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- David Farrar (95)
- dpf (194)
Blogging isn’t the problem Mr Key
Written By: - Date published: 1:49 pm, September 3rd, 2014 - 26 comments
John Key has been pushing the “they blog on the left too” line, but he’s deliberately missing the point.
lprent: I add my little bit at the end about pseudonyms
Puddleglum: We no longer have a Prime Minister
Written By: - Date published: 11:47 am, September 2nd, 2014 - 34 comments
There’s an excellent post at The Political Scientist I want to highlight, plus a few other of today’s Dirty Politics reads…
Spinning the media: commericial imperatives
Written By: - Date published: 10:55 am, September 2nd, 2014 - 24 comments
The main problems with dirty media-blogger connections, as exposed by Dirty Politics lie with the commercial dominance of our news media. Mediawatch focuses on issues raised by the book. Online Standards Authority is not the answer.
Wakeup call for the media – has Slater done us all a favour?
Written By: - Date published: 8:02 am, August 31st, 2014 - 171 comments
National’s dirty politics, for all its corrosive damage, also marks an opportunity for NZ. An opportunity to take stock, recognise such tactics for what they are, and reject them. An opportunity to clean up both politics and the media’s coverage of it.
“VRWC” exposes rift at top of National
Written By: - Date published: 11:48 am, August 30th, 2014 - 18 comments
There is a self-appointed “Vast Right Wing Conspiracy” in New Zealand. Odgers and Slater are key members. Search VRWC on Slater’s website and you’ll find their activities. After Pansy Wong’s forced resignation from Cabinet for misuse of her travel perk the VRWC thought the National Cabinet needed “some serious steel going forward.” You can read the minutes of their virtual white-board session on post-it cards – the rifts at the top are deep and nasty.
‘Malevolent males’, ‘Mistress Collins’ & a ‘free press’
Written By: - Date published: 5:00 pm, August 29th, 2014 - 7 comments
Dirty Politics shows the need for a reformation of our media, broadcasting and related online content. It’s about democracy. Lucy lawless agrees. Laila Harre and Colin Craig have been added to the line up for Sunday’s Broadcasting Debate in Auckland.
When will they ever learn?
Written By: - Date published: 7:04 am, August 28th, 2014 - 37 comments
How did @peace’s offensive song from 2013 suddenly become topical news? Why the usual suspects of course…
Condemning the obvious
Written By: - Date published: 12:46 am, August 27th, 2014 - 143 comments
Of course I (and other Standard authors) condemn lyrics that incite violence, and any and all threats to the children of politicians (who are completely out of bounds). Does this even need saying? But – Farrar, his little fan club, and the moral high ground? – it is beyond hypocrisy. There is no equivalence between the actions of a disenfranchised, angry few and the systematic abuse of democracy and decency undertaken by National’s dirty politics.
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.
Working with senior nats for release
Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, August 20th, 2014 - 17 comments
I trust that the media will be interested to know which senior Nats Slater was working with on the release of data hacked from Labour servers.
Mr Clean talks Dirty Politics: Key standup transcript pt2
Written By: - Date published: 1:30 pm, August 20th, 2014 - 12 comments
In this part of the transcript of John Key’s Aug 14 standup, Key repeats dubious spin lines, & tries to maintain his Mr Clean image. Topics include Jason Ede, Judith Collins, Bronwyn Pullar. Key tries to implicate left wing blogs, naming The Standard
Dirty politics vs accountability – you can’t be smeared with the truth
Written By: - Date published: 8:48 am, August 20th, 2014 - 50 comments
Accountability is not dirty politics. You can’t be smeared with the truth. John Key’s lines are as worthless as his promises of ministerial accountability.
“Mr Slater’s made it quite clear”: Key standup transcript pt1
Written By: - Date published: 1:10 pm, August 19th, 2014 - 26 comments
How slippery is John Key? Part one of transcript of Key’s press standup last Thursday. On accessing Labour’s website private details, OIAs to the SIS, Dirty Politics, Nicky Hager and Mr Slater. [Updated]
No Changes for Kiwiblog
Written By: - Date published: 9:34 am, August 19th, 2014 - 112 comments
David “Princess Parties” Farrar at Kiwiblog is trying to wash off some of the stench of Dirty Politics. Turns out it’s after the election (of course) – and so heavily qualified as to be meaningless. Expect business as usual at the sewer.
