Abuse of power

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National – trying to provoke TPP violence?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:01 am, January 29th, 2016 - 165 comments

The police are “visiting” TPP activists – Key is cynically trying to blow the “law and order” dog whistle. But would he really go so far as to try and provoke open violence for political gain?

New Zealand drops down World corruption free index

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:14 am, January 28th, 2016 - 21 comments

New Zealand used to be rated as the least corrupt country in the world. Over the past couple of years we have dropped to second and now to fourth. The cynical way that the Government handles OIA requests is the main reason for this occurring.

Another win for Nicky Hager

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 4:26 pm, January 27th, 2016 - 38 comments

“Yesterday, the New Zealand Police informed Nicky Hager through their counsel that they are electing not to appeal the decision of the High Court given in December last year.”

The great big list of John Key’s big fat lies (UPDATED)

Written By: BLiP - Date published: 7:00 am, January 27th, 2016 - 79 comments

How many more lies will John Key tell today in his so-called State of the Nation address? Virtual chocolate fish to whomever guesses the closest number.

Jane Kelsey on TPPA

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 7:58 am, January 25th, 2016 - 43 comments

Jane Kelsey on why the TPPA is a bad deal and why we should keep fighting it. Movies courtesy of Bryan Bruce. And don’t forget the public meetings scheduled this week where Jane Kelsey and Lori Wallach will speak.

Sir Lynton Crosby and Dame Paula Rebstock

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 9:42 am, December 31st, 2015 - 106 comments

The British Conservative Government and the New Zealand National Government have both rewarded their friends with titles.

John Key – the White Ribbon Ambassador

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 12:03 pm, December 28th, 2015 - 278 comments

A comprehensive run through of behaviours and attitudes associated with a White Ribbon ambassador.

A letter of thanks from Nicky Hager

Written By: lprent - Date published: 2:31 pm, December 21st, 2015 - 71 comments

“On 2 October last year the police raided our home and I had the hugely encouraging experience of watching hundreds of you coming to my aid on Givealittle: giving money and, just as important, sending kind messages and giving moral support. The financial support made it easy for us to decide to launch legal action…”

Summer break

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:00 am, December 19th, 2015 - 46 comments

Standardista authors are on summer break! There will be an Open Mike each day, but little or no other posting (unless an author feels particularly inspired). Here’s some summer reading suggestions – by all means add your own…

What was National’s role in the police raid on Nicky Hager?

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:35 am, December 18th, 2015 - 130 comments

Justice Clifford’s decision that the police raid of Nicky Hager’s home was illegal raises serious questions about what political pressure was applied on the police.

Protection of National Security Information

Written By: tracey - Date published: 8:48 am, December 15th, 2015 - 10 comments

At the heart of the project is the tension between national interests and individual rights. Questions about how to balance these interests are not new, but they have been brought into sharp focus by recent international events.

CERT: the partial privatisation of the GCSB

Written By: advantage - Date published: 8:00 am, December 13th, 2015 - 24 comments

A public private organisation with the acronym CERT was announced this week along with the new cyber security strategy. CERT’s role is to provide information to government so it can protect against cyber threats. Which is one of the roles of the GCSB.

Flagpole Sitta

Written By: te reo putake - Date published: 5:56 pm, December 11th, 2015 - 138 comments

John Key’s $26 million dollar flag flop bores it’s way to the halfway line tonight. The first referendum closes at 7 PM, first results at around 8.30. $26 million … that’s a lot of cancer drugs, child care centres and elder care we won’t be getting because the PM wants a signature legacy his dreary leadership doesn’t actually deserve.

CORTEX Trojan horse?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 10:35 am, December 11th, 2015 - 16 comments

The government plans to roll out a new “cyber security action plan”. Given their record of secrecy, lies, and misuse of surveillance, I think we the people would be naive to believe this will be anything less than another escalation of the surveillance of New Zealanders.

