English still digging

Written By: - Date published: 8:03 am, June 24th, 2017 - 44 comments
Categories: Abuse of power, accountability, bill english, national, same old national, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: , , , , , , ,

Bill English seems determined to bury the last shred of his credibility in a deep hole forever:

Nobody realised Todd Barclay recording of secretary might be a crime: Bill English
…
Barclay, who had publicly denied taping her and refused to co-operate with the police, won’t seek re-election as Clutha-Southland MP in the September election.

Speaking to media in Auckland, English said during the dispute his advice to Barclay had been that “that wasn’t good behaviour”.

When a police investigation started it raised issues about possible offences and “I don’t think [it] had occurred to anybody that there may be some potential offence”, English said.

In 2008 Bill English and others were secretly recorded at a National Party conference. In various incidents English criticised Obama and talked about dismantling Working for Families, selling Kiwibank, and so on. National ran the “Illegal!!” line hard:

Why is it that no members in the Labour Party can bring themselves to say that it is wrong to sneak around party conferences under false pretences, illegally taping private conversations? I say that is wrong; it shows a decline of political standards in New Zealand.

and

More seriously, Joyce leapt to the conclusion that the taping was “illegal”, a serious criminal allegation that has yet to be tested in court.

and

National leader John Key said he may lay a complaint with the police if legal advice suggested privacy, telecommunications or trespass laws had been broken.

and

National has requested security footage of its conference in a bid to hunt down the infiltrator, and is thinking about calling in the police if it establishes that laws have been broken.

In 2011 Bradley Ambrose accidentally left a device running and recorded Key and Banks. Once again the Nats ran with “Illegal!!”. Key:

Mr Key has laid a police complaint over the recording, saying it was illegally made, and police said today they would execute search warrants at four media outlets for any material they might have related to it.

Joyce:

National’s campaign manager Steven Joyce said the Herald on Sunday has “many questions to answer” on how the illegal taping came about.

Even Mike Hosking had a go:

The rule is very clear and the law is very clear. Unless you have an understanding that you’re being recorded then it’s illegal to record you – that’s all part of the Crimes Act

It’s not to say that the Nats were right in those cases, but “illegal” was the line they ran. You’d have to say that the issue of secret taping has had a pretty good outing in NZ. But Bill English wants you to believe that the events of 2008 and 2011 never happened, and that when the police became involved “I don’t think [it] had occurred to anybody that there may be some potential offence”. Only the most “devoted” of followers will believe him.

https://twitter.com/JohnKeyMustGo/status/878026693046263813

https://twitter.com/DavidSlack/status/877989073721335808

44 comments on “English still digging ”

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  1. Rob 1
    24 June 2017 at 8:21 am

    As well as telling outright porkies one would think Bill would know it is a crime to do this type of recording.

  2. Incognito 2
    24 June 2017 at 8:49 am

    It is legal to ‘tape’ in the interest of National national security, just ask Tim Groser. [sarc]

  3. marty mars 3
    24 June 2017 at 8:51 am

    Wow he really is thick. Billshitter is lying again imo he is not going to make it to the election.

  4. Penny Bright 4
    24 June 2017 at 9:00 am

    ‪Is PM Bill English now a lapsed Catholic?

    ‪Or has his memory lapsed regarding the Ten Commandments?‬

    ‪”Thou shall not bear false witness”?‬

    In my view – decent Kiwis don’t like, or trust BILLSHIT.

    Penny Bright

    2017 Independent candidate for Tamaki.

    Exposing the $1.6 billion Tamaki ‘Regeneration’ – GENTRIFICATION $CAM.

    • Psych nurse 4.1
      24 June 2017 at 9:05 am

      Three Hail Mary’s and all is forgiven.

      • Once Was Tim 4.1.1
        24 June 2017 at 12:51 pm

        He was on the phone to Connor @Psych nurse as you typed, to see if he could borrow one or two brain cells and a few “Hail Mary’s”.
        Conner said “Bill! You really really owe me this time”.