Left wing blogs aren’t “the same”
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, August 19th, 2014 - 165 comments
Part of John Key’s frantic spin is that left wing blogs are just the same as Whaleoil. As a left wing blogger I take personal umbrage – there is no equivalence. [Update: As also stated by RNZ political reporter Brent Edwards on Morning Report this morning (7:25am)]
The moral low ground
Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, August 18th, 2014 - 45 comments
Revulsion. That’s what’s coming out from a range of people who have ploughed through the inner thoughts of Slater, Farrar, Ede, Collins, Lusk, Odgers, Jordan Williams – they’re all repulsive. It’s the strength of that gut feeling in response that will sink their plot. Despite all John Key’s efforts to move as quickly as possible to the end of the day, …it’s still not ok. Key’s try at cover up is pathetic, and doomed to be futile. But what it shows is that he has chosen the moral low ground with the rest of them. TeamKey indeed.
Jordan Williams words & Nat sexism
Written By: - Date published: 11:51 am, August 18th, 2014 - 42 comments
Helen Kelly tweeted an image of an extract from Dirty Politics, highlighting some very nasty misogynistic writing by Slater and Jordan William. Williams replied.
Helen Kelly on Vote Chat: Questions for PoA & Key?
Written By: - Date published: 1:35 pm, August 16th, 2014 - 17 comments
Helen Kelly is interviewed on Vote Chat. Kelly raises questions about the Ports of Auckland & Key’s role in Dirty Politics. She has read some of Dirty Politics, & was axed from today’s the Nation Panel, then replaced by Josie Pagani.[Updated]
Shadow play: Key’s 2-track politics
Written By: - Date published: 11:31 am, August 16th, 2014 - 40 comments
Nicky Hager’s Dirty Politics tells of the “two track strategy” of John Key’s leadership of the National Party & the country: a smiley nice front, & vicious, covert black ops behind the scenes. Key has overseen one of the darkest, nastiest periods in NZ politics. Vote Left for necessary, democratic change, for people-centred governance.
But the door was open…
Written By: - Date published: 5:00 am, August 15th, 2014 - 277 comments
The intention of this post is to examine the similarities and differences between the hacking of Cameron Slater’s communications on the one hand, and the hacking of the Labour Party donor database on the other. There are two important issues to determine in both cases and I will cover them separately. The first is the legality of the hacking and the second is the ethics of using the resulting information regardless of whether the obtaining of the information in the first instance was unlawful.
Dirty Politics: The preface
Written By: - Date published: 9:17 pm, August 13th, 2014 - 57 comments
I do so want to read this book right now. I can hardly wait. The preface is online… http://dirtypoliticsnz.com Nicky Hager is way way more of a gentleperson than I am. Explaining the material that is not in the book – “The fact that Slater and his associates have made a career of exposing the very private details of other people’s lives does not make it right to do that to them.”
Cameron Slater dirties John Key (or vice versa?)
Written By: - Date published: 7:11 pm, August 13th, 2014 - 138 comments
I haven’t read the Nicky Hager’s book “Dirty Politics” yet. But I’m not surprised that Cameron Slater is up to his neck in dirt provided by John Key’s dirt merchant Jason Ede. That he has been given information sourced from the SIS is extremely surprising. I had not thought that John Key was quite that stupid.
Hager’s “Dirty Politics”
Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, August 13th, 2014 - 189 comments
So the book is an expose of the Slater-Ede-Key Dirty Politics machine, based on data acquired and leaked to Hager. Will Update: Update: Hager to be on Campbell Live tonight.
Naming the game
Written By: - Date published: 6:34 pm, August 12th, 2014 - 78 comments
It’s been interesting to watch the nats and their busy little helpers working away at branding the election campaign as a nasty one.
It’s been disappointing to watch the media falling for it so hard.
Typical misrepresentation from Farrar
Written By: - Date published: 12:21 pm, August 12th, 2014 - 97 comments
Sociologist Dr Jarrod Gilbert takes everybody’s favourite right-wing spinster to task for misrepresentation and spin on gangs.
