Has Julian Assange been charged?

Written By: - Date published: 7:22 pm, November 16th, 2018 - 67 comments
Categories: Donald Trump, International, us politics - Tags:

Late post for a Friday but I am sure there will be a lot of interest in this.

And I am sure the debate will be vigorous. Because it appears that Julian Assange of Wikileaks fame has been charged with so far unknown offences.

I noticed this when I saw this tweet:

The information links to this Wall Street Journal article which strangely does not specifically refer to the court document.  The article says this:

The Justice Department is preparing to prosecute WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and is increasingly optimistic it will be able to get him into a U.S. courtroom, according to people in Washington familiar with the matter.

Over the past year, U.S. prosecutors have discussed several types of charges they could potentially bring against Mr. Assange, the people said. Mr. Assange has lived in the Ecuadorean embassy in London since receiving political asylum from the South American country in 2012.

The people familiar with the case wouldn’t describe whether discussions were under way with the U.K. or Ecuador about Mr. Assange, but said they were encouraged by recent developments.

Ecuador’s relationship with Mr. Assange has deteriorated sharply since last year’s election of President Lenin Moreno, who has described him as a “stone in our shoe” and said his continued presence at the embassy is unsustainable.

And Mueller seems to have Assange in his sights:

An indictment from special counsel Robert Mueller that portrayed WikiLeaks as a tool of Russian intelligence for releasing thousands of hacked Democratic emails during the 2016 presidential campaign has made it more difficult for Mr. Assange to mount a defense as a journalist. Public opinion of Mr. Assange in the U.S. has dropped since the campaign.

Prosecutors have considered publicly indicting Mr. Assange to try to trigger his removal from the embassy, the people said, because a detailed explanation of the evidence against Mr. Assange could give Ecuadorean authorities a reason to turn him over.

The exact charges Justice Department might pursue remain unclear, but they may involve the Espionage Act, which criminalizes the disclosure of national defense-related information.

Other media have picked up on the news of the charge.  For instance there is this from the Guardian:

Julian Assange, a major target of the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 US election, has been criminally charged in secret, an apparent mistake in a court filing has indicated.

The court filing, submitted by US authorities in an unrelated case, mentioned the existence of criminal charges against someone named “Assange” even though that was not the name of the defendant.

Assange, who has been holed up in Ecuador’s embassy in London since seeking asylum in 2012, is considered a wanted man by US law enforcement agencies after his controversial publication of classified diplomatic cablesand other secret US government documents.

“The news that criminal charges have apparently been filed against Mr. Assange is even more troubling than the haphazard manner in which that information has been revealed,” Pollack said in an email.

I am not so sure.  Releasing state secrets tends to attract the attention of the state innvolved and the accuracy of the release does not affect liability.

The disappearance of Wikileaks and Fox News from the twittersphere over the past five days has intensified speculation about the cause.  Maybe this is it.

And Donald Trump has been in a particularly foul mood lately.  It appears he is aware of what is coming up:

I am aware this topic causes all sorts of angst amongst lefties. I am of the Hillary would have been a poor choice but this should not have happened variety. Please keep your comments respectful.

67 comments on “Has Julian Assange been charged? ”

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  1. McFlock 1
    16 November 2018 at 7:38 pm

    So if I understand correctly, they were using a previous application for a sealed complaint as a template, and didn’t update all the references to the subject of the previous application – Assange.

    Unless they’ve used the same template for 7 years or so, it’d be about the 2016 election, surely?

    • mickysavage 1.1
      16 November 2018 at 7:56 pm

      I don’t know. WikiLeaks has suddenly appeared.

      https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/1063259537501814784?s=19

      I agree the reference does not make sense unless it is a cut and paste job.

      But the Guardian and other media are running with the story.

