https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/opinion/heather-du-plessis-allan-national-party-has-a-history-of-deploying-dirty-politics

"Did the National party leak Winston Peters’ superannuation details? In my opinion, yes.

The reason I say that is because in the weeks before the leak, I was told by the Nats that the nats had the information. They told me they were considering leaking it. They…

The most at risk are the voices least heard.

Another important point she makes is that mental health is not necessarily a continuum.

Major mental health issues such as BPAD and Schizophrenia can…

If…

I’m not sure how that justifies underfunding the most at risk

Kiwibuild subsidised property developers to build…

The rule is that any government programme that succeeds is obvious and what the opposition would have done were they accorded the respect they desrve; and any programme that fails is a complete debacle, entirely the…

And that is exactly the belief the govt has had to work around to get funding into supporting people in more widespread mental distress. You asked earlier why they weren't just channelling funds into existing…

The inquiry skipped along the surface of the most fundamental issues such as risk vs autonomy…

Not…

It doesn't, the legal system is inherently incapable of recognising its own insanity.

So the mental illness is a get out of custody free card that the rest of us don't have? The legal system is full of pretexts that…

At present though the Police do not have to charge some one with an offense in order to detain them…

But they have to let them go as soon as practicable, or charge them with something and then have the judge agree they should be remanded in custody. Giving up that set…

I gather that the govt is looking at extending forensic mental health services in prisons.

But at one extreme of a possible mental health act reform is the removal any form of compulsion. The argument being that no one should…

I haven’t heard that the govt has any issues with existing community mental health services. I’m not sure they know much about them. But if true it would be an extremely expensive remedy to duplicate an entire service and probably unfeasible given that…

Unless you want to avoid certain players.

While I agree that the act isn't great, I am also concerned that we have a classic "something must be done, this is something" moment in the making. Hopefully this will be something that disappears into committee for a decent…

Not agreeing to a zero rate of suicide as a goal for suicide prevention does make sense. Those working in acute mental health will know only to well that there will always be a small…

If that's the best he can do well...….why bother.

Bad faith attacks on drug policy and crime rates seem to be his modus.

Does he have a coherent political philosophy that doesn't boil down to tried and true lauranorder…

To take just one example, I bet if you…

Manipulation trumps democracy too often these days.

Motive? Who could possibly have had something to fear from any new revelations in the book? Not Slater... he has nothing of value any…

No matter – as…

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

Wouldn't it be interesting if their names…

The Guardian has an exposé on a series of dark-funded, psuedo-grassroot Facebook…

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…

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

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

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

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…

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2019/04/jacinda-ardern-denies-pushing-for-crusaders-to-change-name-after-christchurch-attacks.html

the twitter trolls are having orgasms over this.....

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…

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

Still other cases working through the courts.

Don't expect that to change. They've been discredited so often and so comprehensively and editors still couldn't care less. The copy is free, and no other criteria…

Cameron Slater has been left partially disabled following a stroke.

As you were.

Again returning to Anne-Marie Brady’s point:

“We need to upskill our local politicians and our national politicians in our public sector. In the ‘abc’ of the Chinese party state, we’ve got to be able to engage with China…

originally from Newsroom:
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/11/23/334667/whaleoil-and-peters-lawyer-suffer-setback-in-defamation-case

I assume the Herald article is all their own work , but do note the difference in the two stories as to how long Graham and Slater would be required to be at court / on the stand:
NZH: __ "He…

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12165249

Though I assume the answers would likely be the same – this wasn’t my emphasis. I was thinking more along the lines of the road code – how in the case of a crash which involved injury or even without injury in some cases – reporting the…

Thank you Neil, though I’d generally favour leaving an assessment of harm to qualified medical health professionals on hand and/or the patient themselves.

The reason I asked is that we’ve heard *a lot* about respecting Jami-Lee Ross’s privacy over the…

It depends on the content of the txt the female MP received. If it said I’m going to kill myself now then the best course of action would be to ring the police immediately.