Campaigning Avondale Market style
Written By: - Date published: 9:43 am, July 21st, 2014 - 37 comments
Every Sunday morning a group of Labour Activists attend the Avondale Market to hand out literature and talk to people. It is refreshing that ordinary people are not affected by beltway issues and are concerned at the basics such as housing, poverty and education.
Dear Greenpeace – difficult cases make bad law
Written By: - Date published: 12:06 pm, July 15th, 2014 - 55 comments
Greenpeace has been told by the Electoral Commission that its Climate Voter Website requires third party authorisation and that a cap on the amount that can be spent applies. There is an exception in the law if the site is a “news media” site which is paradoxically the same defence Cameron Slater is running in his case against Matt Blomfield justifying his refusal to disclose who his informant is. The sense of irony is strong here …
Polity: The ENV debate: Some more data
Written By: - Date published: 10:27 am, July 11th, 2014 - 14 comments
Rob Salmond presents the David Farrar / Steven Joyce / John Key argument that 2011 non voters are a National-leaning bunch. Then he shows that a better look at their own data undermines their claim. This matters because it helps us understand which bloc has more to gain from voter mobilization efforts in 2014. This means the left has a lot more to gain than the right from mobilization in 2014.
Repost: Not the war on men you’re looking for
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 pm, July 10th, 2014 - 224 comments
It’s headline news again: Labour is trying to take away men’s rights and exile you all to a desert island. If you believe David Farrar, that is.
- Everything you need to know about Auckland’s new alcohol rules
A local alcohol policy in the works since 2015 has been given the final stamp of approval in Auckland, bringing new rules for off-licence premises and maximum trading hours – all in the hopes of reducing alcohol-related harm. Before you start fretting about never having another nightcap again or no ...5 days ago - Consultation on open banking, open electricity begins
Open banking is expected to be the first cab off the rank, with a view of it being operational by the end of 2025. ...5 days ago - Data surveillance company says it did not have access to Kiwis’ information
A US surveillance company says it had no access to New Zealand data that it collected under a contract with a big government ministry. ...5 days ago
- Truth telling or economic development? To deliver for Indigenous people, the government must do both
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heidi Norman, Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, Convenor: Indigenous Land & Justice Research Group, UNSW Sydney In August, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended the Garma Festival and announced the government’s new Indigenous policy direction. This agenda rises from the ashes ...5 days ago - ‘Room for everyone’: how Kīngi Tūheitia’s message of unity offered an alternative to divisiv...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic O’Sullivan, Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, and Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University Mouners gather at Turangawaewae Marae, August 30. Getty Images The numbers attending the tangihanga for Kīngi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero ...5 days ago
- Welcome back to one of the best dramas on television
The ‘just about perfect’ season one was a tough act to follow, but the new season of Sherwood pulls it off. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. When it comes to British drama, there’s no shortage of high quality, award-winning shows to ...5 days ago
- Newspoll remains tied at 50–50, but Albanese’s net approval slumps
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Newspoll, conducted August 26–30 from a sample of 1,263, had a 50–50 two-party tie between Labor and the Coalition, unchanged ...5 days ago
- Holidays Act overhaul runs into fresh delays
The existing legislation is so unworkable that hundreds of thousands of employees have gone underpaid by billions of dollars. ...5 days ago
- It’s never too late to be a lesbian
On average, lesbians take years longer to come out than gay men. Emily Draper looks into the late-bloomer phenomenon. For most of her life, Kalli Fox was convinced she was straight. Growing up in a religious family in the US Midwest, she joined the military and was deployed overseas, where ...5 days ago
- Jess Hong from 3 Body Problem on her rapid rise and being painfully shy
Growing up, Jess Hong thought she would be a ‘hermit, novelist or poet’ – now she’s a lead actor in one of Netflix’s buzziest shows. Hong joined Kiwibank’s This is Kiwi podcast to talk about her breakout moment, and what it’s like being back in Aotearoa after the wildness of ...5 days ago
- Is the government trying to build a wall between mātauranga Māori and science?
