Curiouser and curiouser
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- Date published:
10:13 am, May 19th, 2015 - 22 comments
Categories: Abuse of power, accountability, brand key, Dirty Politics, greens, john key, journalism, Minister for International Embarrassment, national -
Tags: ponytailgate
‘
Creepy Key has dodged questions from the Green Party about any contact he may have had with the New Zealand Fox News Herald in the lead-up to Rachel Glucina’s hit job on the cafe worker who’s ponytail he pulled.
The Green Party asked a number of parliamentary questions of the Prime Minister about his, and his office’s contact with Ms Glucina personally, and with Ms Glucina’s PR company Pink PR on April 21, 22 and 23 this year.
“John Key confirmed he had not been in contact with Pink PR but refused to answer questions about his personal contact with Ms Glucina in those days, saying he didn’t disclose his conversations with the media,” Green Party Co- leader Metiria Turei said.
“My question is, did John Key help Ms Glucina stitch up the woman who complained that he’d pulled her hair? And the answer is, John Key won’t rule out he spoke with Glucina around the time of her hit job story.
“Rachel Glucina has boasted about her friendship with John Key, so it’s a legitimate question to ask what contact, if any John Key or his office had with the so-called “gossip queen” before she splashed [the worker’s] identity all over the front page of the New Zealand Herald.
While Creepy Key denied having any contact with Glucina’s PR company, Pink, he answered the the question: “What communication, if any, including, but not limited to, emails, phone calls, letters and text, has the Prime Minister’s office had with the New Zealand Herald on 21, 22 and 23 April 2015?”, with . . .
My office, in particular my media team, is in frequent contact with journalists from the New Zealand Herald, as well as those from Fairfax, TVNZ, TV3, RNZ, Radiolive, Newstalk ZB, etc. It would be unusual for a day to go by without contact as specified in the question. Contact over that time included calls, texts, emails as well as personal contact when members of my media team visited Press Gallery offices. It is not the practice of my media team nor myself to divulge details of the communications we have with journalists . . .
. . . usual fob off with the usual ducking of answering about his own personal involvement.
Also – is Martin Bradbury hinting that there might be another case?
22 comments on “Curiouser and curiouser ”
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Concerns about the tobacco industry’s ability to interfere in government policy making remain, despite the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate the Government’s decision to halve the excise tax on heated tobacco products. ...2 weeks ago
- Urgent wake-up call on climate
The Climate Change Commission’s latest advice indicates Aotearoa needs to be stepping up on climate action. ...2 weeks ago
- Green MP’s Meme-ber’s Bill set to save the world
Break out the punchlines and dust off your meme folder: Green Party MP Kahurangi Carter’s Copyright (Parody and Satire) Amendment Bill was pulled from the Ballot yesterday. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Poroporoaki: Ta Robert (Bom) Gillies
Kua hinga te manawa kairākau o Te Rua Tekau Ma Waru Tiwhatiwha te po! Kakarauru i te po! Ka rapuhia kei hea koe kua riro! Haere e te Ika a Whiro ki o tini hoa kua ngaro atu ki te Pō ...2 weeks ago
- Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principles Bill
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principle...
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ must pursue independent foreign policy
The Green Party says the need is greater than ever for Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue an independent foreign policy. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Winston Peters must apologise
The Deputy Prime Minister should apologise to the public servant he named and blamed for something they did not do, and for misusing the rules of Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
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- MSA pilot participant update
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- Attendance rates increase, again
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- Improving the lives of young New Zealanders
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Tēnā koutou katoa – it is a pleasure to be here today. I would like to begin by acknowledging the important leadership role you all play in ensuring a quality health system New Zealanders can trust. There is enormous clinical expertise in this room covering a wide range of disciplines. ...2 days ago
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Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced New Zealand will contribute NZ$10 million to the new Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage while at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. “New Zealand is joining the global effort to address the significant challenge of responding to ...2 days ago
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- LGFA increases borrowing capacity to support high growth councils
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- Temporary Traffic Management costs revealed
The Government has revealed that over the past three years, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has spent an eyewatering $786 million of taxpayers’ money on road cones and temporary traffic management (TTM), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“When I became Minister, I was surprised to learn that that NZTA did ...2 days ago
- Jurisdiction of Disputes Tribunal to double
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With the launch of Fraud Awareness Week, the Government is committing to new coordination efforts across industry and government to combat online scams, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Online financial scams are a growing problem for New Zealand. New data released today shows that Kiwis lost nearly ...4 days ago
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Minister for Children Karen Chhour will consider the recommendations made by the Social Services and Community Committee in its report back to Parliament on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. “I want to thank the people who made submissions and those who appeared before the committee in ...4 days ago
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The Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Karen Chhour, was on hand to wish riders well at the start of the North Island leg of the White Ribbon Ride in Whakatāne this morning. The ride helps mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, ...4 days ago
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Construction on the next stage of the SH1 Papakura to Drury project will begin early next month, with the contract for works awarded to Fulton Hogan, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. "SH1 Papakura to Drury is a key project that will drive economic growth and productivity, reduce congestion, and enable people ...6 days ago
- NZ signs trade deal with Costa Rica, Iceland and Switzerland
Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has signed a pioneering trade agreement that prioritises New Zealand’s sustainable exports at a ceremony during APEC in Peru today. “The Agreement on Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS), between Costa Rica, Iceland, and Switzerland was concluded in July of this year and opens up significant ...6 days ago
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Five new Aquaculture Settlement Areas will help ensure Ngāi Tahu shares in the opportunities aquaculture offers for Southland’s economy, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. “The Aquaculture Settlement Areas (ASAs) I’m announcing today set aside space so the Crown and Ngāi Tahu can assess their potential for aquaculture development. ...7 days ago
- Government launches review to ensure electricity market is fit-for-purpose
The terms of reference for a review of the performance of the electricity market have been released. The review, initiated by the Coalition Government during the power crisis in winter will look at whether current regulations and market design support economic growth and access to reliable and affordable electricity, Energy Minister ...7 days ago
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Kia ora koutou katoa. Nau mai, haere mai, piki mai. Ki te mihi atu ahau, ki te manwhenua nei, Te Atiawa, Ngāti toa rangatira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Thank you, Andy, for your introduction. Let me acknowledge you as the new Chief Executive of the Social Investment ...7 days ago
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Minister of State for Trade Nicola Grigg has travelled to Australia to attend the PACER Plus Ministers Meeting in Brisbane. “Trade plays a critical role in driving employment, economic growth, and improving the standards of living in the Pacific Region. The Government is strongly committed to supporting Pacific Island countries ...7 days ago
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Toitū te taiao – Our environment endures The Government is consulting on proposals to modernise New Zealand’s conservation management system, aiming to protect relevant natural areas while supporting sustainable growth in tourism and regional economies, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says. “Today, the Department of Conservation – Te Papa Atawhai is ...7 days ago
- Grattan on Friday: Marles plays a defensive bat on nuclear as the government rushes to get though la...