But we…

Then, apparently, she rings someone in the National Party who in turn rings Ross’ psychiatrist

Noting that elements of your version correspond closely with testimony from all sources to date –…

Anyone can ask the police to do a welfare check on someone – that is not part of the mental health act and cannot in itself result in some one…

There’s quite a range of professions that can offer mental health services – psychologists, social workers, counsellors, occupational therapists, nurses for example.

The critical difference is…

Commenters on blogs are not part of that. I for one feel relieved not to carry all the corresponding obligations.

Anyway use of the privacy law to prevent actual facts of the situation emerges reduces media and public debate to speculation and conspiracy theorising. All good…

The Herald reports it was Ross’ psychologist – not anyone in National – who rang the police. National had rung the psychologist to inform them of the txt Ross had sent.

It doesn’t look as though the mental health act…

Noting that elements of your version correspond closely with testimony from all sources to date – in your position as a mental health expert – with regard to Fisher’s depiction of __"The urgency of the…

In the same edition as somewhat…

while that may have been the intent of both Jami-Lee Ross and the ’supporter of the Botany MP with his permission’, the wider outcome is arguably that in the public eye its greatest impact would have been neutralising [[https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/369228/jami-lee-ross-conflict-reveals-a-troubling-system-of-power|extant…

The latest according to Slater’s fantasies is that sometime on Saturday evening Ross…

He’s the one using privacy to prevent that information becoming public.

Meanwhile he releases private information to undermine the women he abused.

So far the very small amount of information…

So word on the street isn’t giving those details? How odd. Easy enough to produce the 8(a).

The act is available on line to check if there is any part of the act that could possibly be used to implement what word on the street…

Hager's comment only goes so far. Seemed too shallow an analysis. Ross has formed a…

Jordan Williams, talking about a source. A human being.

How long are the NZ media going to continue being complicit in this? Every time they give us…

Which part of the Mental Health Act was used?

Total destruction is clearly what JLR was out for last week. It is the mentality of the Judith Collins faction of the National Party. Back in 2011, Slater passed on Collins’ message to Lusk, who replied: “That’s why…

It’s not possible, the Mental Health Act does not work that way. People spreading those rumours are doing mental health a huge disservice.

We also…

There’s been considerable thought given to this strategy of misusing the mental health system to portray Ross as a victim and allow him to continue his odious behaviour.

Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental illness just as Bipolar Affective Disorder is. But the treatment is considerably different and…

My guess is there’s a lot more he’s done that we haven’t heard about yet.

I hope a senior member of the legal profession – a senior partner or barrister – will offer the Ross family __pro…

The police can invoke the mental health act to detain and have someone assessed. That does not mean that that person if admitted is admitted under the act.

And if they are…

Ross made his supposed mental health issues public. He’s used it as defense for his predatory behaviour.

I particular it seems to me that the one thing they want to avoid at all…

Brings to mind "who needs enemies with friends like these".

I’m also very much troubled by:

A National Party spokesman said Ross’ mental health concerns had been “taken seriously” over the past several weeks and medical professionals had been involved.

“That has…

I’m not convinced by recent events.

I'm not aware of any Labour or Green MPs giving us their amateur diagnosis over the past week. But words like "psychotic" and "delusional" have been…

If there’s a problem with the centre right is this some sort of solution? A bit like Corbyn – is that the best the left can do.

Ableist armchair diagnoses aside, I’m reluctant to categorically dismiss questions about anomalies in the management of our mental health system as being anything but abslutely vital, and neither is this Government, with good reason.

I agree. I also think the Newsroom piece by Melanie Reid was really poor. I was disheartened to see the use of "anonymous" reports in respect of matters regarding sex between consenting adults. Just as the use of non-disclosure agreements is dreadful…

It just is not possible and anyone with any concern for our mental health system would know that.

Also this.

It’s all much of a muchness from where I sit, in a ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ sense. Thank you for sharing. Certainly Simpson’s effort there was nothing to sneeze at:

Simpson: Yes, but it depends on when we – in the sense of…

And I don't give a damn what any party insider said privately to…

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12146405

I was just thinking about that too, it’s any wonder how long these testimonies might have been kept under wraps had push not come to shove. I see Andrew Geddis’ piece has been updated.