    • Frankie and Benjy 4.2
      24 June 2017 at 9:25 am

      Love the term Billshit.
      Bullshit that is just too dumb to believe!

    • Draco T Bastard 4.3
      24 June 2017 at 1:09 pm

      Is PM Bill English now a lapsed Catholic?

      Was he ever a catholic or is it just camouflage for the sociopath beneath?

      I’m picking it’s the latter.

    • Cinny 4.4
      24 June 2017 at 2:15 pm

      Penny you crack me up 😀 Nicely said. Loving “Billshit” I’m going to use that in future if you don’t mind, brilliant and thank you x

  5. ianmac 5
    24 June 2017 at 9:09 am

    We have to understand that taping is not a crime when National do it because they are entitled to make their own rules. You peasants will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

    • Draco T Bastard 5.1
      24 June 2017 at 1:11 pm

      Exactly what I was thinking.

      It’s the typical One law for National and another for everyone else thinking that they always employ.

      • Blade 5.1.1
        24 June 2017 at 6:58 pm

        Draco, does that also apply to accommodation for Yankee Political Interns?

        In other words, one law for every landlord to follow, with Labour exempt?

        Or as the average man likes to snidely snigger….. the left love different ways of solving problems as long as it’s their way.

        Before throwing stones, please step out of the glasshouse.

        • Draco T Bastard 5.1.1.1
          24 June 2017 at 7:25 pm

          Fuck you’re a moron.

          The accommodation for the interns didn’t break any laws.

          Or as the average man likes to snidely snigger

          No, that would be morons like you who have NFI WTF they’re talking about.

          the left love different ways of solving problems as long as it’s their way.

          Which is, as expected from a RWNJ, completely meaningless as you try to conflate many with one.

          • Blade 5.1.1.1.1
            24 June 2017 at 7:42 pm

            ”Fuck you’re a moron.

            The accommodation for the interns didn’t break any laws.”

            What has Barclay been charged with, Einstein?

            • Draco T Bastard 5.1.1.1.1.1
              24 June 2017 at 7:52 pm

              What has Barclay been charged with, Einstein?

              He hasn’t been charged due to the police being incompetent. Prima facie evidence suggests that he and several other National Party supporters broke several laws.

              The police, having been caught with their pants down, have reopened the case although I’m not holding my breath that they’ll charge this time either.

              BTW: You’re the one suggesting that the intern thing broke some laws so I suggest you put up the evidence for that.

    • McFlock 5.2
      24 June 2017 at 10:26 pm

      Yep. It always catches tories by surprise when they’re held to even half the standard they expect for their opponents and poor people.

  6. Tautoko Mangō Mata 6
    24 June 2017 at 12:06 pm

    …but in the case that taping IS a crime, “it hasn’t been established that the tapes actually exist.” English on The Nation.

    • dv 6.1
      24 June 2017 at 12:13 pm

      “it hasn’t been established that the tapes actually exist.” English on The Nation.

      So why is Barclay goonbugger then!!!

    • dukeofurl 6.2
      24 June 2017 at 12:37 pm

      yes . English seems to have doubled down now..

      ‘taping never existed it was just a dispute between two people’

      Hes learnt well from Key, if caught out dont be contrite, in fact enlarge on the falsehoods as you can win by repetition.
      Strange that Gower seems to be letting him spin it ?

  7. marty mars 7
    24 June 2017 at 1:38 pm

    So English to Gower on the nation – top story nzh – I knew both parties really well. And a wee bit later yeah it is true I couldn’t remember who told me. He shouldn’t be able to get away with that imo.

  8. Treetop 8
    24 June 2017 at 6:05 pm

    I want to know if the commissioner of police has a copy of the tapes?

    If he has a copy, I want him to tell me what is going to be done to inform the person/people that Barclay taped them unlawfully?

    and

    Whether or not this is new information?

