A ring of truth in the Hollow Men

Written By: - Date published: 11:33 pm, April 17th, 2008 - 18 comments
Categories: brethren, same old national - Tags: ,

log_hollowmen1.jpgCongratulations to Dr Brash for fronting up and going to see the play The Hollow Men at the Maidment Theatre in Auckland (that’s based on Nicky Hager’s book of the same name). Dr Brash admitted some parts of The Hollow Men were spot on. I wish I knew which bits weren’t!

The Hollow Men is also topical with the announcement from the police that they are closing the file on who took the emails, and how it was carried out. Detective Inspector Harry Quinn said police had ruled out external hacking into Parliament’s computers to access the emails. TV3 reports that Brash often printed his emails, read them at home, bought them back into work, wrote ‘s’ on them meaning put them in the shredder and left them in his out-tray. Such a pattern strengthens suggestions that it was an inside job, potentially by a National staffer. It’s no wonder therefore, that John Key reacted testily to being asked if National would apologise to Nicky Hager, telling him to ‘get lost’.

This is a sensitive topic for Mr Key, especially in light of further comments from Nicky Hager that he is still receiving information from within National (and other parties). Perhaps that’s why John Key says he does not believe the police finding that hacking was not involved – the alternative of having people within his own caucus as participants in the saga would be too disturbing.

Mr Key is probably also very aware that he was never questioned in detail about his knowledge of the relationship between the outside groups such as the Brethren and business links at the time, despite his name appearing throughout the book. Given the close relationship between Dr Brash and his chosen successor I still find it hard to believe that Mr Key was not aware of at least some of the wider political strategies that the book documents.

And if you’re in Auckland and thinking of seeing the show here’s a review of an earlier production – with this comment leaping out for me “Parker makes sure we are well aware tha[t] the machine behind John Key’s elevation promises more of the same.” Time will tell.

18 comments on “A ring of truth in the Hollow Men ”

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  1. simon coffey 1
    18 April 2008 at 4:45 am

    haven’t seen the play, not really interested, however funniest thing I’ve read for a while was don brash slightly miffed that he comes off a bit geeky! SORRY! everytime he spoke on TV he sounded and looked like that Comedy Character ‘Tim’ nice but Dim! LOL!

  2. Robinsod 2
    18 April 2008 at 7:16 am

    At the risk of offending Star Wars fans, I was always reminded of C-3PO.

  3. r0b 3
    18 April 2008 at 7:30 am

    ‘Sod you’re right! With Brownlee as R2D2 ?

  4. higherstandard 4
    18 April 2008 at 7:44 am

    Hello – reverted to character assassination again.

  5. r0b 5
    18 April 2008 at 7:53 am

    Ohh who’s a mr grumpy pants this morning?

  6. Stephen 6
    18 April 2008 at 8:46 am

    Brash brought it up first – geeky, oh yes – but wasn’t that part of his appeal??

  7. Phil 7
    18 April 2008 at 9:21 am

    After considering the “bookish” nature of our PM, the collective left should really not be throwing stones in glass houses.

    On the flip side, have any of you guys seen Ron Marks new hat?
    Pimp-style’z my homie! da shizzle, dawg.

    Captcha; “St monitor”
    The patron saint of 50″ Plasma? I’d worship that

  8. Stephen 8
    18 April 2008 at 9:27 am

    Well, i’d say that ‘geeky’ or ‘bookish’ (eh?) doesn’t really matter one little jot! Would like to see the hat though

  9. Robinsod 9
    18 April 2008 at 9:39 am

    Look – I’d be the first to admit Helen is a bit of a swot but she also climbs mountains whereas DB can barely climb into a stock-car. I don’t think he did himself a lot of good with the corned beef and peas stuff either.

  10. Phil 10
    18 April 2008 at 9:40 am

    “but wasn’t that part of his [Brash] appeal??”

    I remember when he rolled Bill English, one perceptive commentator said it was “like replacing a mop with a broom”

  11. randal 11
    18 April 2008 at 10:57 am

    no it was like replacing fatty mutton with sliced and (numbered) corn beef … thats corn beef and no ham

  12. Phil 12
    18 April 2008 at 12:01 pm

    Randal,

    I think the following quote covers everything I’ve seen you post here;

    “Dude… WTF?”

  13. AncientGeek 13
    18 April 2008 at 12:32 pm

    Geek (or bookish) works for me. Has done ok for me for a quite a while.

    What I look for in leaders or political parties is a level of political competence.

    Based on past evidence, competence in other spheres does not translate easily into political competence.

    History is replete with examples of competent people going into politics and being totally inept politically. It is also replete with examples of people that were incompetent in other spheres winding up as pretty good politicians. Of course there are also some people that were either incompetent or competent in both spheres.

    Competence in politics looks more like an art than a science, and a rare skill. I couldn’t really give a stuff what a policitian looks, acts like, gender, race, age provided they are competent.

    Of course there is someone like Muldoon – probably one of the most competent politicians NZ has ever had. Also one of the most destructive because of his personal policies and attitudes. He made a lot of bad decisions for all the right reasons.

    Just at present, to me, Key doesn’t look competent. I also don’t have the foggiest what he stands for.

  14. Monty 14
    18 April 2008 at 1:08 pm

    I will not see this play – but i understand the sequal – “Absolute Power” will be great. The Book out Monday so get your copy just in time for the long weekend. Play (and Movie) to be released later this year – (August I expect.) The playwrites and producers tell me the first season will be extended several months due to demand.

  15. Stephen 15
    18 April 2008 at 1:38 pm

    How could you possibly know that it will be great?! Maybe it’ll reveal Helen Clark to be a Mexican fighting frog in disguise..

  16. jh 16
    19 April 2008 at 10:20 am

    Notice Don Brash’s endorsement of the Demographia report of housing affordability
    “Former Reserve Bank of New Zealand Governor Donald Brash writes in the introduction to this 4th Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey that “the affordability of housing is overwhelmingly a function of just one thing, the extent to which governments place artificial restrictions on the supply of residential land.”

    http://www.demographia.com/

    Myself, I don’t know but I have seen a hellovalotta other explanations from economists…………….. Funny???

  17. Pascal's bookie 17
    19 April 2008 at 1:42 pm

    Anyone else get the feeling there are a few righties that have stocked up on hand cream and tissue in anticipation of Wisharts opus. They seem to be all a quiver, having shelled out their bucks for a book they know nothing about except that Ian says it’ll be yet another final nail in the coffin bleggidity blah humbug.

    Suckazz

  18. higherstandard 18
    19 April 2008 at 2:26 pm

    I suspect it will be boring cak much the same as Hollow men.

    The only people excited by these books are political commentators and those who are preoccupied with politics I don’t think the vast majority of the public really gives a damn.

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