Hacked election

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, August 23rd, 2014 - 37 comments
Categories: john key, national - Tags: ,

John Key says the election is in danger of being stolen by a hacker and some left wing activists. What he is afraid of is that the election is going to be “stolen” by the truth. Nothing will be actually stolen, we all still get to vote, and if Key loses it’s not the hacker or anyone on the left he should blame.

Last election surveys showed that Labour’s policies were more popular than National’s. Asset Sales were their main policy and were particularly unpopular – as the referendum showed us (but it’s alright, a couple of the energy companies have been returning ‘excess’ capital to the 2%…).

But elections aren’t just about policy – as much as geeks like me might like them to be.

I may not agree, but apparently as a whole the electorate decided they found National more competent and likeable than the alternatives, even if they weren’t as keen on the policies.

But above even competence and likeability is integrity. And that’s what the hacker and Hager show is sorely lacking.

Key may claim it’s nothing to do with him as he – like Colonel Klink Sergeant Schultz – ‘knew nothink’. But he’s accountable for what his office does, and who it chooses to consort with.

He can’t say “you go over and do what’s necessary and I’ll stand over here and smile and wave” and not bear responsibility for what his minions do in his name because he refuses to listen to details. That’s not what leadership is about.

He can’t mutter “will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest” and claim innocence because he didn’t do the act.

So the election has come to be about Trust, as Key used to like it to be about, but now that he’s lost that he wants different grounds.

But it’s hardly unfair if we want to vote for a party with an honest leader and someone’s given the electorate a glimpse of his party’s soul.

[Update: fixed for Sergeant Schultz reference and grammatical errors]

37 comments on “Hacked election ”

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  1. aj 1
    23 August 2014 at 7:41 am

    ……And that’s what the hacker and Hager and show is sorely lacking……

    And that’s what the hacker and Hager show is sorely lacking.

    FIFY.

  2. philj 2
    23 August 2014 at 7:47 am

    xox
    I think the “I know nothink” defence was a quote from Sergeant Shultz, the underling, rather than the leader, Colonel Klink.
    I wonder if the real election issue is the ability of the the electorate to see through the pro Government MSM balderdash and see that the country needs a major change of direction. If the electorate can’t see that we are in for a very bleak future. Keys ‘ Brighter Future’ isn’t ‘Working for New Zealand’

    • tc 2.1
      23 August 2014 at 10:13 am

      Brighter futures working for the 2% and their corporate/foreign backers just fine thanks.

      If we are relying on people to see through the govt friendly spin from the MSM we are in trouble, opposition must be disciplined, concise, positive, turn out needs to be high.

      As an electorate nz is easily duped, Nats have done it twice let’s hope it’s not a hatrick for our kids sake.

    • Draco T Bastard 2.2
      23 August 2014 at 3:20 pm

      I think the “I know nothink” defence was a quote from Sergeant Shultz, the underling, rather than the leader, Colonel Klink.

      It was but I’m sure that there was one episode where Klink used it as well.

  3. disturbed 3
    23 August 2014 at 7:48 am

    “But above even competence and likeability is integrity. And that’s what the hacker and Hager and show is sorely lacking.”

    Integrity?
    Try this scenario!

    Key & his Wall St mate Krieger repeat what they did when Labour booted them out in 1984 he will leave NZ after pushing up the dollar with their money, and then pulling it out and slumping the dollar and again making yet another $40 million again.

    Key and Krieger were written up in global news as one of the most successful raids ever made on a county’s currency.

    So don’t have any illusions that this man known as the smiling assassin is nice, he is ruthless.

    http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2008/11/10/financial-markets/keys-house

    John Key is living proof that not all heads of derivatives operations for large US investment banks end up in the dog house. Some get to run their own country.

    Key was elected prime minister of New Zealand last weekend after his National Party achieved a crushing victory over the incumbent Labour government of Helen Clark.

    The timing of his elevation, in the midst of a financial crisis, may be quite prophetic. After all, Key’s rise to prominence in foreign exchange circles came after he struck a rewarding relationship at Bankers Trust with Andy Krieger, a daring New York-based trader who launched a legendary raid against the NZ dollar in 1987.

    Krieger reportedly bet more than the country’s entire money supply against the currency, forcing it down sharply and taking massive profits in what is still described as one of the finest forex plays ever completed.

    • Chooky 3.1
      23 August 2014 at 9:37 am

      @ disturbed ….That should be a Post…it is quite shocking!… It must be made widely known. How come we didnt know about this before?

      ie

      [If] ..”Key & his Wall St mate Krieger repeat what they did when Labour booted them out in 1984 he will leave NZ after pushing up the dollar with their money, and then pulling it out and slumping the dollar and again making yet another $40 million again.

      Key and Krieger were written up in global news as one of the most successful raids ever made on a county’s currency…”

      …Key is a CUCKOO in our New Zealand NEST !

      …He is NOT a KIWI!