      • McFlock 1.1.1
        16 November 2018 at 8:01 pm

        I’m also unfamiliar with the distinction between “complaint” and “charged” – is it that they wanted everything on the QT while they investigated until they made an arrest/subpoena for questioning, or is it in essence a secret arrest warrant?

        The Moreno angle is also interesting – on the plus side for Assange, the yanks aren’t likely to diplomatically reward Ecuador for turning him over while Trump is in charge.

  3. Morrissey 3
    16 November 2018 at 8:09 pm

    You seem to forget—actually, you know perfectly well—why the U.S. and its U.K. vassal want to destroy Julian Assange.

    • mickysavage 3.1
      16 November 2018 at 8:10 pm

      Time will tell Morrissey. I can’t imagine Trump getting upset by a prosecution for this.

      • Morrissey 3.1.1
        16 November 2018 at 8:14 pm

        Trump said, infamously, “I love Wikileaks.” I think that was just another of his lies.

        • Incognito 3.1.1.1
          16 November 2018 at 8:58 pm

          Maybe Trump thought WikiLeaks is a euphemism for something rather different.

          • WILD KATIPO 3.1.1.1.1
            17 November 2018 at 8:36 am

            The only reason there is so much vehemence towards Assange is because of things like this that exposed what was REALLY going on…

            Julian Assange: US knows Saudi and Qatari sponsor ISIS – YouTube

          • Dennis Frank 3.1.1.1.3
            17 November 2018 at 9:51 am

            The media missed a golden opportunity to ask him to explain that comment. But he didn’t say “I love Assange”. Having them debate the Russian connection in front of a live audience would be fun: battle of the narcissist airheads! Each upstaging the other continuously in order to be the centre of attention. Particularly intense rivalry generated if the show was promoted to have the winner selected by audience vote.

            Trump would win if he summed it up like this: “Dude, you just operate the platform. I provide the motive. Obviously it’s in Russia’s interests to get an anti-establishment candidate elected to the US presidency. Didn’t even have to be me!” False modesty always an effective ploy for a narcissist, guaranteed to impress any shallow tv audience.

            “I won because the voters were pissed off with the US establishment. Still are. So we just got ourselves a common-interest situation between Russians and Americans – no need to invent any conspiracy. Be sensible, folks, don’t let the media distract you from the threat from China. The Russians are helping us deal with that.”

  4. Tricledrown 4
    16 November 2018 at 8:41 pm

    Morrissy you over look that Putins puppet Trump was happy to have Steve Bannon, Jared Kucshner, Don Jr all collude with Putin to use Wikileaks to maximise damage to Clinton’s campaign.
    Putin also fueling white racist Nationalism in Europe by funding Farage, le Pen.
    Why to weaken Nato.

    • In Vino 4.1
      16 November 2018 at 9:29 pm

      Nice irony, Tricledrown. Conspiracy theories like that get ridiculed when applied to 9/11, etc, but apparently Putin is capable of all the dastardly subtleties that our dark state is incapable of…

      • McFlock 4.1.1
        16 November 2018 at 10:57 pm

        Fair point – except didn’t Kushner or one of the trumps release emails explicitly stating what they hoped to get out of the meeting? Literally long the lines of meeting a russian who might have information to use against Clinton?
        Changes the angle of Occam’s Razor a bit, that.

  5. Bill 5
    16 November 2018 at 8:48 pm

    A guy receives information and publishes it. Most people call that journalism. And all journalists worth their salt protect (do not divulge) their sources if the information is sensitive.

    Are those who would see Assange hung out to dry of the persuasion that all journalists should be compelled to reveal their sources and/or face persecution and prosecution for releasing accurate and truthful information that has been passed to them?

    Whatever you’re personal feelings might be about Assange, (and let’s face it, many people apparently despise him in spite of not knowing him) – unless you’re in the business of enabling others to kill all access to information that might be embarrassing or inconvenient to elites, then I’d suggest a shift in position.

