ImperatorFish: Dirty Politics book raises suspicions of broader hacking agenda

Written By: - Date published: 5:27 pm, August 19th, 2014 - 7 comments
Categories: crime, Politics, Satire - Tags:

Scott at Imperator Fish kindly lets us republish his blogs.  This one is originally here.

Police are investigating whether a spate of seemingly unrelated incidents could be linked to Nicky Hager’s new book.

Hager’s book Dirty Politics was released last week, and much of the book’s content has been based on emails illegally sourced from the computer of blogger Cameron Slater.

In the last few days a number of suspicious burglaries have been reported to the media, including one where a laptop was stolen, and another where cash and jewellery were taken.

A Hamilton pensioner is the latest burglary victim to suspect something out of the ordinary.

Edna Morrel, 78, said her house had been broken into three months ago.

“It was all a bit odd,” said Mrs Morrell. “They took my phone and a computer, and some money sitting on the mantelpiece, but they also left quite a few valuables behind.

“They didn’t touch any of the china plate, or the antique vase my grandmother gave me. When I saw what they had left behind I thought ‘hello, that’s a bit peculiar.’ If you were a genuine burglar, wouldn’t you want the china too?”

Mrs Morrell said she was almost certainly targeted for the contents of her computer.

“There’s quite a lot of valuable personal information on that computer,” she said. “There were a number of emails to and from the customer services people at Harvey Norman about a broken toaster I took back to their store. The darned thing wouldn’t cook one side properly, and when I went back to complain about it the young fellow at the counter told me there was nothing wrong with it! I had quite a considerable number of correspondences with them on the issue, let me tell you.

“Have you ever tried to eat a piece of toast that’s cooked on only one side? Which side do you butter?”

The computer also contained copies of recent letters to Mrs Morrell’s sister.

“My letters to Agnes contained a lot of very sensitive material, including details of the recent trip I took to the supermarket, and a number of cake recipes. I hate to think what someone might do with that sort of information.

“Then I saw Mike Hosking on the telly the other night talking about this new book and all these terrible left-wing types, and I got suspicious,” she said.

“I expect my chocolate sponge cake recipe will end up in the next Nicky Hager book.”

Meanwhile, a senior accountant in a Christchurch construction company is demanding to know what happened to the confidential report he left on his desk before going to lunch today.

“I swear it was right there,” said Barry Singh. “It was in a brown manila folder, right there.” He pointed to a pile of papers on his desk.

“The report included details of amounts spent on our recent office party.  I don’t know what we’ll do if our competitors find out how much we spent on the canapés.

“Who would do something like this? Who would target a well-respected company in such a cynical manner? I feel so violated. I go out to lunch for half an hour, and then I find someone has been in my office rifling through my papers!

“What else have they been into? Did they access my computer? Did they take other papers? And why were they here?

“I have a cousin who knows someone who works in John Key’s office, so could this all be linked to the Nicky Hager book?”

Pamela Gray, Mr Singh’s personal assistant, said she thought all the answers would be found in his office.

“Barry, you’re always losing things and then finding them again five minutes later,” she said. “I bet it’s still on your desk. Shall I take a look? Yes, here it is. Just underneath this pile of books.”

But Singh remains concerned about office security.

“I just don’t know who to trust any more. I can’t be certain that someone hasn’t given Nicky Hager a copy of the report.”

Police are also investigating whether computer hackers have accessed the laptop of an unemployed Napier man.

Gert Flowers said he was working on his novel one Saturday night, when he heard a loud banging noise outside.

“I do all my writing in my bedroom,” said Mr Flowers. “It’s where my creative juices flow most freely. I was at my computer writing the scene were the Barzambian battle fleet annihilates an armada sent by the Grand Galactic Federation to stifle the rebellion on the planet Zath, when I heard a crashing noise outside my window.

“I raced outside and saw that something or someone had been into my rubbish bin. I figured it must have been the neighbour’s dog, so I picked up the bits of trash left lying about and went back inside, thinking nothing more of it.

“When I got back to my computer I saw that the screen had gone blank. My computer had crashed.”

