democracy under attack

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Charlie Hebdo: ‘… and not give in to fear’

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, January 8th, 2015 - 596 comments

It is a shocking story to wake up to. A murderous act in a beautiful city.  Condolences to those close to the people who were killed, and to the people of Paris and France.  It is not a justification for the anti-democratic, invasive extensions to the surveillance state.

Thumbs down for Joyce’s ministerial domain

Written By: - Date published: 8:23 am, December 22nd, 2014 - 33 comments

A new report shows that Steven Joyce’s MBIE fiefdom is failing miserably.  Meanwhile the MBIE is under fire for the major cost blow out of the Sky City Casino deal – another deal with Joyce’s imprints all over it.

This is not business as usual. This is not some hippy over-reaction. This is serious shit!

Written By: - Date published: 4:18 pm, December 11th, 2014 - 55 comments

New author Mandy Hager joins us with some reflections on having become a grandmother: “So that’s why I’m speaking out now, every opportunity I get. Not because I like the exposure (shudder), but because I love this tiny little person and I will fight for his future, come what may. It’s the right thing to do. …”

Democracy, Money and Power

Written By: - Date published: 9:18 am, November 27th, 2014 - 6 comments

The stage was long ago reached where members of the US Government were told they should “wear their sponsors logo’s on their shirts”.

Submit today!

Written By: - Date published: 7:04 am, November 27th, 2014 - 13 comments

I/S at No Right Turn yesterday: “Yes, that’s right. An important bill with major human rights implications, and we have one day to speak up about it.” I/S supplies a submission guide to make it easy…

“Marching in the streets”

Written By: - Date published: 5:15 pm, November 8th, 2014 - 129 comments

Thousands of people protested and marched around the country against the secret and anti-democratic TPPA negotiations. Reports & pics. Updated

Turei for peace & freedom: rejects politics of fear

Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, November 5th, 2014 - 102 comments

Metiria Turei delivered a very strong speech in response to Key’s ministerial statement on national security.  I give her a standing ovation! Update #1: link to video of Turei’s speech. #2 -YT video Turei’s speech.  Link to Kennedy Garham’s speech

Gough 1916-2014

Written By: - Date published: 11:49 am, October 21st, 2014 - 46 comments

When Gough Whitlam was PM of Austrialia, it was a time when people were looking forward to a more inclusive, caring, and egalitarian society: a time of hope.  His PM-ship ended in controversy.

The 4th estate & its pretenders

Written By: - Date published: 10:59 am, October 19th, 2014 - 63 comments

Some journalists continue to try to fulfill the fourth estate ideal of pursuing truth & speaking truth to power.  Others, with powerful links to corporate media & governments, work to suppress debate and democracy, often using threats, abusive nastiness & fear mongering.

NRT: TPPA would criminalise journalism

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, October 18th, 2014 - 15 comments

I/S at No Right Turn on how “the TPPA would criminalise investigative journalism”.

Fran O’Sullivan and Dirty Politics

Written By: - Date published: 1:02 pm, October 11th, 2014 - 33 comments

Fran O’Sullivan’s column in the Herald today clearly lays out why the issues surrounding Hanover Finance’s collapse should be investigated by the Police and not by a Government inquiry.

The long reach of “5 Eyes”: re-post

Written By: - Date published: 11:52 am, October 6th, 2014 - 15 comments

With Chris Finlayson just announced as minister in charge of GCSB & SIS, I thought it appropriate to re-post something I published on The Standard back in July 2013: links 5 Eyes’ attorney generals, cyber-security, Dotcom, etc.

First they sold Auckland, then the rest of NZ…?

Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, October 3rd, 2014 - 28 comments

A quiet shift in a dodgy Key govt-SkyCity deal: TVNZ land, sold to SkyCity for its convention centre, is to be used for a new hotel.  Plus: non-mandated deal between Auckland Transport Authority & a US corporate – intense surveillance of Aucklanders’ diverse activities.

Slater capitulates

Written By: - Date published: 8:19 am, September 30th, 2014 - 71 comments

Cameron Slater has capitulated and ended his case against various media organisations.  He faces the prospect of a significant award of costs against him.  There is now no restriction on the media using the Rawshark dumps the media have been apparently provided with.  So far nothing has been published.  Why the delay?