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To use John Key’s tactics against him, he was not discussing the Amanda Bailey case with a journalist but with a public relations consultant used by Ms Bailey’s employers to deal with the case.
So, no confidential relationship between politician and journalist but between instead we had a conversation between a serial hair puller and a PR consultant.
Was the serial hair puller there as the PM, husband, leader of the National Party, head of the PM’s office, the office itself or as a private coffee drinker who just happened to have police guards? Was Ms Glucina being consulted as a journalist/gossip columnist, as a personal friend of the PM as she claims to be, or as a PR consultant?
I’m being partly sarcastic here, but the whole avoidance schtick that is constantly used by John Key, both in his loose use of language and his claim that he wears many hats, is a concern.
Int: Mr Key did you touch the waitress’s hair?
Key: I meet many waitresses in my job as PM and as a father and husband.
Int: But did you touch her hair?
Key: I am a very busy PM and cannot remember every interaction that I had with every person I meet. When I was working for NZ overseas I….
Int: But did you touch the hair?
Key: Perhaps she swished her hair against me as she passed but I cannot remember every waitress. Lots of people like to touch me as it is rumoured that I have great healing powers. Why just last week Prince Harry kept on getting close to me so that he would be in my photos. He…
Int: But did you…
Key: There are more important things to deal with you know. Barack Obama called me….
“. . . usual fob off with the usual ducking of answering about his own personal involvement.”….pretty much the MO for current and past PM’s.
“It is not the practice of my media team nor myself to divulge details of the communications we have with journalists . . .”
Is that normal for the PM’s office? I don’t mean Key (who makes it up as he goes along), but NZ PMs in general. Why would a PM not be open and honest about their contacts with the media?
It does look like Key has wised up to the fact that other people record contact with him, so he’s not going to outright lie any more.
Probably the question of PMs contact with journalists would not have been an issue before Key, but now the questions keep coming because of the dodgy dealings of Creepy Key. Trust him? Even his best friends would be uncertain I reckon.
“Trust him?”
What? No way! Who really can?
I won’t be surprised if his friends now refer to him as ‘the creepy lying assassin’ rather than the ‘smiling’ one!
Here is a new flag image by ‘ropativ’ on MB in TV3 website.
This pony-tail flag signifies that it is never OK to disrespect, demean or show any kind of despicable behaviour towards any woman, even if she is ‘underclass’ or in a lower status than yourself.
Here is the symbolic flag:
https://a.disquscdn.com/uploads/mediaembed/images/2060/8853/original.jpg?w=600&h
Here is the TV3 article and comments:
I thought the editor of the Herald said Glaucina did not work for a PR company. Is owning one different to working for one?
I notice in the stories about Keys social media manager, when he went into a twitter meltdown.
The political stories written afterwards had background information that was written as fact, no reference to interviewing the “twit” involved , but we all know that Key is all ways available to background press gallery reporters.
Unless something new and quite unexpected (read unpleasant) is revealed, I think this issue has run its course against Key. Only a small subset of politically oriented peeps care about it at this stage. Voters are still waiting for a real alternative vision and nation building proposal to that currently offered by National. And they don’t see it yet.
plus calling a dude names, like creepy key, is puerile.
You mean like Angry Andy? Not sure the Right Honorable Mr (Soon to be Sir) John Key would appreciate being called puerile.
Yeah Vaughan. Play the ball not the man. its just really keyreepy behaviour.
http://johnkeytouchinghair.tumblr.com/
But a Prime Minister calling another ‘dude’ names like ‘Angry Andy’ IS ok?
But fondling a stranger’s hair in a café, repeatedly, despite being asked to stop it, is creepy.
Oh and remember the right winger’s nickname for Cunliffe? Makes the word “creepy” sound almost gentlemanly eh?
+1
And remember the way they talked about Helen Clark?
The right wing of NZ have no claim to any sort of high ground on name-calling.
“but but but but Nnnnaaaatttttiiiooonnnaaaalllll…”
😈
It’s not mean if it’s true. Fondling the hair of little girls is creepy. Key did that. Ergo…
“Also – is Martin Bradbury hinting that there might be another case?”
Oh dear. And in a govt department too, so it’s inconceivable that it was any of the other people who inhabit his body.
Tick tock.
It must be nice for him, that the media keep his conversations with them secret…
Their mistake was suggesting glucina is a journalist