In fact, Russell has outed him as a sock-puppet.

Not the point. Contrast and compare how roughly similar situations were covered by the media.

Contrast and compare their coverage.

Sure, that's true. But when the exact same media gloss over the dismal state…

And…

Stewart can correct me if I'm wrong, but here's my interpretation: Could you sit down and share a beer with the guy, or does he show real leadership skills? The two are not mutually exclusive, but they're certainly not the same thing.

They already do, don't they? (Home insulation being a flagship one, until National canned it.) It's not exactly a natural alliance, but behind the brick wall of…

As opposed to the positively Churchillian Mr Key?

You're having a laugh.

Yes, have we not seen, heard and read this before?

Democracy in New Zealand has become a total farce.…

Really? Let’s check an example: Please explain how ignoring this will be better for the health of all those…

But saying to move on when the crap is actively flying, and there is no indication that the culture and ethos of the perpetrators as changed one…

Oh you know, the guy being messed with.

For clarity – who exactly is Mr in-between?

It's time for us to move on. Accentuate the positive and the good in life. Harness the energy (that…

your plan is to torture the guards with the instrument until they plug their ears with cheese and can no…

I found this picture. I figure you swing it around your head? ;-)

I'm sorry, the WHAT?
Dude was accused of sexual harassment

John Key said "had Worth not resigned he would have been sacked".

Harold was very pleased to help a worthy cause — and so am I!

We really appreciate the hard work you're doing, Marianne. After so many of…

You must have had no contact with the Labour Governments between 1999-2008 to believe that. Think of Trevor…

Um, our gracious PA host excepted, I hope?

on…

I'm actually speechless. What a vile and foul human being.

Even if Dirty Politics doesn't alter the outcome much, it's still probably be the beginning of the end for Key & Co. Especially if the guilty parties get nabbed for perverting justice... and if the last of…

We do not like the bombast or the offensive language that has been disclosed in his private communication, but there…

That said, I cannot recall any occasion when we have been involved in public advocacy designed only to discredit an individual, and we would be loathe to do it, whatever the instructions

which I construe to mean he is not denying discrediting individuals…

Apparently, his “free” version is missing some parts of what NBR published, but I’m…

Though relentless First-Past-Post media coverage hides that nicely.

Nor do I. I just think it's silly to say that the intention was not to try and stop the train wreck that is about to ensue.

That is may have an ongoing effect…

That's very important to remember.

Also, this from the Guardian about the influence of corporate donations in Oz. Important point: corporate donations swing away from parties that annoy them.

I suspect that in NZ this…

the fact that the major media outlets are not focusing on investigating the substance of the allegations in the book speaks volumes about how those media organization see their own role in a democratic society. accountability of both the politicians and the media seems to be about…

There's always a spike for some random authoritarian "common sense", "listen to the people", "won't someone think of the children" minor parties around election time. There's a bunch of people have a history that…

I've heard family anecdotes about this stuff from the 40's. Not every National government has been that way, nor every Labour government free of it, but for the most part and certainly today and in the near future: being clean, open, and honest, playing the ball…

It is partisan. The left spokesfolk believe that this is a bad thing, while the spokesfolk of the right have openly taken great joy in it since at least the days of Helengrad,…

As far as the MSM are concerned the big problem with Dirty Politics is they aren't getting revenue from it hence it must be bad, whereas honourable ACT and National party advertising is clearly a good thing. sigh.

It's not that the analysis is accepted or even remotely reasonable, but rather that many of the MSM have been shown to be at best incompetent and at worst deeply…

Yes. An awful lot of stuff is being done about now in an attempt to influence the outcome of the election. Some people are talking as though that's a bad thing.

Much like the John Key autobiography and the NZRugby cover picture – yeah right.

Dirty Politics was obviously timed to influence this election and comments otherwise are disingenuous.

The key to the timing is that he was already working on a book, but got the…

You heard it here first – I fully intend to influence the election result, and my likely…

It could mean either

(a) who forms the next government; or
(b) the specific voting behaviour of the NZ electorate.

I'm sure Hager would have liked to draw support away from National (b) but I doubt he was so…

If you had stopped at "election", I would agree with you. But the result? As you point out, Hager didn't believe the outcome would be changed radically. What I believe he intended is that people would start demanding accountability…

I guess that's the most likely conclusion to broadcast when a seemingly large amount of election coverage is focused on repeating smug sound-bites, run alongside continuous horse race commentary about…

Megan and I share a belief in the importance of informed and…

that would be how voters on the centre and right are responding to their lack of trust in the Nats (or in the parties of the left).

You may be right about Hager. I don't know his motives. I have always read the election somewhat differently to the "Labour is a shoo-in" theory — NZ First was always going to be…

[Harold saw] the dirty politics protest petition and he thought it was a great idea. He wanted to sign it,…

To which , I say, "Why not?" This is the point in the cycle where people are most receptive to politics. The book doesn't barrack…

I am reliably informed that a shipment of stout is being delivered to his hospital room today (stout being, I believe, one of the most nutritious types of food)!

But you are very telepathic in…

I've never understood the
attraction of clutching at
that particular 'straw'
when drowning in evidence...

...and see no evidence of any 'pious'
behaviour on Nicky Hagers part,
nor any real sanctimony.

what I see is alley cats not liking…

All the main lines in one there Tinakori. Nice.

What about the very serious allegations of a Justice Minister undermining the head of an arm of law…

It's a been a standard tactic against the book itself: delegitimise it by by…

Happy to share a prison cell* with you in the re-education camp, Steven. We can talk about boats.

*NOTE: This offer may not apply if re-education camp is co-ed.

Seems likely that anyone interesting in promoting collective action will not be involved in right-wing politics.

– for the 2011 election. Since started up ActionStation who are running this, now lead by Marianne Elliot.

Salole was the Greens’ national campaign manager in 2011. She resigned this position quite some time ago to start Action Station. Action Station has been developed to focus on…

CEOs Back John Key

In an apparent “blow” for Labour the vast majority of CEOs back National and John Key!

What next – a blow for National when we discover that union leaders back Labour or evironmentalists back the Greens

And if you zoom in real close on the advert you can just make out the name in the promoter statement of what they’ve apparently decided is an election advertisement under the EFA. It’s “M. Salole”, the Greens’ national campaign manager.…

“Here’s our petition: we request that you establish an impartial investigation and protect freedom of…