On the surface, these are fights over curriculums, the borders of academic disciplines and how to allocate constrained research budgets. But there are deeper issues at play, writes Tama Nako*. It appears a dramatic reversal is getting under way. Led by National Party minister of science Judith Collins, Cabinet is ...5 days ago
- The NDIS is failing profoundly disabled people who are stuck in group homes. Here’s how to fix thi...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Bennett, Disability Program Director, Grattan Institute Reshetnikov_art/Shutterstock The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is transforming the lives of hundreds of thousands of Australians with disability. For the first time, many can get the help they need to live more independently ...5 days ago
- ‘It’s time to give up on normal’: what winter’s weird weather means for the warm months ahea...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Bowman, Professor of Pyrogeography and Fire Science, University of Tasmania Heavy winds struck south-east Australia over the weekend as a series of cold fronts moved across the continent. It followed a high fire danger in Sydney and other parts of New ...5 days ago
- We found teenage girls don’t know vulvas from vaginas or when their menstrual cycle starts
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Roux, Researcher, Curtin Medical School, Curtin University ClareM/Shutterstock , CC BY It is important for everyone – but especially girls, women and people who menstruate – to understand how ovulation and menstruation work. The menstrual cycle is a key ...5 days ago
- Military veterans with PTSD face an agonising choice: the stigma of declaring it to employers or bei...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard O’Quinn, Lecturer in Management & Leadership, The University of Queensland Australia is home to almost half a million military veterans, most of whom are in the workforce. But most – around 60% – live with long-term health problems. About ...5 days ago
- Without sanctions, making companies disclose their environmental and social impacts has limited effe...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charl de Villiers, Professor of Accounting, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau As of last year, New Zealand’s largest companies and financial institutions have been required to disclose their climate-related risks and opportunities in their annual reports and regulatory filings. This ...5 days ago
- The 10 most chaotic moments from the Celebrity Treasure Island teaser
Tara Ward reacts to the new preview of the upcoming season of Celebrity Treasure Island. Less than a week before Celebrity Treasure Island returns for its sixth glorious year, TVNZ have released a supertease of the season ahead. Against the stunning new backdrop of Te Whanganui-o-Hei in the Coromandel, 18 ...5 days ago
- The rule of Christchurch
Christchurch! Gosh it’s good looking. Its downtown looks shinier, smoother, more interesting with every visit – it looks a hell of a lot better than downtown Auckland, that shambles of cones and 2m-high mesh barriers, crews digging up the road, streets squeezed into one narrow lane, all of it looking ...5 days ago - Korean diplomat’s assault on Kiwi shades Luxon’s visit
Delayed prosecution and botched diplomacy became the worst-ever point of friction between the two countries, documents show The post Korean diplomat’s assault on Kiwi shades Luxon’s visit appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 days ago
- On little sleep, NZ sprinter snares silver
Fatigue got the better of world champion Kiwi sprinter Danielle Aitchison in the final dash to the finish line of the Stade de France, and yet she still hung on for a silver medal – New Zealand’s third podium finish at the Paralympic Games in Paris.Para cyclist Anna Taylor had ...5 days ago
- Understanding the Waitangi Tribunal’s report on the Treaty Principles Bill
In the first of a three-part series on Ngā Mātāpono, the Waitangi Tribunal’s interim report on the proposed Treaty Principles Bill and Treaty provisions review, Luke Fitzmaurice Brown explains what was said about the proposed text of the bill. Earlier this month the Waitangi Tribunal released its long-awaited report on ...5 days ago
- What happened to the Ministry of Health’s ‘evidence brief’ on puberty blockers?
