Hard News: Dirty Politics
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Kracklite, in reply to
Or Xeno's paradox of the arrow. She's on the last half of her last chance, and after that, the last half of that half...
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Rosemary McDonald, in reply to
this time he really really really means it…
"If you don't stop that RIGHT NOW Judith my girl, by God you're going to be sorry...
I'm serious this time,
I'll count to three...one, two, two and a half, two and three quarters....."
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Counting to three takes a long time when you count in negative numbers...
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Rosemary McDonald, in reply to
“It’s only a flesh wound” (from the Life of Brian) comes to mind.
Sorry to be pedantic...but wasn't that from the Holy Grail?
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How the worm turns. Slater describes Ede as "squeamish" and "gutless" for not fronting up to the media. And he appears to be lashing out at others in his circle.
Slater also defended asking an ex-prostitute from information about politicians. He said they were "all a bunch of sanctimonious pricks who claim to be innocent who claim to be innocent in all respects and above reproach. I've been around politics for a long long time and I know that's bullshit."
As Slater grew up in the bosom of the National Party, I guess he's speaking the truth for once.
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Alfie, in reply to
Sorry to be pedantic...but wasn't that from the Holy Grail?
Well spotted Rosemary. I was mixing my Pythons.
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This is unbelievable.
Judith Collins was "unwise" to pass details of a public servant to blogger Cameron Slater and she is now on her last chance, Prime Minister John Key says.
His warning comes just five months after an earlier final warning to his Justice Minister.
Speaking before the Maori King's anniversary celebrations outside Turangawaewae in Ngaruawahia this afternoon, Mr Key said he could only take Ms Collins' word that she only leaked public servant Simon Pleasants' job title and also phone numbers and not his name to Slater.
And here's the email, posted today by @whaledump. With Pleasants' name in it.
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Gordon Campbell has written a considered article stating that it's Key’s ‘nice guy' persona – rather than the contents of Hager’s book – that's unraveling.
When future historians seek to identify the exact moment when the prime ministerial career of John Key hit the downward slope, they may well point to Key’s interview yesterday with Guyon Espiner on RNZ’s Morning Report. In particular, they’ll cite the broken record moment when Espiner repeatedly asked Key whether he thought the behaviour of his Justice Minister Judith Collins was OK, and Key kept on trying to ignore the question. Was it OK with Key that one of his Cabinet Ministers has admitted that she secretly released to Cameron Slater the name of a public servant that she thought might have leaked some information that had embarrassed the government, thereby exposing that individual, as Espiner noted, “to some pretty serious death threats.” Is that OK?
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Sacha, in reply to
Mr Key said he could only take Ms Collins’ word
what a moral weakling.
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Max Rose, in reply to
And here’s the email, posted today by @whaledump. With Pleasants’ name in it.
The only defence that I can imagine is that Slater already knew the name, and asked Collins something like "Hey, what's Pleasants' job title?"
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There is no defence to Collins behaviour - the most troubling outcome is not that Key won't sack Collins - should National be re-elected against the background of all of this - that is the most disturbing outcome.
There is no morality in Politics – all that really matters now is the outcome of the election – Key’s position has changed from denial to one of, “So What” – he is taking a punt on getting away with “IT”.
That is where the game is now.
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Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to
The only defence that I can imagine is that Slater already knew the name, and asked Collins something like “Hey, what’s Pleasants’ job title?”
That's no defence.It seems Slater relies heavily on others to supply his info so why would he be all knowing in this case unless maybe his Dad mentioned it. The email shows the name ,job description and numbers.All the info she claimed she didn't give as well as the "just the number". Collins is lying upside her face . Did anyone notice when Brooke Sabin was interviewing her coming through the Airport, the person walking past calling out "snake oil" as he passed her? It said to me that her credibility is already shot. As it should be.
Slater would appear to be at the beginning of dragging others down with him. Ede being the first. That everyone is starting to distance themselves should also be a warning that he wont go down alone. IMO. -
nzlemming, in reply to
The only defence that I can imagine is that Slater already knew the name, and asked Collins something like “Hey, what’s Pleasants’ job title?”