    • Tricledrown 5.1
      16 November 2018 at 9:30 pm

      Bill Assange being played by Putin is different to other actions.
      Mueller could be his get out of jail free card. Trump will not want Assange alive or in the US being supeoned by Mueller.

      • Bill 5.1.1
        16 November 2018 at 10:46 pm

        DNC emails coming into the public domain is “being played by Putin”?!

        Okay. Just for arguments sake, let’s go with that. Where is the concrete proof that backs the assertion – ie, that Podesta’s emails were hacked by the Russian government and passed to Wikileaks by the Russian government?

        There is less circumstantial and actual evidence for that scenario than there is for a direct downloading of Podesta’s emails onto a piece of hardware. (Internet capabilities at the time would not have allowed the info to be transferred at the rate it was transferred)

        And should you want to poo-poo that, then the question is why the supposed identity of a leaker is to determine what is fit for public consumption and public debate, and not the accuracy of the info? Should people with pimples be allowed to put true and accurate info into the public domain?

        • Tricledrown 5.1.1.1
          16 November 2018 at 10:58 pm

          Bill just keep believing Assange is purer than siberian snow.
          Yet Russia has the ability to hack computer systems and all the evidence so far points at Putin.
          You are in lala land if you think that Putin is not meddling in Nato allies politics.

          • Bill 5.1.1.1.1
            17 November 2018 at 10:36 am

            I don’t believe Assange is “purer that siberian snow”. So there’s that. To keep with your metaphor, Assange, like everyone else, is yellow snow.

            Of course Russia has the ability to hack computer systems, and of course Russia does hack computer systems. There have been many allegations made to the effect that Russia perpetrated a hack of the DNC server, but no evidence has been made public. It’s apparently just a fact that the transfer rates of data could not have been achieved by way of a hack.

            I’m not in la la land, because I don’t think or believe what you suggest I think or believe.

            But anyway, remember when “everyone” was lauding Assange and Wikileaks in the wake of Chelsea Manning’s leak? What’s changed bar people being instructed to think of Assange as a “bad person”?

            I wonder if those same fickle types would have us burn the works of Einstein seeing as how he was apparently such an abusive bastard in his personal relationships?

        • McFlock 5.1.1.2
          16 November 2018 at 11:00 pm

          Well, if that’s what the apparent charges relate to, he shouldn’t have any trouble at trial, then.

        • WILD KATIPO 5.1.1.3
          17 November 2018 at 8:25 am

          Poo pooing.

          🙂

          Don’t Pooh-pooh a Pooh-poohing | Blackadder Goes Forth … – YouTube

      • One Two 5.1.2
        17 November 2018 at 1:27 pm

        Obviously you have no idea what ‘hacking’ is…

        Or just how easy it is to make a ‘hack’ look like it originated from ‘anywhere’…forget there is zero credible evidence…zero

        Consider broadening your reading base, Tricledrown….I’ve suggested that to you on another subject in the recent past….

    • Lucy 5.2
      17 November 2018 at 11:11 am

      Actually Bill I would not call that journalism – the fact you think it is is most of tje problem! Journalism is receiving information, verifying it by use of more than one source, collating the information in a way that allows the reader to process the data and take a position, and get as response from the affected person (either before or after the original information is published). Wikileaks is a publish dump house – these are also important but they are not staffed by journalists.
      Whatever I feel about Julian Assange, mainly due to his throwing Chelsea Manning to the wolves, I do not think he is covered by Journalistic privilege. He may be covered by whistleblowing laws but they do not seem to work to well in the US.

      • Bill 5.2.1
        17 November 2018 at 11:26 am

        Fair enough on the “not call that journalism” front.

        I don’t know what to call it, as it doesn’t seem to fit neatly into any box.

        Wikileaks are a conduit for leaked info? And by making it available to the public they might be considered publishers? But not in the traditional sense seeing as how journalists are ‘expected’ to trawl the material that’s been made available and fashion it for publication?

