Ethics

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Sky City deal – personal vote

Written By: - Date published: 11:52 am, July 10th, 2013 - 30 comments

Multiple reports on Twitter that Key’s grubby Sky City Bill will be a conscience personal vote. If true, I guess we get to see if any Nat MPs have a conscience.

Privacy tools

Written By: - Date published: 9:10 am, July 4th, 2013 - 33 comments

It looks like privacy is going to be an increasingly rare commodity in the brave new world. Want to protect yours? Here are some tools.

Spying against the law? Whatever…

Written By: - Date published: 10:03 am, July 2nd, 2013 - 18 comments

Key’s enquiry into the GCSB report leak appears to have broken the law. He doesn’t give a damn. What a clear and timely example of exactly why Key and the GCSB can’t be trusted with further powers. “Nothing to hide nothing to fear” my arse.

Fairness and freedom

Written By: - Date published: 12:49 pm, June 4th, 2013 - 51 comments

If the left had to pick one word to describe the essence of its political philosophy, that word might be “fairness”. If the right had to do the same that word might be “freedom”. Labour MP David Clark considers the balance.

It’s all in the “game”

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, May 4th, 2013 - 192 comments

Supporters of the sale of the powercos, portray the Labour-Green NZ Power policy in terms of political strategy and game-play.  They focus on the “market”, risk, profits & “fat cat hatred”. They avoid dealing with the guts of the issue: fuel poverty, income inequality & damaged lives.

The stealthy dismantling of democracy

Written By: - Date published: 9:44 am, April 12th, 2013 - 27 comments

John Key’s government has been gradually dismantling NZ’s democratic processes. Various activities this week are a major part of a frightening shift: a Bill enabling mining conservation land; punitive social security Act; Key’s control over NZ’s “intelligence community”.

The Key-Fletcher trail

Written By: - Date published: 11:36 am, April 11th, 2013 - 77 comments

The PM, Fletcher, the GCSB – questions need answering: why, when, where, who? It’s all about intellectual property, global commerce and international networks. From London to Aus 2009, to NZ 2010, then down the rabbit hole to Dotcom, Hobbits & uncertain links with complex global money mazes.

Investigative journalism is not dead

Written By: - Date published: 8:46 am, April 6th, 2013 - 21 comments

Congratulations to Duncan Campbell, Nicky Hager, et al involved in the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists for doing such a great job on the Gobal Offshore Money Maze. The maze includes NZ & Aussie.  The investigation used sophisticated digital technologies.

Key implicated not vindicated

Written By: - Date published: 9:23 am, February 21st, 2013 - 22 comments

As John Armstrong puts it the AG’s report on the Sky City bid was “deeply disturbing” and “verging on banana republic kind of stuff without the bananas”. One of the competing bidders is talking about a refund of costs “wasted on a bid that was never seriously considered”. And why wouldn’t they?

Lange: Old Faiths New World

Written By: - Date published: 9:35 am, January 1st, 2013 - 32 comments

In the slow summer break, here’s a slow, thoughtful speech to ponder.  David Lange’s last public appearance, “Old Faiths New World”, delivered at the University of Otago on 5th August 2004.

Cronyism

Written By: - Date published: 8:24 am, December 1st, 2012 - 19 comments

It appears that Murray McCully is up to his clique-ish ways again. He’s appointed his old mate, and Sky political lobbyist Tony O’Brien to the board of Antarctic New Zealand. What’s that you say? Lobbying doesn’t have much to do with our interests on the white continent and its surrounding waters? Neither does Pay TV?

The elective surgery “success story”

Written By: - Date published: 7:14 am, November 29th, 2012 - 60 comments

In August we were sold a “success story” – the number of elective surgeries was up and waiting times were down. Last night we learned the untold backstory, with reports of complex procedures being dropped to focus on making the numbers look good. Yet another example of the Nats’ micro-management gone wrong.

Another revenge leaking from Nats

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, October 17th, 2012 - 31 comments

Paula Bennett’s MSD ignored not one, but two warnings last year that its public kiosks were insecure. When a third warning came from Ira Bailey, Bennett (or her staff) appear to have leaked his name to the media. Bennett has a history of leaking private details to the media – by taking no action Key is giving his tacit consent.

“Privacy assured!” Politics, the police & surveillance

Written By: - Date published: 11:45 am, October 16th, 2012 - 27 comments

Public trust in the police is at a new low. But what of the trust in our government?  How much collusion is there between the police, government, spy agencies and foreign governments? However, citizens are also using the technologies of the surveillance society to hold the government and state authorities to account.

