Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Not actually satire

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  • Russell Brown,

    I see The Standard beat me to it on the Brethren.

    And Craig Young scooped everyone ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Tim Croft,

    I don't think Kafka could have written something this tortured.

    Tuscaloosa • Since May 2008 • 23 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    This feast of farce extended yesterday to John Key declaring in the House that he, as Prime Minister, would have been asking the hard questions of Winston Peters -- and then failing to ask Winston Peters any questions at all, despite having the opportunity to do so.

    Well, John Key could have asked Winston how big his cock is and that would have been ruled out of order too.

    As Jeanette Fitzsimmons usefully pointed out, the funding of New Zealand First is not a matter of Ministerial responsibility, no matter how hard you squint. The Prime Minister's interations with a senior Minister of the Crown - yes.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    And is Winston Peters looking forward to finding out?

    I'd like to find out whether Winston actually cared (because I find it hard to believe he didn't know) the allegation he stood up and threw across the House at Craig Foss -- in effect, that he'd made a false declaration to the Register of Pecuniary Interests -- was bullshit.

    For someone who apparently is the only person on Earth who understands "the law and the facts", he sure seems to have a hell of a problem reading the Companies Register.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Paul Williams,

    National's former campaign manager and new list candidate Steven Joyce has defended the Exclusive Brethren's right to wage a third-party campaign in 2005, but says he no longer has contact with the group.

    This quote is from the NZH article. Is Joyce saying he thinks what the EBs did was ok or was his a more general comment about third-parties? Either way, I agree that his timing is apalling.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Well, John Key could have asked Winston how big his cock is and that would have been ruled out of order too.

    I was going on what Brent Edwards said last night on Checkpoint: that National had an opportunity later, didn't take it and Peters was surprised: so much so that he turned to the National benches and said "Is that it?"

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    And Craig Young scooped everyone ...

    And what a pearler it is...

    Was it just a fraternal church visit with Exclusive Brethren sect members on this side of the Tasman? No known National Party figures were seen meeting with Hales, which may indicate that the Opposition has finally learnt its lesson, and is unwilling to countenance the same bungles that cost Brash and John Howard their aspirations for government.

    Unfortunately for the Opposition though, the Australian federal election indicated that the Exclusive Brethren are still unvarnished political extremists, as evidenced by their New Zealand demands for repeal of civil unions and recriminalisation of sex work. It is far from uncertain that Key isn't trying to have it both ways, though- witness his rapid flip-flop over his earlier advocacy of inclusive adoption reform- compensating for his vote against Gordon Copeland's same-sex marriage ban bill in December 2005, no doubt.

    Really, has John Key stopped cruising Ponsonby Road looking for fags to bash yet?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Lucy Stewart,

    Really, has John Key stopped cruising Ponsonby Road looking for fags to bash yet?

    I think it's more important to find out whether he's stopped beating his wife, personally.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Tom Semmens,

    One wonders how politically explosive anyone getting hold of photocopies of the originals of perfectly legal cheques paid to the Waitemata trust anytime in the last five-six years might be during an election campaign. As Gordon Campbell says, the real winner in all this is the EFA, although the Herald's editors would rather be beaten to death with a helium balloon that admit that. Winston Peters is turning this whole affair into a battle between him and senior press gallery journalists, and listening to the highly personalised "us vs. Winston" slant in a lot of the comments coming from Espiners, Garners et al. it seems it is working. That’ll play straight to his constituency, I am sure Winston will garner thousands of votes just from people who want to luxuriate in some of those hated journo's having to report through gritted teeth on the return of NZ First to parliament.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    the allegation he stood up and threw across the House at Craig Foss -- in effect, that he'd made a false declaration to the Register of Pecuniary Interests -- was bullshit.

    That is debatable, the fact that he could hide the assets in his family trust and , therefore not declare them, is something that needs looking at and, in my opinion, Winnie was right in bringing it to the fore. The whole, who gave what to who and why etc. was the whole raisin de turd behind the whole thing.
    There maybe many wholes in that argument. ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Andrew Smith,

    This whole Winston saga is the greatest farce ever. I have lost patience with these idiot politicians who prevaricate endlessly. They wouldn't know the truth if it bit their arse. John Key, Helen Clark...they are all putrid. Long live the guy in the yellow jacket...at least he has nothing to lose and at least asked the right questions yesterday.

    Since Jan 2007 • 150 posts Report

  • Don Christie,

    The NZPA transcript is great stuff. Some interesting answers therein.

    Love to know who else has been paying political bills in NZ. Why? Because it leads to a healthier democracy.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report

  • Paul Williams,

    I think it's more important to find out whether he's stopped beating his wife, personally.