    • Kelvin 3.2
      23 August 2014 at 2:04 pm

      If I understand the linked article correctly it would seem that the one investor potentially caused the 1987 sharemarket crash? And Key was party to that, in some form, and considers that kind of behaviour which drove people to bankruptcy, and perhaps even to suicide because of their loses, but yet he considers that’s okay? Really?
      And we expect integrity from this person?

      • Draco T Bastard 3.2.1
        23 August 2014 at 3:35 pm

        and considers that kind of behaviour which drove people to bankruptcy, and perhaps even to suicide because of their loses, but yet he considers that’s okay?

        Yes, anything to make a buck.

        And we expect integrity from this person?

        Some people might but I’m sure that the majority of people don’t.

  4. Dont worry. Be happy 4
    23 August 2014 at 8:50 am

    Murdoch’s empire breached when the public heard his paper had hacked a dead childs cell phone….National’s empire beached by a hacker’s callous mocking of dead children. Karma.

  5. Observer (Tokoroa) 5
    23 August 2014 at 9:17 am

    Integrity

    Is it really true that not only John key gave deceptive meanings to common english words and phrases; but the Head ombudsman did too; and also the Head of the so called secret service. ?

    All, so that Key’s assault blogger Slater, could get his trumped up filth out on another member of Parliament. What a tricky lil Twisted Quartet ! No wonder they smell so much individually and collectively.

    These three should be arraigned before the Parliament as soon as it reopens. Distorting the truth is a lie. Lies have no place in Democracy or in Justice or in Decency. We all know that.

    Three liars and a hired hand.

  6. cogito 6
    23 August 2014 at 9:25 am

    “stolen”?

    John 8:32 “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”.

    There is nothing that a liar fears more than the truth. Speak the truth and Key will be gone by lunchtime.

  7. Observer (Tokoroa) 7
    23 August 2014 at 9:45 am

    I should have said “these four”. But it is certain that Parliament will refuse to admit Slater. The cleaners would refuse to lift and carry that walking blogging hump of refuse.

    Therefore , the stench of four will be adequately replaced by the stink of big three. A trio no less.

  8. disturbed 8
    23 August 2014 at 10:01 am

    Watching Nation on TV3 and they told us a political Party 30 second add aired on TV is $10 000 dollars, that’s just for the air time not the cost of making it.

    That is a ridiculous cost of advertising, and this would be a worse affect on Election results than the “hacking debate” National!! , as we all know who bankrolls your party, Corporations receiving pork barrel gifts, of course the self interest 1% mainly all foreign companies.

    • left for dead 8.1
      23 August 2014 at 12:51 pm

      Media outlets love election ‘years’,plenty of cash about.Have a look at their books,always best year for profits.Try not biting the hand..etc

  9. MrSmith 9
    23 August 2014 at 10:11 am

    We now know National have constructed a narrative along the lines of ‘the others cant be trusted’, or we will all be made to ‘go barefoot and cycle to work’ if they get in, so basically spreading doubt and playing on our fear of the future, simple really.
    The Left have basically sat back and watched this happen hoping (or should that be praying) that if they keep the moral high ground everything would be ok in the end.

    But you can’t make changes to the system from the opposition benches, the very thing National used to undermine our Democracy with, ‘the internet’, will hopefully bring about their downfall, it turns out we are not as anonymous as we thought we were, especially when the spotlight is brought to bare.

    So now it turns out, “The press secretary of Cabinet minister Gerry Brownlee has admitted posting anonymously to the Whale Oil blog” Oh Dear the people in Christchurch that are still sitting in their broken homes almost 4 years on and all the other tens of thousands that have lived through the nightmare, that is EQC, are going to love this.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11313039

    • Draco T Bastard 9.1
      23 August 2014 at 3:47 pm

      so basically spreading doubt and playing on our fear of the future, simple really.

      National always play on peoples fear. Unfortunately, it works for them at least some of the time. Then throw in playing on peoples greed as well.

      • MrSmith 9.1.1
        23 August 2014 at 4:46 pm

        Herald story appears to have changed, now it’s a former Brownlee staffer, picture of Brownlee taken down also and replaced with one of Nick Bryant, National damage control team in full swing know-doubt.

        Anyway good to see the Media doing their job for a change, instead of just hanging around for hand-outs, keep digging please the smoking Gun could be just around the corner.

  10. reason 10
    23 August 2014 at 10:27 am

    I think its exceedingly good that NZ has such a nice straight up Politician like Metiria who can look a camera straight in the eye and speak with such honesty and integrity.

    Compare this to our flash Wall Street Banker type prime minister who is too scared to answer direct question because he is shitting himself with all the deceit he has previously engaged in.

    If Eagleson Keys chief of staff and a former top marketing exec for DB Brewries gets thrown under a bus to protect johnny two face then he can go back to working in the piss industry.

    He’s been very successful with the nats caving in to intense liquor lobbying ( read that as drug corruption nz style ) and gutted any meaningful alcohol reform.

    He’s also closely affiliated the prime minister to a hate blog which ran attack pieces on health professionals who are only concerned with reducing “alcohol abuse” …… that in turn would reduce things like you know …. crimes and disease and stuff…… a good example being Roastbusting.

