Good man, that Gareth Hughes

Flaying and gutting the Prime Minister here.

Summing up the flag "debate"

"the thing is that Key is manipulating democracy to brand NZ Inc, and people are resisting that"

Someone said this, somewhere and they are correct.

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.

Join the dots

John Slater, Cameron Key

Nasty Politics

Dirty Politics

The climate's changed for National

Gordon Campbell on drones - deeply worrying

"As New Zealanders, we are accomplices in a programme of dubious legality, in which – as a matter of routine – scores of innocent civilians and their children are being killed. 

 Thanks to the cloak of secrecy draped over the drone programme, we are totally in the dark about the rules of engagement for drones, the criteria for targeting the individuals concerned, the proportionality of execution to the threat posed by the individuals being targeted, the accuracy of the drone operations, and the extent of civilian casualties that drones have inflicted within countries with whom we are not at war. 

 Welcome to 21st century push-button war making."

Read the full article by Gordon Campbell here.

David Farrar on John Campbell

"This is the funniest episode ever. Please please watch it, so you can laugh."

I did.

I didn't.

Russel Norman reveals the National Party as corrupt

I don't like wetlands, they're swamps

Sabin: Environmentalists are concerned about digging up the area.

Collins: Are they? Oh well...

Swamp kauri.

Nasty orcs.

Ludemann - gutter-talk exposed

Annette Gunther's as Blue as they come. She served the National Party as electorate chairman back in the day and has been outspoken in the media in response to several letters that I've written over time, so her political preferences have never been a mystery. Today, that changed, thanks to the snarky public comment by Ele Ludemann, published in The Southland Times recently.
Here's the letter from Annette, published in today's paper:

"Comment unwarranted

As a former electorate chairman for the old Awarua electorate my voting preferences in the past didn't take a rocket scientist to work out.
 However, the report in Monday's edition of your paper has truly altered that preference.
 The National Party regional chairman Ele Ludemann's comment on the benefit of Labour having an "unwanted candidate" for the Invercargill electorate has sadly cost Invercargill and Ms Dowie my vote.
  This comment is totally unwarranted and I hope the Invercargill campaign does not continue this trend toward the gutter."

ANNETTE GUNTHER
Wallacetown.

Ms Ludemann was ill-advised, and advised I'm sure she was, to make the un-called-for comment. Her doing so was however, no surprise to me, having heard on many occasions at public meetings, Bill English employ the same "gutter" methods in order to cast aspersions on his opponents and where the slagging was too nasty even for him, use proxies in the audience to do the sledging. All part of the National Party (un) fair-play-book.
Ms Ludemann should be ashamed, but I suspect she'll brash it out, just as Collins, Parata, Bennett, Tolley et al do on a regular basis. It's nasty behaviour, in my opinion, from a party that embraces such behaviour and even seems to revel in it.

Bryan Gould on Collins' corruption and more

"The impression already given to overseas business interests - and confirmed by many recent instances - is that the way to get things done in this country is to get the ear of the Prime Minister or of his close colleagues and advisers. In that way, private deals can be struck, rules can be changed or bent, tax benefits can be conferred, ministerial interventions to grant citizenship can be arranged - and if a generous donation is given to a political party by way of thanks and recognition, then who can complain?"

He is quite correct.

Read the rest of Bryan Gould's revealing article here.

Collins - deeper hole, still digging

It's getting worse for Judith Collins. People are noticing. And writing comments. Here's one:

Clemgeopin6
19 March 2014 at 12:52 pm

Some thoughts:

