Have we become that cheap?

It's probably the flattery of any attention at all rather than the size of it

100 pounds gets you influence over a prominent MP? Have we become that cheap?

One of the depressing features of New Zealand political life is that our politicians don't even try to keep us entertained with the really tasty sleaze and squalor our compatriots elsewhere in the Anglosphere enjoy on…

Paul Adams has asked me to send you the enclosed £100 to help pay for your "Awayday". I do hope you will enjoy yourselves.

100 pounds gets you influence over a prominent MP? Have we become that cheap?

Dear Mr Dunne,

Paul Adams has asked me to send you the enclosed £100 to help pay for your "Awayday". I do hope you will enjoy yourselves.

If at all possible, I should be grateful if you…

Isn't truth a defence anymore? The letter to Dunne inviting him to put his "expense claim" in is widely available.

Might well be — but I don't think it's presumptuous to say Russell might prefer not having to justify the very big leap you've made in a defamation or contempt…

Now could some-one drag Peter Dunne into the story to start rounding it out even more .......

Dunny boy was once wined and dined by Lord Rothmans over in england, a cheque was given to Dunny ............ British Imperial I presume ;-) .

nz native: Serious point — you might…

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10647023

Looks like the chickens are home!

From the article

But Imperial Tobacco's New Zealand sales and marketing director, Tony Meirs, last week told a Maori Affairs select committee the company was providing the ACR with public relations resources through Omeka Public Relations.

None of the Auckland shops listed as "members" on ACR's website said they were in fact paying members. All but one said they had never even heard of the association.

That reminds me of the Generation Lost astroturf job some 10 years…

Hur? I assumed that the website was deliberately designed to look like it came out of the 80s, you know, as part of the astroturfing.

No doubt, but look at the actual functionality. The colour scheme is the only thing retro about it.

As billie the vision would say, i learned some swear words, i learned to use them And i stopped…

Quite a slick website, ACR. Any estimate on what it might have cost?

Hur? I assumed that the website was deliberately designed to look like it came out of the 80s, you know, as part of the astroturfing.

And me.

yet I have to settle for Cameron Brewer – ok, know my place

"Carrick Graham is now following you on Twitter!"

lol.

And me.

I'm a total follower-whore, but sorry, I don't want the eyeballs of scumbag tobacco company mouthpieces. This is what the "block" buttom was invented for.

you made the Herald

Another NZPA story sourced from blogs, bless them.

Green said the sole funding so far came from its members. It had employed two part time coordinators but it had yet to figure out how they would be funded, as it was still early days.

"I would love…

Dunny boy was once wined and dined by Lord Rothmans over in england, a cheque was given to Dunny ............ British Imperial I presume ;-) .

You've gota pick which drugs are about…

take a gander at what they issue press releases about.

Oh, I've been aware of NZACA under their previous name HCPNZ though I didn't know what company they were keeping. They're not at all shy about speaking on behalf of the elderly, though I have no problem with them addressing…

Feeling left out of the stalking love, can I perhaps controversially ask what aged care has in common with tobacco, whaling and shonky finance companies?

Well, Te Ohu Kaimoana are in there as well. I certainly hope they're not looking to make use of Inglewood's pro-whaling PR.

can I perhaps controversially ask what aged care has in common with tobacco, whaling and shonky finance companies?

Partaking in any of the last three will prematurely age you, making you a prime candidate for the first.

"Carrick Graham is now following you on Twitter!"

and aren't you making it worth his while. :)

Feeling left out of the stalking love, can I perhaps controversially ask what aged care has in common with tobacco, whaling and shonky finance companies?

"Carrick Graham is now following you on Twitter!"
lol.

Me too!

The current journalistic fad for friending people to investigate them is far too creepy for me

"Carrick Graham is now following you on Twitter!"

lol.

she appears to have a googly globally unique name – lucky her

Me too.

I also have a monopoly on Graeme Edgler, and Graham Edgler, but there appears to be a Graham Edgeler with a single google-able reference in the UK =)

that wide range appears to be tobacco sales, tobacco displays, tobacco-related crime, tobacco taxes and um alcohol and chocolate...

Denielle Boulieris, who they have running ACR appears to moonlight as a realtor.

She's also a Shapeshifter and Fat Freddies fan.

The current journalistic fad for friending people to investigate them is far too creepy for me, but her existing Facebook friends look like the Facebook friends of all other…

still nepotism ain't a crime, yet, right...?

hmmm…

Judging by the website, SpinItWide is basically an automated mass-email service to allow clients to spam media contacts and maintain their own contacts database. So although the Inwood connection is very interesting I wouldn't leap to the conclusion that all its clients are equally skeezy.

Yeah. But it's a fairly...…

Carrick Graham is Doug Graham's son.

The Hollow Men had him sponsoring tables at a National fundraiser and hosting Brash and John Carter at British American Tobacco's offices.

This is like Friends. Cast of half-dozen, and everyone's in bed with everyone.

They blame dairy robberies on high tobacco prices.

Oh, and congrats on the scoop to you and Rory. This is excellent stuff.

Like the Melbourne Docklands, the Welly Waterfront still got developed, and it's still open to the public.

The hippopotamus, for instance, is said to mark jungle trails by excreting a lethal mixture of urine and feces while twirling its tail like a propeller. This may explain the historically sluggish market for pet hippopotamuses.

I saw a hippo do this at the zoo once. One of the craziest…

And in an interesting case of possible plagiarism – text on their alcohol page:

"In 1999 Parliament voted against allowing dairies to sell wine and beer, which may come as a surprise to those who have seen…

Bet they want their money back now.

So money doesn't influence politics?

The Hollow Men had him sponsoring tables at a National fundraiser and hosting Brash and John Carter at British American Tobacco's offices.

Bet they want their money back now.

The hippopotamus, for instance, is said to mark jungle trails by excreting a lethal mixture of urine and feces while twirling its tail like a propeller. This may explain the historically…