      • Sacha 5.2.2
        17 November 2018 at 1:34 pm

        Yes. Journalism is also about applying professional ethics to decide whether something is in the public interest to publish. Well, it used to be.

        • francesca 5.2.2.1
          17 November 2018 at 2:16 pm

          A very slippery slope

          • Sacha 5.2.2.1.1
            17 November 2018 at 6:33 pm

            Originally that responsibility was regulated and balanced against privileged access and some legal immunity. Media now seem to expect the privileges without honouring the obligation, and governments have stopped regulating.

  6. David Mac 6
    16 November 2018 at 9:14 pm

    For a Russia sitting on manipulative information, Assange would have to be an attractive dirt distributor.

    I think he retains enough credibility to get a plausible story to stick.

    • Tricledrown 6.1
      16 November 2018 at 11:01 pm

      Assange is a fame seeker and was an easy target because he wants to remain relevant because he has a few die hard groupies!

      • WILD KATIPO 6.1.1
        17 November 2018 at 9:49 am

        Why didn’t the George Soro’s mass media cover what Assange did ?

        Wonder why… globalist media and propaganda?

        Which side are you on , boy , which side are you on ?

  7. Tricledrown 7
    16 November 2018 at 9:25 pm

    If Assange is extradited to the US Mueller will give him an option to turn states evidence something Trump will not want.
    Now Facebook has been found supporting anti semmetic hate speech towards George Soros I knew it all along the haters on this site need to apologise.

  8. WILD KATIPO 8
    17 November 2018 at 6:57 am

    Julian Assange has been through extraordinary circumstances , and trumped up charges ( no pun intended ) who were obviously plants. The far left have jumped on those because they support the Democrats. The same party that fought for slavery in the American South , – of which the Republicans opposed during the American civil war.

    Assange has given much to humanity in exposing much of the hypocrisy and corruption , – yet like treacherous dogs who are self seeking, when it doesn’t suit ? – they are prepared to sacrifice his life for their idealistic objectives. And that’s viscous – the same tactics and charges that they lay at the feet of their megalomaniac far right genocidal rivals.

    You Hypocrites !, – first pull the log out of your own eyes before you judge another !!!

    And so ,… here is a tribute to Julian Assange , a wonderful song from The Pogues about his homeland , Australia, – free Julian Assange !!!

    Please enjoy !

    The Pogues – South Australia – YouTube

    • WILD KATIPO 8.1
      17 November 2018 at 7:08 am

      And on a lighter note , this goose bump inspiring sea shanty from Johnny Collins, …

      Now this does it every time for me with a sense of reverence ,.. absolutely awesome composition and vocals. A testament to the simple power of the human voice alone.

      Matter of fact, I would like to give this as a tribute to the Pike River men and all other workers despite this being off topic.

      Johnny Collins – Leave Her Johnny (sea chantey) – YouTube

  9. Adrian Thornton 9
    17 November 2018 at 7:12 am

    It is quite infuriating to see so many people who on the surface seem intelligent and certainly (even though I don’t agree with them often) have the best interests of our land and the world in general, get sucked into this anti Assange + Russia conspiracy.

    The most effective whistle blower in human history, has developed an organization that has NEVER had to retract information for being false or fake, has shone a spotlight on to corruption, misdeeds and massacres of the most powerful countries in the world, and still these useful idiots would see him destroyed….quite bizarre, and very very sad for the Left.

    • boggis the cat 9.1
      20 November 2018 at 1:57 pm

      When the message is unassailable, you attack the messenger.

      Assange has made the mistake of tying his personal celebrity / ego to his organisation, and is paying the price for that.

      • Morrissey 9.1.1
        20 November 2018 at 6:58 pm

        The mistake made by Julian Assange was his choosing to do what any decent journalist would have done if he/she had been entrusted with this evidence of mass murder, viz. he posted this video:

        The rest has nothing to do with his character flaws or any strategic error on his part; it is simply the vengeance of criminals, thwarted by a brave, independent Central American government.