The Monkeywrench

Written By: - Date published: 2:01 pm, September 29th, 2014 - 75 comments

Some thoughts from a different angle on ‘what went wrong’, or maybe just saying stuff along the lines of what plenty of other people are thinking

The Election That Left One Third of Us Behind

Written By: - Date published: 5:32 pm, September 23rd, 2014 - 171 comments

No one should begrudge John Key and the National party the right to celebrate an impressive election victory. It is little consolation to those who opposed them that the win is very much a personal triumph for the Prime Minister rather than for the party and government he leads. As the tumult and the shouting […]

Clean it up

Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, September 23rd, 2014 - 70 comments

Action Station has a full page ad in today’s NZ Herald, asking to clean up dirty politics. Dirty Politics is not any isolated attack politics or criticism of those in power.  It is a relentless two track strategy, an orchestrated smear machine, aimed at moving politics rightwards & disengaging (left wing) voters. Update: Hager comments on the election.

The email

Written By: - Date published: 2:57 pm, September 15th, 2014 - 143 comments

The email that alleges to show John key was in on a conspiracy, with Hollywood execs, to entrap Dotcom in NZ so they could extradite him to the US. Updated. Warners say the email is fake. But who was applying the “political pressure”? Updated: Cameron Slater is a techno idiot.

The enablers

Written By: - Date published: 12:30 pm, September 15th, 2014 - 14 comments

Under pressure from Glenn Greenwald’s revelations, John Key, using various smoke screens, is starting to reveal his complicity in working with the GCSB & its 5 Eyes partners, to extend the scope of their spying. Could the Southern Cross Cable Network not have known their systems had been tapped? Update: Statement by Southern Cross Cables

John Key planned our mass surveillance

Written By: - Date published: 8:07 am, September 15th, 2014 - 65 comments

John Key and National let the GCSB spend 12 months on plans to conduct our mass surveillance.  Without telling us.  And he intends to release the details now only for political considerations. Without Glenn Greenwald’s presence we probably would never have learned about this.

Nat two track strategy – March to Sept

Written By: - Date published: 9:58 am, September 13th, 2014 - 26 comments

Nicky Hager has exposed the two track strategy of the Whale Oil, Kiwiblog, Nat smear machine.  Why is it allowed to continue?

Bombs Away?

Written By: - Date published: 5:00 pm, September 12th, 2014 - 73 comments

So much for any abatement of dirty politics…

Slater backs down

Written By: - Date published: 11:08 am, September 10th, 2014 - 67 comments

The Slater application for an injunction against various media outlets has been settled by the media agreeing  to not to use information that was not in the public interest, including but not limited to Mr Slater’s wife, children, medical information, the death of his mother and other inherently personal information regarding Mr Slater and his friends.  The way is now clear for further stories on Dirty Politics.

Vid of Nicky Hager talk tonight, Waikato

Written By: - Date published: 9:11 pm, September 8th, 2014 - 32 comments

Nicky Hager’s talk at the University of Waikato was very well attended. It was livestreamed.  A video of it is now available online,

Where is Jason Ede?

Written By: - Date published: 10:54 am, September 8th, 2014 - 19 comments

Jason Ede’s disappearance from public view suggests a cover up in response to Hager’s Dirty Politics.  The book implicates Ede (past PM staffer) in a coordinated black ops smear machine working with blogs like Whale Oil. Key may need to come clean soon about some of Ede’s activities.

“Democracy Under Attack”.

Written By: - Date published: 10:10 am, September 7th, 2014 - 89 comments

How long before “they” use control of the internet and media to bury adverse information, subvert democracy and vilify and silence those who disagree. “They” are doing it, NOW! A Government no longer has legitimacy, when they regard their own citizens as the enemy.

Airbrushing the VRWC

Written By: - Date published: 10:10 am, September 7th, 2014 - 111 comments

In today’s Sunday Star Times, is an article on a Matthew Hooton & the VRWC (Vast Right Wing Conspiracy). Hooton criticises John Key, does a couple of mea culpas, but ultimately, airbrushes the whole disgusting mess of dirty politics. [Updated: comment from Bill]

Anne Salmond on our tarnished democracy

Written By: - Date published: 1:30 pm, August 26th, 2014 - 37 comments

New Zealander of the Year, Dame Anne Salmond, on how dirty politics tarnished our democracy.

Tapping the media: subverting democracy

Written By: - Date published: 11:16 pm, August 25th, 2014 - 32 comments

Dirty Politics shows why we urgently need a revitalised public service broadcasting & online media. The domination by corporate media is poisoning democracy, providing openings for ruthless manipulators like Cameron Slater.  An article by David Fisher provides some insights.

Questions

Written By: - Date published: 12:16 pm, August 24th, 2014 - 38 comments

A few simple questions on democracy.

Newspeak

Written By: - Date published: 11:37 am, August 22nd, 2014 - 54 comments

John Key’s reaction to the revelations in “Dirty Politics” is straight out of Orwell’s classic 1984. 

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