[1] Cup of Tea Collins says, “So I had no idea where I was.” Does she know where she is at now?
[2] Key said she was on her final warning. Hasn’t she passed it now? Will Key sack her now or just swallow?
[3] Key said the Cabinet office ‘cleared ‘her! How do we know that to be true? Why then does he not release the advice?
[4] Key’s and Nat party response so far is a clear indication that Collin’s Oravida BS has already harmed and will continue to hurt Key and the National party.
[5] Key today advised Labour saying, “Oravida focus bad for votes”! Since when was Key a well wisher of Labour party? Is he saying that Labour should simply concentrate on their policies but even though they are the main opposition party, they should simply ignore the corrupt goings on with regard to Oravida and Collins? I think Key is actually very worried that the Oravida scandal and knows that it is bad for ‘National’ vote, not Labours!
[6] Some NAT/ACT supporters are deliberately or cunningly missing the point: It is the corruption angle for personal gain that is paramount in this scandal here.
[7] Also, now in China they shoot the bribe taking corrupt officials. Hence that custom official’s presence at the dinner is so significant. Something is rotten in the states of China and New Zealand!
[8] It is obvious and any fool will know that it was a pre-arranged dinner, not something she just happened to ‘pop in for a cup of tea’ on way to the airport. This sort of crap explanation to justify BS is unforgivable and insulting to our intelligence.
[9] Seems like a tax payer funded misuse of official position/trip for personal/family financial benefit and also party’s benefit in donation. Definitely serious conflict of interest.
[10] On the one hand, I think Collins very unbecoming behaviour with the Oravida saga is definitely a sackable shameful offense, but on the other hand, it would be good if she remains until the election so that every time we look at her or Key, we will be reminded of how discredited and corrupt this coalition regime has actually been!

Right-wing support for Judith Collins' lies - Te Reo Putake comments

(Background: Judith Collins claimed she 'popped in for a cup of tea/milk on her way to the airport.

Seems it wasn't a cuppa, wasn't popping in, and the venue was no where near the 'way to the airport').

Te Reo Putake3
19 March 2014 at 11:21 am

Because they are so very consistent, I’m expecting howls of indignation from the right about this. After all, when Helen Clark was driven through Canterbury at high speed, and said she didn’t really notice because she was head down concentrating on her work, the right called for her head.

Of course, there is a small difference; Clark said she was working, Collins said she was goofing off because she had nothing better to do while waiting for her flight. Gosh, it’s so hard to tell which is worse, eh?

Garner on Collins

"Judith Collins has been caught out not telling the truth.

She has misled the New Zealand public; she has misled her boss the Prime Minister; and her best defence is that she lied to us, by omission.

It is simply not good enough. She is no longer fit to be a Minister, she has failed the truth test. I have been saying this for a week now: She did not just pop in to Oravida, she planned it weeks out.

Now, we know she had a top level dinner and meeting with Oravida bosses and a senior official from the Chinese Government, all in a private capacity. There is no such thing when you are representing NZ as a Minister overseas.

Remember, her husband is a director of this firm. That’s the conflict. The Collins family stands to gain from the success of this company. You don’t just forget this sort of detail, you hold it back on purpose, and that’s what she has done.

I have always said when you put a Minister or MP in a tight spot, their default setting is to lie. They do not tell the truth and this is what has happened here. Collins has once again proven my theory correct.

She has misled the NZ public and that’s not acceptable. She has lost the confidence of a nation. She has misled the PM – and that’s where it always used to get terminal for Ministers with Helen Clark in charge. But John Key has decided to tough this one out. It’s the wrong decision. He should sack her.

He sacked Nick Smith for less in my opinion. Collins simply tried to bluff us, but she has failed and she has been caught out. She’s not indispensable. Her reputation is shot.

It’s clear the Chinese saw her visit and subsequent website appearance as an ‘endorsement’. But the Prime Minister continues to claim it was just a ‘promotion’. There is absolutely no difference. It’s the same thing. It’s semantics Prime Minister. The John Key of old would have crucified Helen Clark for such garbage. He needs to step back and see this for what it is.

He has been implicated in Judith Collins’s web of deceit. She has misled Kiwis and she has misled the Prime Minister. She is no longer fit to hold the warrant as Justice Minister."

I can’t say it anymore direct than this: She should be sacked.

But if it’s not illegal is it cheating?

Ele Ludemann, Rightwing blogger, National Party stalwart, friend of John and Bill asks:

"But if it’s not illegal is it cheating?"

There it is, ladies and gentlemen.

The Blue Bottom Line.

Kinda creepy, given that their answer is and always has been, "Well...no!"