    Craig, that's a fair misdirection; Young's point is surely that Key's increasingly compromised. How can he credibly claim to be an alternative to Clark when there's very little a National government would do compared with Labour. Perhaps we might stick to this?

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    "us vs. Winston" slant in a lot of the comments coming from Espiners, Garners et al.

    Garners behaviour at the press conference following Rices visit was, in my view, disgusting but considering that our "News" is merely a vehicle for advertising, did not surprise me at all.
    If, God forbid, National achieves its goal of acquiring the treasury benches John Key may very well need that sex change to make himself attractive to Winston after using him as a pawn in his desperate attempt to look "better".

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Don Christie,

    WRT to the Ex Breth. A TV programme in Aussie suggested that their businesses run as church based businesses so they get to avoid paying taxes. That kind of sucks if you have to compete with them.

    Is that the case in NZ?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    The NZPA transcript is great stuff. Some interesting answers therein.

    I think your definition of 'interesting' differs from mine Don. I wish they'd just all run headlines "Winston is a complete git... again".

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • Don Christie,

    Heh, gotta love youtubes "related":

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    That is debatable, the fact that he could hide the assets in his family trust and , therefore not declare them, is something that needs looking at and, in my opinion, Winnie was right in bringing it to the fore.

    It seems pretty desperate to me. Unless you're proposing to change the rules on family trusts for everyone, it wasn't a story.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    That is debatable, the fact that he could hide the assets in his family trust and , therefore not declare them, is something that needs looking at and, in my opinion, Winnie was right in bringing it to the fore.

    Um, not the allegation Winston actually made but never mind... Unless you're willing to allege here that Foss not only made a false declaration to the Register of Pecuniary Interests (and a rather inept one, considering his beneficial interest in said family trust is disclosed), but his family trust is somehow engineering an elaborate scam on the Companies Register to conceal it's shareholdings? Think even Winnie The Pooster would have difficulty shoveling that crap with a straight face.

    Still, nice weapon of mass distraction isn't it?

    Craig, that's a fair misdirection; Young's point is surely that Key's increasingly compromised. How can he credibly claim to be an alternative to Clark when there's very little a National government would do compared with Labour. Perhaps we might stick to this?

    Um, no Paul. "X. didn't meet with Y., but there's got to be a secret agenda in there somewhere" is Ian Wishart territory, and I don't see why it shouldn't be called out as such.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    BTW, Steve, as Russell pointed out if Winston seriously wants to change the rules on family trusts for everyone (including himself) fine. I'd be the first to say the RPI (which Winston First and ACT were the only parties to oppose being extended from Ministers to all MPs) is far from perfect, but making untrue allegations that Craig Foss made a false declaration doesn't cut it.

    But that's not the point, is it? Ask Winston any inconvenient questions, and you're going to get so much shit thrown at you something's going to stick -- and it doesn't matter if it's just not true. It only has to get covered for a news cycle or two.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Thomas Johnson,

    One wonders how politically explosive anyone getting hold of photocopies of the originals of perfectly legal cheques paid to the Waitemata trust anytime in the last five-six years might be during an election campaign.

    Probably about as explosive as knowing who really made these donations or the other 100s of 1000s anonymously to Labour, maybe, Tom?

    Palmer Theron, Solicitors, on behalf of an undisclosed client: 150,000
    Simpson Grierson, Barristers & Solicitors, on behalf of an undisclosed client : 50,000
    Morrison Kent, Lawyers, on behalf of an undisclosed client: 30,000

    As for the Peters transcript, I wonder how the journalists resist the temptation to 'do a Mallard' at Winston as he leaves an event like that. Sheesh!

    Wellington • Since Oct 2007 • 98 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    As for the Peters transcript, I wonder how the journalists resist the temptation to 'do a Mallard' at Winston as he leaves an event like that. Sheesh!

    Thomas:

    Let me answer that question through interpretive dance. Take it away, The Jam!

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    Trawling through the drivel (and wasn't that transcript farcical), I suspect that the money simply went from the Trust in parcels smaller than the limit through a variety of people/orgs to NZ First or to the Winnie loves lawyers fund. Legal at the time - hence the blustering confidence now - but undoubtedly dodgy and problematic in light of strident denunciations of others using similar tactics. He said something about "there's more than one way" so I suspect he knew full well what was going on.

    If only the media would stop asking the same questions which he oviously has no intention of answering - and who's going to make him? Perhaps they could instead dig up some of his many previous hypocritical utterances, read them out and just ask him to say where he stands by them now. Lil Winnie may wriggle or refuse to answer but the statements will be there to speak for themselves either way. The man contributes to global warming every time he opens his gob. Time for cleaner alternatives.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

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