Herald promotes cheating and tax evasion

Written By: - Date published: 9:51 am, October 8th, 2012 - 223 comments

I was surprised this weekend to see The Herald come out with a strongly stated piece in favour of cheating and tax evasion.

Key / Peters 2014

Written By: - Date published: 9:21 am, September 27th, 2012 - 50 comments

John “power at any cost” Key isn’t ruling out a deal with Peters in 2014. Peters isn’t ruling it out either. Deputy PM Peters anyone?

A fish rots from the head down

Written By: - Date published: 1:50 pm, September 25th, 2012 - 51 comments

Key has failed to uphold high ethical standards for himself, his Ministers, or his government. The GCSB illegal spying fiasco is just the latest example.

Banks must now submit correct return

Written By: - Date published: 11:43 am, September 14th, 2012 - 53 comments

John Key is wrong, John Banks has broken the law. He just did not get prosecuted. The return of donations he signed and submitted in 2010 is false, as the Police have stated. He should now correct it, or he is still in breach of the law.

Marriage equality – how they voted

Written By: - Date published: 10:57 am, August 30th, 2012 - 165 comments

How they voted, some wise words on the range of christian belief, and credit to John Key.

Key knows best about everything

Written By: - Date published: 11:13 am, August 25th, 2012 - 26 comments

Key’s claim that illegal euthanasia is happening in NZ has sparked outraged denials from medical professionals. But Key, of course, is not backing down. Once he’s opened his mouth he knows that he knows best.

15 Ethical “Fails” Under National!

Written By: - Date published: 12:01 pm, August 20th, 2012 - 37 comments

Reprinted with permission from Dave Kennedy (bsprout) at Local Bodies – a very depressing list.

Zero tolerance for privacy breaches

Written By: - Date published: 9:04 am, August 17th, 2012 - 22 comments

Collins can’t credibly call for zero tolerance on privacy breaches while working alongside a Minister who has not only breached privacy, but is unrepentant, and boasting that she might do it again.  Bennett has breached the Privacy Act – what is she doing still in cabinet? The Nats have no credibility while she remains.

Human Rights Commission concludes that Bennett breached privacy

Written By: - Date published: 1:16 pm, August 15th, 2012 - 114 comments

The Human Rights Commission has concluded that Paula Bennett breached the privacy of a private citizen. Apart from releasing an agreed statement, the HRC is not proposing action. John Key won’t propose any either.

McCarten on Banks

Written By: - Date published: 11:41 am, July 29th, 2012 - 56 comments

Matt McCarten doesn’t pull any punches, comparing Banks to both Phillip Field and Winston Peters.

Rorts

Written By: - Date published: 2:14 pm, July 23rd, 2012 - 59 comments

One law for the rich, another for the poor.

Jones affair – politics not always simple

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, May 23rd, 2012 - 227 comments

The media (and the braying right-wing blogs of course) have been bleeding plenty of ink over Shane Jones’ actions in the citizenship case. Jones hasn’t really put his side of the story – until last night.

Contraception debate

Written By: - Date published: 1:48 pm, May 8th, 2012 - 96 comments

The Government is planning to offer free long-term contraception for beneficiaries and their daughters.  At one level its a sensible idea.  But it comes with too much baggage attached.  The Nats have already made such a mess of it that they can’t make this proposal with any credibility.

Euthanasia bill

Written By: - Date published: 11:42 am, May 1st, 2012 - 136 comments

Maryan Street’s “End of Life Choice Bill” has triggered another round of debate. A recent poll shows public support for legalising voluntary euthanasia at an all time high. It’s a question of “when” not “if”.

Rhetoric and reality: Key’s principles

Written By: - Date published: 9:21 am, May 1st, 2012 - 42 comments

In 2008 John Key was loudly telling us about his high standards and principles. The Banks case is yet more proof that it was all a prattle of empty rhetoric.

Firewalls up in smoke

Written By: - Date published: 6:35 pm, April 30th, 2012 - 34 comments

David Cameron’s defence of embattled Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has been called a “firewall” that’s failing to hold.

Cameron needs Hunt to stay or else Cameron is the next to go. It is the same for John Key.

As the stench of corruption around John Banks grows, he desperately needs him to stay or else all he loses legitimacy for asset sales and potentially his majority on the issue as well.

Advice on pokies

Written By: - Date published: 7:20 am, April 5th, 2012 - 83 comments

“Prime Minister John Key says hundreds of extra pokies at Sky City Casino will not increase gambling addiction”. Key is lying and he knows it. That’s why the Nats won’t release the official advice they have received on this topic…