Todd Barklay's a Slater/Lusk man

"There was widespread speculation that, prior to this election, many National Party MPs in safe seats had been told that it was time to step down. There are rumours of large cash payouts being made to sweeten the deal for some of them. Whatever the reasons and however it was managed, there has been a major clearing out of MPs – something that Slater has been crowing about and has taken delight in contrasting National’s rejuvenation’ with the retrenchment of Labour’s old guard in safe electorate seats.

Andrea Vance quoted Lusk’s prediction that the holders of several safe seats will retire including “John Key, Murray McCully, Gerry Brownlee and Bill English” and says that Lusk “confirms he is acting for potential successors.” Lusk claimed in an email to Slater that he has “at least half a dozen people in their twenties who will be in caucus one day”.

Predicting that politicians will retire is hardly proof of great political insight, but it’s interesting that one of the senior MPs who Lusk named, resigned his seat to go onto the Party List. Bill English was succeeded in Clutha-Southland by Todd Barclay who, by the age of 23, had got a degree, worked as a lobbyist for a tobacco company and as an intern for Hekia Parata and Gerry Brownlee, and gained sufficient political knowledge and nous to justify his selection for a National citadel formerly occupied by one of the Party’s most senior and respected people."

From The Standard

"Superb work Cam!" - Keeping Stock outed

Tony Stuart, aka "Keeping Stock" has been caught out through mention in Nicky Hager's book, "Dirty Politics" and some of his awful sentiments exposed in this article from the Wanganui Chronicle. The comment featured here was only one of many made by Keeping Stock, provoking repeated responses from me, urging him to think more deeply about his behaviour and his shilling for the likes of the disgraced Slater and other National Party hacks, MPs and leaders. This resulted in my being banned from his blog. Repeatedly. I don't give up easily. I cared for him and believed he was endangering his reputation. And so it transpired. Beneath the article I've posted a comment from the Wanganui Chronicle that I think sums up accurately the situation for Tony Stuart.

Wanganui man outed in Hager's book


The Wanganui businessman behind a political blog has been revealed in Nicky Hager's controversial Dirty Politics book.

The book, which has caused a storm since its release last week, focuses on the exploits of foul-mouthed right-wing blogger Cameron Slater.

And it names Wanganui National Party member Tony Stuart as the man behind the Keeping Stock political blog.

When contacted by the Chronicle yesterday, Mr Stuart confirmed it was true. Keeping Stock is a right-wing blog and Mr Stuart is also frequently on Twitter under the same name.

He was named in the New Zealand Herald's list of tweeters to follow throughout the election.

However since then, Mr Stuart has deactivated his @Inventory2 Twitter account.

Keeping Stock's tagline is "an eclectic mix of some of the finer things in life - politics, sport, music, humour and God", and Mr Stuart has been writing the blog for seven years, as a hobby.


He said he was considering its future in the wake of the Dirty Politics furore. Until Hager's book, the name behind the blog had been anonymous, which Mr Stuart said was for personal reasons.

There was no suggestion of any wrongdoing on Keeping Stock's behalf and Mr Stuart said he didn't engage with politicians to get information for his blog.

Keeping Stock's brief mention in Dirty Politics comes on page 50 after Cameron Slater posted the name and contact details of public servant Simon Pleasants on his Whale Oil blog. Mr Stuart wrote two comments under that post which read "Superb work Cam!" and "I wonder if Mr Pleasants will get a less-than-pleasant invitation to have a wee chat with his boss sometime this morning ... "

The Whale Oil blog accused Mr Pleasants of working on behalf of the Labour Party while a public servant.

Mr Stuart said he would look at the future of the blog in the coming weeks.

"When someone like David Farrar (Kiwiblog) is looking to make some pretty significant changes, that can't be overlooked," he told the Chronicle.

Mr Farrar announced a raft of changes to his blog, following the release of Dirty Politics, including applying to join the Online Media Standards Authority.

Mr Stuart said he would move away from "gotcha politics" to "focus on the achievements of the current National-led Government".

