, I’d imagine being a soft-underbellied slater – aka Oniscidea (within the order Isopoda ) could be hazardous…
    Yum, yum!
    :- )

    Feeding Slaters are omnivores or scavengers and feed upon decaying vegetable matter and associated fungi and also on animal matter. They form an important link in the food chain by recycling dead and decaying matter.

    Habitat Slaters mostly inhabit moist areas and are commonly found under rocks and logs, in leaf litter in forested areas and in the garden (and other mulched medias). Several introduced species are common inhabitants of suburban areas commonly living in compost heaps and other moist situations.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    Newsroom reports on "weaponising gossip": in effect, the media protecting the sources of rumours, not news stories.

    Psych 101: If there are no consequences for your behaviour, why stop? Dirty politics works, and will therefore continue.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    Simon Lusk's name came up again today: he's been assisting Jami-Lee Ross.

    Funny how Hager's two related books ( Dirty Politics & Hollow Men) are vindicated time and again. Sad that so many "commentators" chose to dismiss his work, when it has proven such a reliable guide to the National party.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to simon g,

    Simon Lusk's name came up again today: he's been assisting Jami-Lee Ross.

    indeed

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rob S,

    Schadenfreude, a great big tub of it to scoop out and enjoy while the press hunts down some wounded politicians.
    Delicious.
    I wonder who Judith's been on the phone with these last few days.
    More cock-up than conspiracy which seems to be the way of these things.

    Since Apr 2010 • 136 posts Report Reply

  • Dennis Frank,

    Conspiracy requires a group. JLR has been collaborating with Lusk - didn't he say so the other day? But no suggestion of any other Nat player working with them yet. Bridges has been pushing the lone wolf scenario, as if to suggest that Lusk is irrelevant. Brave, stupid, or delusional?

    Caucus unanimity proves factions, if they exist, are currently covert. United in seeing JLR as expendable. So his confidence derives from something else.

    New Zealand • Since Jun 2016 • 292 posts Report Reply

  • izogi, in reply to Rob S,

    Schadenfreude, a great big tub of it to scoop out and enjoy while the press hunts down some wounded politicians.

    Only at a surface level, for me. I'm more disgusted when I see this stuff than amused.

    There are people who get into politics for really good reasons, trying to make positive differences. We'd have so much better-a-place to live in if politics didn't keep attracting the influence of demented sociopaths who see it as their mission to take advantage of and manipulate everyone else.

    The National Party deserves to be deeply embarrassed, although whatever happens to its leader I doubt it'll make a difference to polling or voter turnout even medium term. I also hope JLR gets whatever help he needs before he implodes.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report Reply

  • Neil, in reply to izogi,

    Ross doesn’t need help as he’s not unwell. He needs to face the consequences of his actions.

    One aspect of this I found very disappointing was the use of mental illness as a device to manipulate and avoid responsibility. And it went largely unquestioned - for some that was politically convenient.

    It should have been very clear that the claim of mental illness in this case was a shame.

    But if it hadn’t been - if this was someone with a borderline personality disorder - then the last thing to do would be to give into their demands. That generally makes that illness worse.

    The whole episode did a diservive to mental health.

    Since Nov 2016 • 382 posts Report Reply

  • Rob S,

    I'm disgusted also.
    Just another sign of the old school Nat patricians being nudged aside.
    Listening to Finlayson's contempt for Ross on the national program this morning was a telling moment.
    This goes back to the smiling assassin and the parvenus he dragged in.
    Dirty politics in the context of the Nats hasn't gone away.
    Jason Ede, Whaleoil, Lusk, all those other bottom feeders are still out there and with this bandage ripped off we can see how they operate all bankrolled on a nod and a wink donations with a pat on the back in the honours list.
    They aren't masterminds but they're not totally inept either.
    100 K and the Nats start thinking about putting the donor and his lieutenant into their ranks.
    Bloody cheap don't you think?
    Collins is their player at this end of politics and we'll see where this goes.
    With Bridges walking wounded do they keep him in place and wait 'til the elections are nearer or do they seize the moment?
    I know the Nats aren't evil baby eaters but sometimes the whiff of sulphur from their ranks gives me pause.

    Since Apr 2010 • 136 posts Report Reply

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