Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Dirty Politics

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  • Ian Dalziel,

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    And the oik gives up his appeal on the primary defamation case.

    The court is yet to decide how much money Slater will have to pay Blomfield in damages.

    Still other cases working through the courts.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • John Farrell,

    Watching the comments on #nzpol and the trademe messageboard, puts me in mind of an informal "hundred flowers" campaign......

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 499 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    I think this qualifies as dirty politics. And shame on Newshub for playing along.

    Their lead story tonight was a poll, commissioned by Business NZ, with obvious skin in the game, asking a very loaded question about CGT. Not just are you for/against, not balanced with other tax changes, but simply ... "Do you think CGT should be a priority for the government?".

    Well, I know I should go to the dentist and get that fence painted, so on balance I'm probably in favour of those things, but a priority ? No. Doesn't mean I'm against it happening at all, ever.

    And what were the government's priorities when the public were polled? Why would voters suggest a CGT should not be a priority right now? Here's a clue:

    The Reid-Research poll was conducted between March 15-23.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • John Farrell,

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 499 posts Report Reply

  • andin, in reply to John Farrell,

    trolls are having orgasms

    An veritable ocean of male troll jism is drowning out the quieter more sensible voices on many issues now and some media outlets are helping it along with free virtual hand jobs.
    Funny thing is most of the tuggers are virulently hetero, A classic example of boys being boys, an examples we can do without.
    But this is what sovereign individuals(male) all jacking off, on line, at the same time looks like. They dont need much encouragement either, in fact they seek it out. They made one mediocre clinical psychologist a rich man. Beware the virtual jis.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • simon g, in reply to John Farrell,

    The original report making those unsubstantiated claims (all denied by Crusaders, not just the politicians) has been removed from the Herald website. Hmm.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • John Farrell, in reply to simon g,

    I'm sure the trolls will apologise for spreading lies.....

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 499 posts Report Reply

  • Moz, in reply to andin,

    virtual jis.

    damn. For a moment there I thought that could help with the drought over here :)

    Sydney, West Island • Since Nov 2006 • 1233 posts Report Reply

  • andin, in reply to Moz,

    the drought

    The US has an excess of male stupidity in fact their drowning in it, problem is they dont like sharing( think its socialism or something). They’d rather drown than share… dozy fuckers! Tho there more than enough already of that particular fluid to go around I feel certain

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Neil,

    We have a Deputy Prime Minister who explicitly demonised Muslims and has built their career on fostering ethic hatred.

    That might be the place to start – where people did actually incite hatred for political gain.

    Since Nov 2016 • 382 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Moz,

    damn. For a moment there I thought that could help with the drought over here :)

    What you need over there is torrents of 'verjus signallers' and other sour grape sprayers...
    ;- )

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to John Farrell,

    Jacinda Ardern denies pushing for crusaders to change name after christchurch attacks,,,
    .. the twitter trolls are having orgasms over this….

    Mea Culpa – I wrote to the Crusaders management the day after the Mosque shootings here – exhorting them to front foot the issue of their name and to show some leadership and compassion, now that their inappropriate name was past its use-by-date – I’m sure many people wrote, but I note the Crusaders management use many of the words and phrases I used in their press releases .
    I note the usual suspects (the odious) Mike Yardley and petition starters don’t seem to be able to come up with a better argument for retaining the name than ‘It was ever thus’ (well since 1996)
    with useful insights like “There’s no connection, apart from a historical name that really has no association at all.” (so they have finally got rid of the sword waving blood red horse men with flaming Templar crosses on their livery – hardly redolent of medieval slaughter at all,… right?)
    But you can’t take a benefit from the ‘verb’ without taking a hit from the ‘noun’ and history!
    Of course the ever tolerant and inclusive Yardley intones:

    Meanwhile, just as the Crusaders rugby team have been the subject of an over-reactive pile-on by the warriors of woke, determined to takedown their name, the purge campaign knows no bounds.
    As I predicted a fortnight ago, the city’s name is now under attack by the same virtue-signallers. This drippy liberal brigade is now rounding on the most towering Christchurch symbol of all: the Christ Church Cathedral.

    Dunkin’ (Donut) Garner also peddles more of the same

    They’ve ditched the horses, so the symbolism has gone. Now let’s get back to the footy, says Duncan Garner.

    Oh did I mention Mike Hosking excusing Joe Biden last week - wittering on about 'social morays!!' - plonker!
    These people are such shallow thinkers.
    sigh…

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • linger, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    social morays

    All together now:
    “When an eel swimming by
    Bites a chunk from your thigh
    That’s a moray…”

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to linger,

    perfect

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • andin, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Dunkin’ (Donut) Garner

    He is a total twat I think his undies are too tight!

    I don't link this Crusaders team to religious slaughters of the past.

    Well we know you dont dunderhead, but the crusader word came too mean something very different to members of the religion that was the target of those attacks. And still today stirs bad memories for many of them. Changing the name would show that the rugby club at least has some understanding of their history if not them.

    could cost the franchise $100 million.

    Could? just throw a figure out there would ya moron make it sound big so we're all shaking in our bank accounts. Fuck off Duncan.

    Does this mean the Chiefs name goes too, because bad stuff happened south of Taupiri? Do grass skirts go too?

    Hear of the term false equivalence dicksucker duncan, cause thats what you just did! Chiefs was a word unknown to Maori of the time its from Latin, I think and I doubt it would cause offence even now. And 'grass skits' really! Says a man who covers his cock with cloth.

    This terror attack is not about religion. Who cares about religion enough to go to war?