"I think this has probably provided a really good opportunity for all political parties to look at how they disseminate information," he said.

He blogged: "After the election, who knows? We've already hinted that we were considering a sabbatical, given Keeping Stock has just celebrated its seventh birthday."

Speaking about an event he had been to, Mr Stuart wrote: "Both the local MP Chester Borrows and his challenger Hamish McDouall were there, but there were no dirty politics whatsoever; both are decent, gracious men, who want to serve their community. There's a message there, upon which we shall ponder over the next few days."

- WANGANUI CHRONICLE

So our own local blogger thinks an Slater did a great job in 'outing' a public servant who has never been proven of any wrong doing, resulting in him then been subject of hate mail and death threats! Stuart may present himself as a 'nice guy', but to support actions that call for the death of a servant of the state is quite a bizarre position to take! Stuart and his Party condemns violent crime, yet have frozen Police budgets for the third year running and passively endorse the activities of Slater and fellow haters!
The only reason Stuart fronted is because he too was 'outed'!

Keeping Stock folds - good

He's called "time" because he's been exposed by Nicky Hager.

Good. And right.

You can't unshit the bed, Mr Key

*Advice from danylmc @ The Dimpost

Key destroyed by Guyon

This is astonishing. Guyon Espiner reveals John Key's duplicity and dishonesty in today's interview.
Listen. And weep, if you are  Key Person.

Phone buddies

Sharing stuff; tid-bits, snippets, slime, muck and sleaze.

John Slater, Cameron Key

Nasty Politics

The good Oil

I would ordinarily be struggling to support anything Whaleoil says on any topic at all, but today, he's singing from my song-sheet. He doesn't like Hekia Parata, nor does he shrink from sheeting the blame for the Budget stuff-up the person responsible for the Budget, Bill English. I've cut-and-pasted his whole post here, as it's comprehensive and I'd hate to lose any of it's grunt by pruning it. No doubt the irascible Whale will let me know if he's unhappy to be quoted in full.

" Speaking to many constituency MPs in the past week they have shared with me their frustration of having to explain and apologise to their constituents that latest cluster-fu*ck by a List MP.

Hekia Parata appeared ill-advised, arrogant and poorly researched as she rammed home her education reforms. She could afford to do that, when she went home each night and at the start of the current parliamentary recess she had only Wira Gardiner to answer to.

Not so for the poor constituency MPs who return to their electorates to face hordes of bewildered parents who don’t know whether or not to believe the over the top, hyped outrage of the teacher unions and their patsy friends in the media or a over-blown minister making excuses.

It is those MPs who have to explain to their constituents that it appears there may have been a mistake. And as the old saying goes, if you are explaining a position you are losing.

Hekia Parata as a List MP faces none of that. The only outrage she will face is that which she is paid to face. From the teacher unions as expected but now within the caucus room…from electorate MPs who have explain her screw up.

Many in the caucus room will be wondering why they should bother standing up for someone who can’t win a seat and someone who appears totally aloof to the intricacies of her portfolio.

Anne Tolley isn’t the sharpest crayon in the box, but she does have a low rat cunning that saw her deal to the teacher unions and push thorough National Standards without any cluster-f*cks of the proportions that Hekia Parata has delivered. Anne Tolley saw off four Labour education spokes people including the rabid old dog Trevor Mallard. It must gall Trevor Mallard that he was bested by Anne Tolley. Parata, however, fell over at the first hurdle.

The only other person who should be smarting is Bill English, as it was his idea to push through these reforms..to save what is really pennies in the big scheme of things. It is of no surprise that he got his acolyte Hekia Parata to try to deliver it and if she had been successful then Bill English’s succession, vicariously through Hekia Parata, would have been assured. Those dreams and plans are now in tatters.

This was the last throw of the dice for Bill English, papers will reveal eventually the real culpability for the education budget screw up. That he has managed to take out Hekia Parata on the way through is a blessing really for the long term viability of the National party.