I'm not getting my hopes up. Keep in mind that most voters have other…

Interviewer: Okay. Do you think that his [Ross'] behaviour changed as his reputation in the party changed or grew?

Collings: Well, I think the ego grew, I guess. And, yeah, definitely. And that’s one of the…

Sympathy vote will have increased later in the week.

Just for fun, I'll predict in advance (rather than spin afterwards):

Bridges will go UP in the preferred PM question. Pundits will then pontificate, and get it wrong.

For any opposition leader, between election campaigns, "preferred PM" is about name recognition. (Remember…

National MP Nicky Wagner…

A narcissist will try and avoid responsibility for their own actions and also play on public sympathy – in this case by claiming to be mentally ill.

He claimed mental illness when he is not unwell…

Despite over half of major political cash comes from donations of over $15,000 (Stuff Jun 20 2017), four out of every five dollars donated to big parties is in secret (Stuff Aug 20 2017).

In terms of reconfiguring the legislation it would be remiss to overlook both:…

Political scientists have a term for this type of behaviour: they call it a gift economy. It’s the same form of unspoken reciprocity as when we exchange presents at Christmas or invite friends to weddings. No one ever says, “You can come to our reception if you buy us…

"Empowering a faction of ruthless, amoral assholes whose only goal was to destroy everyone around them has been a predictable disaster for National."

It's a quality piece of commentary, perhaps the best I've seen in the past week.

Our leaders’ deafening silence around this most monumental of human rights issues nudges calls from…

With regard to this:

Bernard Hickey advises the PM to take the initiative:

Bearing in mind the key positions some ex-Parliamentary luminaries now occupy – as someone whose been calling this on these boards for…

"We need to take a hard look at who is donating money to our politicians and why. And we need to stop pussy-footing around the elephant in the room that is China's influence on New Zealand politics. We need inquiries…

""The real threat that I'm paying attention to in this story is the failure of our political parties to prevent foreign government…

It’s hard to know how best…

"This chilling effect is harming Chinese people in New Zealand. Many people cannot…

Good piece that – very interesting to see Andrew Little’s name crop up

Chinese communist party also has close links to Labour politicians like Andrew Little and Phil Goff, who was the recipient of substantial donations for his Auckland mayoralty campaign.

Which does kind of bring…

Highly narcissistic, predatory males such as Ross…

Now it seems it was common knowledge in parliament that Ross was a predator. Well if…

National candidate speaks out over harassment by rogue MP Jami-Lee Ross

National Party president Peter Goodfellow 'signed confidentiality agreement' with woman

Is it reasonable to say that the National Party's likely to be a more enviable target for this sort of crap right now, due to its voter base? My impression's been that Labour tends…

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…

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…

indeed

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.

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

Feeding Slaters are omnivores or scavengers and feed upon decaying vegetable matter and…

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

Expect so.

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…

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.

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

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

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…

For "balance", various media report not only on the squashing of the lie, but on the PM's response to it. Which (for "balance", of course!) must then be critiqued.

Imagine that…

Hosking continues to accentuate his inability to parse…

More like highly irresponsible broadcasting involving a highly partisan idiot and a public broadcaster that's strongly profit-driven at the expense of public service. Sure we could argue that government Ministers are responsible…

http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2017/11/judith-collins-is-back-the-national-party-announces-portfolios.html

Further reading.

The publication of Dirty Politics alerted the two professors and one senior public health advisor to the campaign being waged against them.

True of any issue. I’m not relying on quoting other people, I’m just presenting my view.

So this phantom nothing-to-do-with-National person…

That's what Bennett is claiming today, sure. But not what Richard Harman said in the post I linked to above:

National is now going to target Winston Peters and NZ First in the hope of winning one or two per…

Whoever leaked wanted this to be known publicly even though there was nothing untoward – they leaked…

They may have been aiming for a modest publicity-driven voting change as Richard Harman suggests, which has nothing much to do with the truth these days.

But it's somehow a complete nothingburger that Winston just had no idea he was getting the wrong rate of super for seven years, but Metiria…