If the hacker has the incoming message from Collins, it's quite possible he has the outgoing request from Slater and is merely biding his time...
Speaking of which, did anyone download the full dump from mega while it was still up and can hook a brother up? The imgur files seem rather tame, I was hoping there was something juicier.
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I would support a $300 million a year budget for bringing back TVNZ 7 and support other public service media and giving them an unconditional funding guarantee.
This situation has been created by John Key's cynical manipulation of the Media over the past 6 years in tight financial times. People in Media need to pay the bills too. So you can understand to a certain extent why we're not seeing many ready to rock the boat unless its a shoe in. We need long term investigation it keeps the politicians in check.
This book is good, in the sense that it sets a good example
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The saddest thing about this affair is that not only will it disengage a proportion of the population from voting, it will also discourage good people from thinking about entering parliament. We already have enough egotists, barrow pushers and morally suspect individuals in there already, if we get many more it will end up a toxic pit of vipers that no one in their right mind would enter.
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That is Annabel Young, ministerial advisor and erstwhile National MP.
Parliamentary trivia buffs will remember her yawn as the reason Speaker Hunt banned cameras from the House. -
Son of Dad, in reply to
Sorry, first time caller.
That is Annabel Young, ministerial advisor and erstwhile National MP.
Parliamentary trivia buffs will remember her yawn as the reason Speaker Hunt banned cameras from the House. -
nzlemming, in reply to
Sorry, first time caller.
That is Annabel Young, ministerial advisor and erstwhile National MP.
Parliamentary trivia buffs will remember her yawn as the reason Speaker Hunt banned cameras from the House.Thanks, muchly.
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Dismal Soyanz, in reply to
Maybe. Maybe not.
Just bought the book and am up to page 42. I can see where Hager has made some guesses but at least he has labelled them as such. Even so, it is a chilling read. It also makes me angry. Angry that the institutions we trust to protect us from despotism and cronyism have been so cynically undermined from within.
I consider myself something of a swing voter but even only after getting through one third of the book I feel that, as Russell pointed out, we have to do better - and I am now actively thinking that I have to be more involved in politics.
We cannot allow our political representatives to engage in or even turn a blind eye to this behaviour. As the saying goes, in order for evil to prevail requires only that good men do nothing.
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Sacha, in reply to
I am now actively thinking that I have to be more involved in politics
Not an uncommon response so far, which is good. Do watch MediaTake this evening - will only firm your resolve.
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More limericks - sorry:
John Key must think we all are suckers
Judith's not 'last' 'fore he chucks her
But he already said 'last'
Not so long in the past
It's time we vote out all thoseIt seems that we all were naive
That the Nats would never deceive
Now truth's to the fore
So don't let the door
Hit your arse as you leave -
Ben Austin, in reply to
Never apologise for limericks, instead, double down, repay with twice as many verses
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Dismal Soyanz, in reply to
Halfway through the book and just hot to the bit where Slater and Lusk were talking about iPredict wrt a contract on candidate selection.
I wouldn't have thought that type of contract would garner that much interest so yes it would be easier to manipulate (thin market). My initial impression before reading the book was that the manipulation was on the more significant contracts such as the party vote share or formation of government. In those contracts, I would have thought $200 would not go a long way. Indeed, I've been able to see some research on that Nat vote share contract for the 2011 election and the price was below the actual outcome for the vast majority of time, meaning that if anyone had been buying it up in an attempt to manipulate it, they were likely only improving its accuracy.
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National's campaign launch is this Sunday. I wouldn't be surprised if @whaledump releases more e-mails either just before or after Key's speech, in order to take any gloss off it and to keep the pressure on.
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Kirk Alexander, in reply to
Here you go: https://mega.co.nz/#!D05BlZwS!tIziD1gjajALyLtEtMndjYr7uI-ImTW-xPhZqhbcGF8
However, the imgur posts have everything that was included. I think Whaledump is just going to drip-feed emails as backup for Hager's book. I wouldn't expect anything too radical to be released beyond the book's claims unless Whaledump decides to go after some of the stuff Hager wouldn't touch.
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