Political interference in the OIA

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:15 am, December 9th, 2015 - 14 comments

Yesterday saw the release of the Obmudsman’s review of the operation of the OIA. I think it makes clear an unacceptable level of political interference in the process – albeit not at the level that was rampant in Dirty Politics.

Hey Tracy Watkins – Judith Collins was not “cleared” of dirty politics

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:02 am, December 8th, 2015 - 33 comments

No, Judith Collins was never investigated, let alone “cleared”, of the serious issues raised by Dirty Politics. After a token year off Key is happy to have her back because he has precisely as many principles as she does.

Deportee

Written By: te reo putake - Date published: 12:48 pm, December 2nd, 2015 - 103 comments

Standard Exclusive:

Te Reo Putake interviews one of the first batch of deportees from Australia under the Liberal Government’s hardline approach to Kiwis who serve jail time in the lucky country.

Police raiding journalists is a thing now

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:03 am, December 2nd, 2015 - 132 comments

Yesterday the police raided the home of a 3 News journalist. This seems to be quite a trend in the Brighter Future.

Jarrod Gilbert 1 – Windmills 0

Written By: BLiP - Date published: 7:09 am, November 29th, 2015 - 22 comments

About time the Police got around to becoming a “very evidence based” service. Building great relationships with academia is a sensible way to start.

Jarrod Gilbert is tilting at windmills

Written By: BLiP - Date published: 7:33 am, November 27th, 2015 - 38 comments

The Official Information Act is now moribund and access to information beyond its scope is granted only to a chosen few and under strict conditions.

Nats campaigning with public money

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 12:22 pm, November 26th, 2015 - 45 comments

Campaigning with public money. Politicising the public service. Cabinet club is cash for access. This is a corrupt government.

How many prospective state house tenants hate birds chirping?

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:19 am, November 26th, 2015 - 46 comments

The answer is at least one.

Police censoring research

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 1:17 pm, November 25th, 2015 - 25 comments

Police censorship of research is causing widespread outrage today. Well done to Dr Gilbert and The Herald for bringing it all to light.

Towards banana republic status

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:30 am, November 19th, 2015 - 43 comments

National has passed legislation with retrospective effect under urgency to change previous legislation also passed under urgency so that the law says what it thinks the law should have said, despite the existing law being abundantly clear.

Something Smells, Honest John

Written By: tracey - Date published: 9:10 am, November 18th, 2015 - 53 comments

Seems Ms Adams is the latest prepared to jump under a bus to save the beloved Honest John. Self interest is strong in this one.

NRT: Urgency for abuse

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 4:59 pm, November 17th, 2015 - 20 comments

I/S at No Right Turn: “The House has just gone into urgency for two key (for the government) bills – the first to punish retroactively people who have already been punished, the second to steal from the poor.”

Removing Beneficiary rights retrospectively

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 11:49 am, November 17th, 2015 - 309 comments

There is a suggestion that the Government may move to retrospectively take away the rights of beneficiaries and former beneficiaries to claim for benefits properly owing to them.

Paris as an excuse for more useless surveillance

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:02 am, November 17th, 2015 - 67 comments

The Paris attacks are being used as an excuse for another ill informed debate about surveillance and encryption – which doesn’t address the communication channels that terrorists are actually using. The tools that our governments want can be used very effectively to spy on you and me though (as Key effectively acknowledges in passing).

NZ Herald: Damning report rewritten after ‘war-room’ meeting

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 7:53 am, November 14th, 2015 - 17 comments

The Herald seems to have accidentally deleted the online version of yesterday’s big story from Kirsty Johnson on how the government manipulates media perceptions. However could that have happened?

Power Corruption and Lies

Written By: te reo putake - Date published: 1:04 pm, November 13th, 2015 - 78 comments

A National List MP has been snapped trying to heavy the Housing Ministry into funding a lift in her personal profile. Remember John Key’s ‘higher standards in Government’? Nick Smith’s Ministerial office apparently doesn’t care too much about about such trifles. Worse, the Housing Ministry has been caught trying to cover up for the Tories by redacting an OIA request. Here’s your Brighter Future, folks. Enjoy.