        • boggis the cat 9.1.1.1
          20 November 2018 at 11:02 pm

          It is far more difficult to gin up opposition to an organisation that is divulging criminal behaviour than it is to smear an individual. Assange was foolish to make himself such an easy target.

          Why make it easy for the people coming after you?

          • Morrissey 9.1.1.1.1
            21 November 2018 at 8:32 am

            Why make it easy for the people coming after you?

            Nicky Hager leads a blameless private life. There is no hint of scandal or womanizing around him, as far as I know. That didn’t stop the Key regime from employing the police, in the same way a corrupt businessman uses the gangs, to go round to his house and intimidate him.

            Julian Assange could have led an ascetic lifestyle, but the politicians he angered would still be trying to destroy him.

            You don’t give any credence to those discredited, absurd, byzantine, Soviet-style “charges” against him, do you?

            • boggis the cat 9.1.1.1.1.1
              23 November 2018 at 12:01 am

              My understanding of the alleged crime is that it incurs a fine. (There have been a lot of contradictory claims about the nature of the crime involved, but no claim that it incurs jail time.) So fairly obvious that Assange wasn’t concerned about being convicted for this crime.

              It does matter, however, that he has chosen behaviour that leaves him open to smears and character assassination. His ego has contributed to his situation.

              Compare the antics of Assange to how Edward Snowden has chosen to behave, as an example. He hasn’t done himself any favours.

              • Morrissey …
                23 November 2018 at 9:19 am

                Snowden was widely ridiculed, on this blog and elsewhere, for having a “stripper girlfriend.”

                Assange could be as blameless as the Dalai Lama, and it wouldn’t placate the politicians and murderers he exposed, or mitigate their desire to destroy him.

                Martin Luther King’s last night on earth was spent in an orgy with prostitutes, and Mohandas Gandhi liked to “test” his resolve by sleeping between two naked teenage girls whenever he had the chance. They did themselves no favours either.

                Why are you obsessing about Assange’s personal foibles—let’s reject those wild and false and discredited allegations by the slander-fantasists in CIA and MI5 black ops—instead of concentrating on the reason he is being persecuted?

  10. Stephanie Honeychurch 10
    17 November 2018 at 8:03 am

    (re-submitting because I had mispelt the email address).

    When Wikleaks offered a reward for information on the murder of DNC staffer, Seth Rich, they were telling the world who the leaker of the Podesta emails is. They have never offered a reward before or since. The Podesta emails revealsed many questionable things, but the corrupt mainsteam media has focussed on the release rather than the content of the emails.

    • boggis the cat 10.1
      20 November 2018 at 11:09 pm

      If Seth Rich was the whistleblower then there was no reason to not divulge that when he was murdered. That seemed like opportunistic misdirection, to me, targeted at Clinton conspiracy nuts.

      (Part of Assange’s agenda to get Trump in to power in hopes of crashing the whole US political system. That puts him in the same ‘stupid risk taking’ category as the DNC apparatchiks also trying to get Trump to the candidacy.)

  11. Observer Tokoroa 11
    17 November 2018 at 8:54 am

    “Loveable” Assange – get real

    Just as people throng to Trump like slobby insects to rubbishy pollen, unthinking people throng to Darling Julian Assange who reveals anything about anybody simply because he can hack computer libraries and make money.

    He is deemed Saviour of the world.

    People of sound mind know that Darling Julian has no right whatever to release information that does not belong to him. Nor does he have the right to break and enter the Computers of anybody – other than his own.

    • Dennis Frank 11.1
      17 November 2018 at 9:01 am

      Depends if the USA has whistleblower legislation or not, eh? The moral right to assert the public interest justifies exposures of wrongdoing. I’d expect his lawyers to say so, and I wouldn’t be surprised if half the legal establishment agreed. If the USA were a progressive society, you’d even have half the public on board with that. Rednecks & retards may still outnumber sensible people there, I suspect.