    We now can see right in front of our eyes what happens when you mix alcohol industry ethics with a greedy Wall St Banker type prime minister.

    Its gets dirty, ugly and probably illegal.

    Anyway good luck to key in his efforts to un-shit his bed

    vote clean vote green ….. truer now than ever before 🙂

  11. Thinker 11
    23 August 2014 at 1:50 pm

    “He can’t say “you go over and do what’s necessary and I’ll stand over here and smile and wave” and not bear responsibility for what his minions do in his name because he refuses to listen to details”

    He can, and he did do this, for quite some time, as some of his colleagues appear to have done, if Hager is correct. In my opinion, that’s why Hager’s book is selling in droves – its some kind of shock reaction to what voters have let themselves put up with.

    The main reason, I think, is that governments have been allowed to critique their own performance. You can see it in the ‘one-size-fits-all’ responses to some of the Hager allegations. Key does something, and Key himself is asked “Why did you say/do that?” and there’s always been a reason, so no further questions asked.

    Cunliffe, like Shearer before him, generally only got press when the government, or its friends, it seems, put a story out there.

    We have an opposition to hold the government to account, but for a variety of reasons, on both sides of the white line, in my opinion, it hasn’t been effective. A photo-op with a freshly-caught snapper in each hand was never going to be enough to hold the government to account, for example, and the government got its way that day. The media hasn’t really made use of the opposition viewpoint, to offer a balanced opinion, as much as it might have, either, in my opinion. Cunliffe’s been saying plenty, but only a minority has listened, the rest prepared to believe the platitudes and rugby jokes. Until this week.

    There are still articles about the dangers of a Capital Gains Tax. Where are the articles to point out that NZ is one of few countries without one, for example.

    The same thing has been happening, I think, over the life of several political generations.

    Hager’s book has sent the journalists looking for someone else to critique Key’s performance, for a change, and I think that might be a sea-change that is good for the country, if it sticks.

  12. dv 12
    23 August 2014 at 7:04 pm

    Well well well

    This
    Good to see some one has ethics!!

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=11313017

    A former Whangarei Boys’ High pupil who describes himself as a “hobby hacker” has exposed security flaws in the National Party’s website.
    Mr Brodie said he had alerted the party and waited until the problem had been fixed before going public via his blog.

    http://www.joshbrodie.co.nz/2014/08/21/national-party-web-security.html

    I started looking into political party website security with a mind to start a roughly non-partisan ‘state of web security’ conversation. Moments into beginning on that, I was thoroughly blown out of the water by the Dirty Politics revelations. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been paying attention to the websites of left-wing parties but I haven’t been able to resist putting more of a focus into whether John Key may be throwing “Labour left the security off” stones from within a glass house.

    Every time he’s made a statement to that effect this week, I’ve winced. I’ve winced because earlier in the week I found that mynational.org.nz, which is a members only site, allowed visitors who were not logged in to cycle through profile pictures of members. This allowed members of the public to view/download images, mainly close-up photographs, of the 600-700 National members who have added profile pictures to their online accounts.

    I’m not a professional tester of security things

    To National’s credit, they got onto this pretty quickly once the situation was understood, with frontline phone staff very quickly escalating the issue, leading to National HQ confirming with me today that they’ve fixed it, which is why I’m happy to talk about it. They’ve also fixed an issue I raised even earlier which involved national.org.nz’s login system redirecting users anywhere you told it to, so a link to national.org.nz/sign-in/?

  13. georgecom 13
    23 August 2014 at 7:19 pm

    No John Key, the election is not being stolen. The last time that was tried, it was by you and your party back in 2005. Remember that, a million $ off the book election advertising. You were not successful that time, thank goodness for NZ.

    So no, the election is not being stolen. What IS going on is that the Hagar et al revelations ARE proving damaging and difficult for Key. If they are stealing anything, it is Keys public image of integrity and honesty. His carefully crafted public persona is being stolen, if you like, and so should it.

    At various points in the past week Key has complained that the election should be about policy. Yes, it should be. The change of government has put out detailed and credible policy setting a clear direction for NZ. National, well, the only policy they have put out is Team Key.

    And that is the problem for Key. He intended to make the election all about personalities, not policy. It was to be all about team Key. That carefully crafted image, that pretence of policy, but the cult of personality. Suddenly however, his credibility is under question, that public image tarnished and people are looking at that nice man John Key with different eyes.

    Key does not have control over the election spin, the branding of his image, someone else does. He does not like it, he is worried about it and he resents it.

  14. Ron 14
    23 August 2014 at 11:13 pm

    why the constant refrain ‘Hacker’
    I can understand the Natgs wanting to paint it as a hacker but does anyone have any proof that the information was obtained by a hacker
    There are simpler alternatives

  15. twistarillo 15
    24 August 2014 at 4:51 pm

    I’m in Australia at the moment and I’ve found it quite surprising all the input on the tv from the shadow cabinet(opposition parties) quite often in a piece they’ll have the current minister then the shadow minister. Bit off topic I know but I’ve found it quite strange.