Mr Flowers said he immediately suspected foul play.

“My computer is only three years old, and it doesn’t often crash. So I began to wonder if someone had done something to it, and then of course I began to think about all this computer hacking business in the news recently.

“Then I thought about all the times my computer had crashed irecently, and it terrified me to think that someone must have been targeting me for weeks. I’ve obviously been hacked by someone who wants access to my material.

“I hate to think what might happen if someone publishes a copy of my draft manuscript. What’s worse is that I had on my computer a document detailing the plotlines for all twenty books I plan to write in the series.”

Police have confirmed that they are investigating a number of other reports, including a man caught driving an unwarranted and unregistered car, and an incident at the Kaiapoi New World supermarket where a carton of eggs was dropped on the floor. But they will not say whether they believe these incidents are linked in any way to Nicky Hager’s book.

7 comments on “ImperatorFish: Dirty Politics book raises suspicions of broader hacking agenda ”

  1. Rich 2

    Good luck.

  2. georgecom 3

    This is a nice piss take and it does raise an interesting parallel to an earlier book of [Hager’s], The Hollow Men. Remember when Brash was outed for his dirty dealings. His main line of defence was that his emails had been stolen. Rather than answer the allegations of his actions, Brash tried to deflect debate into how the emails were obtained. Now, Key et al are the subject of close scrutiny and some serious questions, and, one of their main lines of defence and attack, the emails were stolen. Do not focus on the issues raised, run a line of distraction, try to muddy the waters, hide your actions behind a disingenuous claim of stolen emails.

    Another parallel Key shuld be aware of, and worried about, is how the precursor emails to the Hollow Men kept appearing whilst Brash was on the campaign trail. He was dogged by allegations being drip fed into the public arena. Every time Brash thought he was making progress on something, and email would come along to cast a shadow on his integrity. 5 weeks of the political campaign for Key. A drip feed of emails casting doubt on his integrity.

  3. disturbed 4

    How can you find out how someone’s hacking your emails or hard drive anyone?

    Not a tech buff but I notice there is a change in screen condition as there are background shades all over the screen sometimes and the operation during sending and receiving emails has slowed, are they grabbing the data as we work?

    We never have seen this before, and screen has been checked as is o/k.

    This has only begun since we began posted stuff about Key a month ago.

    Any tech buffs or INTEL folk advise us if we are being covertly monitored, if so what can we do to prevent it?

    • Murray Olsen 4.1

      Have you checked your computer for viruses? They can slow things down quite a lot. I suspect if the GCSB were monitoring you, it would be in a way you wouldn’t notice. I always act as if the government of more than one country is reading everything I type. If they’re not, no harm done.

  4. Tracey 5

    my brother has been burgled over five times. On one occassion the family was away so i dealt with the police. A guy came to take fingerprints. He told me they steal to order.

    So even though you might have expensive items, if they are the electronics crew, they only sweep for electronics, if they are the jewellery crew they sweep for jewels and leave laptops, phones, tvs alone. It was jewels taken in this heist and i asked him why no tvs, cameras laptops which were lying around. That was his explanation.

    I know it is a satirical post but thought i would add this to dispel the Nats conspiracy tgeory.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • 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
    1 hour 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
    19 hours 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days 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
    4 days ago
  • Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024
    Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing  At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin    Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho    Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.    I am delighted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government to introduce revised Three Strikes law
    The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New diplomatic appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions.   “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says.    “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Humanitarian support for Ethiopia and Somalia
    New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today.   “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Arts Minister congratulates Mataaho Collective
    Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale.  “It is good ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Supporting better financial outcomes for Kiwis
    The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Trade relationship with China remains strong
    “China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.   Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Opinion: It’s time for an arts and creative sector strategy
    I was initially resistant to the idea often suggested to me that the Government should deliver an arts strategy. The whole point of the arts and creativity is that people should do whatever the hell they want, unbound by the dictates of politicians in Wellington. Peter Jackson, Kiri Te Kanawa, Eleanor ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-04-26T03:59:38+00:00