    • WILD KATIPO 11.2
      17 November 2018 at 9:36 am

      So you’d be happy if Pol Pot never was exposed. Too bad he wasn’t because that was before the computer age and before the likes of Assange…

      Whose side are you on , boy, whose side are you on?

    • Morrissey 11.3
      17 November 2018 at 9:54 am

      …information that does not belong to him.

      It belongs to us. The criminals who have power in Washington and London want to keep that information from us. Assange and other journalists have got hold of that information and given it to us. Now we know what we’ve always known—but now it’s irrefutable—that the regimes in the U.S. and U.K. were, and are, massive criminal enterprises.

      Fools like you can rant all you like, but that’s the fact of it.

    • Gabby 11.4
      17 November 2018 at 7:57 pm

      People get altogether too precious about who owns information obbytokky.

  12. Dennis Frank 12
    17 November 2018 at 8:55 am

    There’s a part to this that I don’t get. Nation state theory says that the way sovereignty work is via application of law to citizenry. Application of law to foreigners is not part of that, consequently the only variation on the theory is foreigners breaking domestic law when visiting a country. So, according to that logic, he would have had to be in the US when he published US military intelligence to break their secrecy law.

    Unless there’s some kind of international law that applies, and they are proposing to prosecute him in the basis of that rather than domestic US law, then their threat is mere bluster. Perhaps they are gambling on the Supreme Court deciding to mandate extension of US law into the international arena, kinda like imperialism?

    Dunno if conservative jurists would feel brave enough to go out on such a limb acting like gun-totin’ cowboys, bit of an undignified look for the eminences…

  13. SaveNZ 13
    17 November 2018 at 9:05 am

    Agree with below –

    “One of Assange’s attorneys, Barry Pollack, said it was a “dangerous path for a democracy to take” for a government to bring criminal charges against someone for publishing truthful information.
    “The news that criminal charges have apparently been filed against Mr. Assange is even more troubling than the haphazard manner in which that information has been revealed,” Pollack said in an email.”

    Democracy is the human right most under attack.

    Reminds me of this – where they are prosecuting the whistleblower in OZ not the criminals…

  14. Observer Tokoroa 14
    17 November 2018 at 9:15 am

    Hi Adrian Thornton

    I take it that you have a deep love of Julian Assange. You stupidly give him Carte Blanche.

    Normal people do not accept the crimes of hackers. Normal people do not even enjoy their Bank Accounts being raided.

    Do you think the Computers of Airplanes should be hacked in flight?

    • SaveNZ 14.1
      17 November 2018 at 9:26 am

      There is a difference between a whistleblower and a hacker. Also many differences between hackers, and I’m pretty sure Julian A has not been charged with stealing from bank accounts, he will be being charged for revealing what the double standards of the US military and torture and assassinations of civilians. Is that really a crime now? To reveal the truth about a government who says one thing but is lying to their people?

      • McFlock 14.1.1
        17 November 2018 at 8:15 pm

        Well, no, it’s not a crime. so that’s not what he’ll be charged with.

        It would probably be accessory/conspiracy to commit crimes under the espionage act, and maybe money laundering by taking donations for wikileaks to commit those “crimes”, like KDC being extradited for money laundering althought they really want him for copyright infringement.

    • WILD KATIPO 14.2
      17 November 2018 at 9:40 am

      So you disagree with Hager protecting his sources to expose corruption here in NZ,…

      Whose side are you on , boy, whose side are you on….

      Screw it.. here’s the song , just for you :

      Billy Bragg – Which Side Are You On? – YouTube

  15. Observer Tokoroa 15
    17 November 2018 at 9:55 am

    Hi SaveNZ

    I have to say that spying on other persons information, stealing their information, using hacking algorithms to break and enter Computers that do not belong to them – is iilicit.