A document intended to outline the ministry’s position on the hormone treatment has been delayed multiple times since its intended release date, reports Stewart Sowman-Lund. This is an extended edition of The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s free daily news wrap. To receive The Bulletin in your inbox every weekday morning, sign ...5 days ago
- Economy of choice: Australia v NZ
As more New Zealanders head to Australia seeking better pay and conditions the contrast between the two economies becomes starker. Australia’s bubbling along nicely and ours in the dreary doldrums.UBS economist Nic Guesnon says our economies are “drifting apart”, in terms of how they are managed by governments and central ...5 days ago
- Cabinet hardened fast-track with ministerial over-ride, before u-turn
New ministers’ bold attempt to claim final decision-making authority back-fired, and they were forced to revert to NZ First’s original proposal The post Cabinet hardened fast-track with ministerial over-ride, before u-turn appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 days ago
- Downed tools leave Auckland’s Seascape an empty shell
It is being marketed as the “very best lifestyle imaginable” by Sotheby’s real estate, an architectural masterpiece due for completion by “Q2 2024”.But that date has come and gone and the Seascape tower in downtown Auckland sits unfinished after work was shut down last month over a dispute between the ...5 days ago
- Police Minister and Commissioner at odds over systemic bias
Mark Mitchell believes systemic bias doesn’t exist in the police force. Andrew Coster thinks the opposite The post Police Minister and Commissioner at odds over systemic bias appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 days ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 2 September
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 2 September appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 days ago
- Daily crossword, Monday 2 September
The post Daily crossword, Monday 2 September appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 days ago
- Framing NZ as a first world country leads to unrealistic ambitions
Opinion: We are often held back from achieving goals by limitations in our thinking that we impose on ourselves. This is true for individuals, whānau, firms and other organisations as well as countries. For sure, we also have limitations of both physical and social kinds on what we can achieve. ...5 days ago
- Fletcher Building share price rallies following leaky pipes agreement
Analysis: Fletcher Building shareholders will be feeling somewhat relieved the company has finally reached a multi-million dollar settlement over the issue of leaky pipes that has resulted in significant damage for hundreds of affected homeowners in Western Australia.Establishing responsibility for the leaky pipes has been a point of contention between the ...5 days ago
- ‘Out of date’ charter school documents removed from website ahead of policy announcement
The Greens are questioning the timing of the removal of documents about past charter school efforts, but David Seymour says that's gotcha politics. ...6 days ago
- Marine consents change to bring security to aquaculture sector, but environmental concerns remain
Mussel farmer Johnny Arbuckle is among those welcoming the new law: "The certainty behind it is just huge." ...6 days ago
- Is Iran’s anti-Israel and American rhetoric all bark and no bite?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shahram Akbarzadeh, Convenor of the Middle East Studies Forum (MESF), and Acting Director the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University On August 27, Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, told the newly elected president, ...6 days ago
- Petitioner reveals NZ First’s original fast track bill, with hidden projects
The House - Petitions often touch on very human stories, or on tricky philosophical issues. This week, one threw explosive new information into an already contentious debate. ...6 days ago
- Dad Astra: My father, the moon and me
When I got the call to say my dad was on his final breaths, the moment felt personal yet framed in a very specific genre. My father was a moon man. He wasn’t an astronaut. He didn’t have the right stuff for that. No, he marketed the moon to Americans ...6 days ago
- ‘They are us’ loses its lustre
Opinion: A claim recently hit headlines that Wellington City Council wanted the capital’s six mosques to broadcast the Islamic call to prayer across town. The claim was included in a pamphlet produced by lobby group Better Wellington and came to light after the city’s posties refused to deliver the pamphlet, ...6 days ago
- An Ode to .. to the Minister of Cutting Red Tape, Seymour of the Grand Scissors
In a small, badly lit room in a large grey buildingSits a middle aged lady by the name of Bev,In charge of keeping count of band aidsIn the hospitals of the nation.Hovering over her shoulder and noting her hourly outputIs an Assistant Watcher of Back Office Band Aid CountersObserving both ...6 days ago
- Breaking news: It’s still winter
It’s the first day of September, meaning thousands of New Zealanders will mistakenly assume it’s also the first day of spring. Lyric Waiwiri-Smith sets the record straight. Across the nation, millions of New Zealanders will be waking up this morning with a renewed sense of wonder, a sprinkling of hope ...6 days ago
- Is New Zealand pulling its weight on climate change in the Pacific?
Analysis - The question has been left lingering after the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum, with Aotearoa taking a back seat on a climate and disaster resilience fund and a new report pointing the finger. ...7 days ago
- Sovereignty debate sees major parties weighing in for first time
The question of whether Māori ceded sovereignty has seen major parties taking stronger positions on the topic than ever before. ...7 days ago
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