    Dickson was not talking to herself when Barclay taped her.

    Office of the Commissioner of Police may try to say that the people Dickson spoke to cannot be identified so no breach of privacy.

    I am not a lawyer, however I am not an idiot either.

    English’s statement to the police has been with held, Id love to see the police file on the matter.

  9. Robert Guyton 9
    24 June 2017 at 8:38 pm

    Bill, Bill, Bill. This is awful.

  10. Psycho Milt 10
    24 June 2017 at 10:13 pm

    Just watching Patrick Gower’s interview with Bill English, in which English keeps repeating “the fact of the recording has never been established.”

    That’s just astonishing. English texted the electorate chairman to say Barclay had told English he’d made recordings of his staff member, and later told the Police the same thing in a sworn statement. Now he says it hasn’t been established a recording ever existed. What the fuck are we supposed to make of that? That maybe Barclay just made it up to make himself look bad? That English passed idle gossip that may or may not have been true to one of his party’s electorate chair’s, about that electorate chair’s MP? That he said something that might not have been true in a sworn statement to the fucking Police, of all people? For fuck’s sake, who told him this was a good idea? Andrew Little?

    • dukeofurl 10.1
      24 June 2017 at 10:31 pm

      And the top people at national made a secret extra payout to an employee over something that didnt exist ?

      Its a common tactic nowdays with politicians and public officials, they expect to be judged only by the standards of court procedure regarding evidence and proof of guilt.

      Its crazy idea, its shouldnt even be on the balance of probabilities , if they arent trustworthy at all is over.
      The evidence is all circumstantial but its enough.
      You could almost think Barclay ‘exit package’ included some sort of indemnity about his criminal acts- they will all sing from the same song sheet- there was no tape.

    • marty mars 10.2
      24 June 2017 at 10:37 pm

      Yep just watched it at last – thanks.

      Well the billshitter in full flight – he’s still lying. Fuck does he lie to his God like that – what a disgraceful shifty eyed wanker.

  11. Frankie and Benjy 11
    25 June 2017 at 7:37 am

    I have just watched the video with Patrick Gower and there was plenty of billshit in it. I found the repeated assertion that “I’m not a lawyer” so I can’t understand a law particularly billshitty. He is in parliament, and MAKES the laws! If he can’t get his head around a law, he shouldn’t be in parliament.

  12. Frankie and Benjy 12
    25 June 2017 at 7:41 am

    Another big kaplosh of billshit was lying by omission about why the police dropped the criminal investigation. Not that “there was no criminal activity” but Barclay refused to talk to police after promising that he would.

  13. Tamati Tautuhi 13
    25 June 2017 at 8:34 am

    Toddy, JK & Bill should have sought professional advice before bugging the National Party Electoral Offices ?

  14. Treetop 14
    25 June 2017 at 1:56 pm

    So many times I have heard the minister of police say that they cannot interfere in a police matter. For English and others to have decided that nothing criminal had occurred was not for them to make a judgement on, (Bush has this right). From the onset Crown Law should have been consulted.

    The Barclay scandal has some similarities with the Rickards scandal re being an employment issue. In the Rickards case a hearing was held first regarding a criminal allegation and then the employment matter was dealt with.

  15. The New Student 15
    25 June 2017 at 2:41 pm

    What a week! BarBar’s Bizarre Adventure

    Part 1: Phantom Recording
    Part 2: Criminal Tendency
    Part 3: Bullshit Crusaders
    Part 4: Debarclay is Unsalvageable

    I can’t think of anything for the rest (From JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure – Hirohiko Araki)

  16. Philj 16
    25 June 2017 at 3:02 pm

    All brewing up to be another human dinger unpopulatity mud wrestle come September. Can it surpass 2014? Next episode tomorrow! It’s a sick joke and we are paying for this man ure. The British are awakening, the Yanks too. Everywhere is unsettled and angry with the status quo. Our media pumps the Abs and the AM Cup! Lol