    Assange knows that.

    He knows that no Sovereign Nation will ever trust him – the way you do.

    Could I suggest to you that Hacking is a very powerful weapon and far more serious than you may have considered.

    • SaveNZ 15.1
      17 November 2018 at 11:35 am

      HI,Observer Tokoroa, It’s not other people’s information it is the government’s information that was leaked as far as I am aware, which the people of the country pay for through their taxes and have every right to know where the money is going, or if the money might be going on something illegal aka torture etc

      Our government shares your information with the 5 eyes nations where it is impossible to work out if it could be leaked or what have you to private companies now that our defence force seems to be working less for security for the country but more for the 1% and politicians who get donations from that 1% .

      So I am more worried about the government giving away individuals people’s privacy in mass surveillance and how the is being stored and collected, more than I am worried about Wikileaks where in most cases the people leaking the information are doing it to show case crimes against other humans.

  16. Siobhan 16
    17 November 2018 at 11:30 am

    Think of it this way OT.

    Blasting someone with radiation is a ‘bad thing’, it’s illicit, it’s a crime. and If I randomly exposed my children to radiation I would be a bad person, a psychopath in fact.

    But, if my children had Cancer, then not only would radiation be a ‘good thing’, I would in fact be considered a criminal for not having them blasted with radiation.

    So think of our Governments, Political Parties and the Industrial Military Complex as being like a sick child. One we must put through a ‘bad thing’ so as to hopefully cure them.

    Julian Assange is simply one surgeon in a complex system trying to cut out the rot, (despite the fact that many seem quite defensive of their sickening growths.)

  17. Observer Tokoroa 17
    17 November 2018 at 12:26 pm

    Hi Siobhan

    I always read your words. They are thought provoking and on topic.

    It is true that America and Brittain – ala Thatcher – ala yank Generals -will kill anything that displeases them. England is Trumps at it. It has no idea of right or wrong. Hates the French. Hates the millions of Brown slaves they captured.

    However, most nations have a feeling for Defense. They don’t want to sit down passively and get slaughtered by islamists and the like.

    England took a dislike to the Austrian maniac – Hitler. They defended themselves against him. In my opinion England did well.

    Would you agree with Assange and his followers revealing to whomever, the position and scope of defence forces protecting women and children ?

    • WILD KATIPO 17.1
      17 November 2018 at 2:49 pm

      That can easily be countered by ‘ would you agree with the Clinton Foundation’s arms to ISIS?’.

      This needs to be continually shoved in front of peoples faces.

      It was because of this sort of shit that we now have an inquiry into Operation Burnham.

      Julian Assange: US knows Saudi and Qatari sponsor ISIS – YouTube

    • Morrissey 17.2
      17 November 2018 at 3:31 pm

      England took a dislike to the Austrian maniac – Hitler. They defended themselves against him. In my opinion England did well.

      Wrong. The English political establishment—especially Winston Churchill—-praised Hitler and continually called him a moderate. They were eventually forced to change their tune, of course.

      • Gabby 17.2.1
        17 November 2018 at 8:00 pm

        1934 is hardly eventually morry.

        • Morrissey 17.2.1.1
          18 November 2018 at 8:14 am

          The Night of the Long Knives shocked people of conscience like you, Gabby. Churchill and other “responsible” politicians, on the other hand, continued to assert that Hitler was a moderate, essentially. A bit rough around the edges, certainly, a bit uncouth, but preferable to that Communist and Socialist rabble. He continued to talk pretty much like a sturmabteilung ruffian for years after June 30, 1934.

          “I do not admit for instance, that a great wrong has been done to the Red Indians of America or the black people of Australia. I do not admit that a wrong has been done to these people by the fact that a stronger race, a higher-grade race, a more worldly wise race to put it that way, has come in and taken their place.”