    You might want to rethink that. Racial supremacy identifies with religious intolerance.

    Don't let the gunman win.

    Its about empathy not a pissing contest cretin. Just stay on your radio wavelength so anyone with a brain can avoid you. Putting your piss poor pedantry to print is pathetic

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie,

    At a time when our still-functioning democracy is providing a beacon of hope for the world, here's a reminder that the people behind Dirty Politics have not gone away. They've merely moved a little deeper into the shadows.

    The Guardian has an exposé on a series of dark-funded, psuedo-grassroot Facebook ads promoting a hard Brexit. While they appeared to come from a variety of independent groups, the Guardian has traced them back to the Tory and Nats' favourite Goebbelmeister, Lynton Crosby.

    But shining lights into dark places can have unexpected consequences and a couple of kiwis have been caught slithering in the periphery of this particular slime-show. Crosby has used Auckland-based Topham Guerin to run digital campaigns since 2016.

    They have previous. Apparently they were involved with National's digital campaign in the last election. I won't link to their website but it's generic enough to be the sort of free web template which pops up when you search for "bland". Domain registry details are masked; the site has zero contact details and no information on the two people behind it.

    Sean Topham is a former Young Nat President, while Ben Guerin was an adviser to Bill English. The latter's career high so far was being exposed as the lowlife behind National's How Kiwi Are You racist campaign which flopped badly back in 2015.

    The anachronism built into National's core policies -- expanded inequality, more oil drilling, more buggered waterways and never-ending tax cuts for those who already pay the least -- are becoming a much harder sell in a world that's burning up fast. And as Putin, Bannon et al have shown recently, Facebook manipulation pays dividends. Big time.

    In lieu of policy, spreading lies and micro-targeting misinformation generates fear. And that influences elections. You can guarantee these characters will emerge from their hole when Judith-the-Hun contests the next election for National.

    (And loses.)

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie,

    Today Facebook and Instagram filed a lawsuit in US federal court against one company and three people based in New Zealand. The defendants operated a service that provided fake likes, views and followers to Instagram users. They'd been previously warned & suspended… but persisted.

    Wouldn't it be interesting if their names had cropped up previously?

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie,

    Nah... it's three different guys who seem to be immersed in various social media enterprises, some of which are allegedly dodgy.

    Having Facebook decide to make an example of you is probably not an enviable position to find yourself in.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    The thread that wouldn't die!
    Leak-hating Bridges now likes leaks, crows about them in fact.
    National Fan Girl Stacey Kirk - thinks this is great stuff - "impeccably timed" and "Class A oppositional work" - jeez, give me strength!
    This strikes to the heart of trust in Government, for an ex-lawyer and police prosecutor to be given legally embargoed Treasury information and not immediately advise Treasury and the Government of this undermines everything he claims to stand for. You know like doing the right thing!
    He would have gained far more political points that way rather than drip feeding the data through the day.
    Appalling behaviour and judgement by someone who says he wants a decent country, and doesn't like leaks!
    Compounded by his refusal to own his own words about 'the National Party culture review' he announced last October - he now says it wasn't that despite, video and newspaper evidence to the contrary - Totally Trumpian
    He definitely owes RNZ's Susie Ferguson an apology, but no he's doubling down on the denial - what a dis'honourable' dick.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    The “more than 2000 unauthorised attempts” to access information from Treasury’s servers could easily refer to a single entry which attempted to access or download more than 2,000 documents. It’s sounding increasingly likely that access was via login, whether compromised or through someone on the inside.

    No matter – as long as the access was unauthorised, that’s a crime. A responsible party leader in receipt of stolen information might have reported the hack to either Police or the security services, ideally both. But Bridges didn’t.

    This morning he stated unequivocally that “there was no hack.” He knows this how?

    Bridges used the phrase “witch hunt” which has some unfortunate connotations in these times. A little nod to the loony right, perhaps?

    And he accused Grant Robertson of lying. Presuming Bridges’ standup this morning took place in the parliamentary lobby, does that count as “outside the house” in terms of privilege?

    You have to hand it to Simon Bridges. Ever since he took over as leader, he’s managed to turn every little Nat Party ballsup into a much, much bigger ballsup.

    Long may his doomed reign continue.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Alfie,

    Attachment

    Simon Bridges. Ever since he took over as leader, he’s managed to turn every little Nat Party ballsup into a much, much bigger ballsup.
    Long may his doomed reign continue.

    Simoneus Bridges and his ragtag cohort cross the Rubicon - showing his affinity for wading in the shallow end of politics - Beware the Ides of June!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Alfie,

    Lawyer Steven Price on Budget confidentiality.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Then of course there's that other thing that happened recently, with NZ Customs intercepting the manuscript of the Boiled Whale book for no apparent legal reason.

    Motive? Who could possibly have had something to fear from any new revelations in the book? Not Slater... he has nothing of value any more and that includes his reputation. Which only leaves the original Dirty Politics brigade and the darker, even more evil side of the National Party.

    Nobody could deny that these people have connections, but you'd surely have to have some serious pull to convince customs officers to risk their careers performing an illegal search. Questions need to be asked.

    At least one thing is almost certain. When Simon Bridges comes out with an inevitable denial, he'll somehow manage to implicate himself and his party in this scandal too. He's clever like that.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie,

    And as an aside, our own mini-Crosby Textor outfit Topham Guerin -- mentioned above -- are being credited with helping the aussie right to win an “unwinnable” election.

    Manipulation trumps democracy too often these days.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

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