          —-Winston Churchill, speaking to the Palestine Royal Commission, 1937

  18. Observer Tokoroa 18
    17 November 2018 at 6:23 pm

    Hi Katipo

    I think I have already said that England and America don’t care a fig about whom they bomb and kill. They are war mongering Nations forever pretending to do good. Bringing home sick and damaged soldiers.

    Slaughter seems to be their primary interest. They make untold Billions in Arms Sales. Australia joins them in doing this.

    However, this does not free Assange who steals information via spying on other persons information; using hacking algorithms to break and enter Computers which do not belong to him.

    Assange knows this is illicit.

    No Nation will trust him. Not now – or ever.

    It is the duty of Citizens to ensure that their politicians are honest and “Tell the Truth. The whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth.”

    • boggis the cat 18.1
      20 November 2018 at 2:11 pm

      You really should give your assertions a re-think. Wikileaks doesn’t do any hacking. They collect information that has been obtained by others, then assess it to decide if it is reasonable to put into the public domain.

      In the past they have partnered with mainstream media in making information public, so if your claims were true then the NY Times and Guardian are co-conspirators in your alleged crimes. Are you also arguing this?

      Also — I assume that you are aware that it is our governments that are routinely collecting up our private information, in breach of fundamental laws? Why the concern about governments not trusting Assange, when those same governments are the proven liars and criminals?

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  • Modern insurance law will protect Kiwi households
    The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago

  • Government recommits to equal pay
    The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says.  “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago

  • Transforming how our children learn to read
    Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.  “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
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    14 hours ago

  • NZ not backing down in Canada dairy dispute
    Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable children
    The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Streamlining Building Consent Changes
    The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.      “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
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    23 hours ago

  • Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)
    New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
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    1 day ago

  • Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...
    Good evening –   Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us.  ...
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    1 day ago

  • Accelerating airport security lines
    From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
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    2 days ago

  • Community hui to talk about kina barrens
    People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
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    2 days ago

  • Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into force
    Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
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    2 days ago

  • Mining resurgence a welcome sign
    There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
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    2 days ago

  • Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first reading
    The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
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    2 days ago

  • Government to boost public EV charging network
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure.  The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
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    2 days ago

  • Residential Property Managers Bill to not progress
    The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
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    2 days ago

  • Independent review into disability support services
    The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Justice Minister updates UN on law & order plan
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
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    3 days ago

  • Ending emergency housing motels in Rotorua
    The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Trade Minister travels to Riyadh, OECD, and Dubai
    Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
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    3 days ago

  • Education priorities focused on lifting achievement
    Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • NZTA App first step towards digital driver licence
    The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say.  “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
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    3 days ago

  • Supporting whānau out of emergency housing
    Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
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    4 days ago

  • Tribute to Dave O'Sullivan
    Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Speech – Eid al-Fitr
    Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Government saves access to medicines
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff.    “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
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    4 days ago

  • Pharmac Chair appointed
    Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
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    5 days ago

  • Taking action on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
    Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says.  “Every day, ...
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    6 days ago

  • New sports complex opens in Kaikohe
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Diplomacy needed more than ever
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges.    “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address, Buttes New British Cemetery Belgium
    Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service.  It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – NZ National Service, Chunuk Bair
    Distinguished guests -   It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders.   Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – Dawn Service, Gallipoli, Türkiye
    Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia.   Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
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    1 week ago

  • PM announces changes to portfolios
    Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
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    1 week ago

  • New catch limits for unique fishery areas
    Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
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    1 week ago

  • Minister welcomes hydrogen milestone
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
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    1 week ago

  • Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill
    The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
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    1 week ago

  • Overseas decommissioning models considered
    Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
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    1 week ago

  • Release of North Island Severe Weather Event Inquiry
    Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
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    1 week ago

  • Justice Minister to attend Human Rights Council
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order.  “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
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    1 week ago

  • Patterson reopens world’s largest wool scouring facility
    Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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