Jarrod Gilbert 1 – Windmills 0

Written By: - Date published: 7:09 am, November 29th, 2015 - 22 comments
Categories: Abuse of power, accountability, climate change, crime, crosby textor, democracy under attack, human rights, john key, Media, police, privatisation, same old national, science, spin, Steven Joyce, uncategorized - Tags: , ,

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Wow – that was quick! Wednesday morning, the New Zealand Herald publishes Jarrod Gilbert’s exposure of the Police’s totalitarian controls on academic research and freedom of speech. Three days of MSM and Fifth Estate support for Dr Gilbert ensues. By 10am Saturday morning, the Police Commissioner, Mike Bush, is falling over himself on TV3’s “The Nation” trying to explain how its all been a big mistake.

According to Bush, the contracts researchers were required to sign were “possibly fit for purpose at one stage” and that the intent of the controls was to protect the privacy of individuals.

ORLY? “Possibly? At one stage? To protect New Zealanders?” Utter bullshit, of course, but probably the best his reduced comms team could cook up at short notice. It was probably that group within Police which wrote the contract in the first place. Or some National Ltd™ mate got a fat contract to write it. Whatever, its an excuse for the inexcusable.  Predictably, better effort was put into spoon feeding Bush spin lines suggesting the issue was now dealt with . . .

. . . we will be changing the wording of that policy and what it’s about because the frustrating thing is it’s the opposite that’s true in terms of where we’re at at the moment . . . We’re wanting to build great relationships with academia because we are determined to be a very evidence-based police service.

Huh? “The opposite of what’s true now”? Good grief. You’d think the police would already be a “very evidence based” service.  Yet, if that is its current goal, building great relationships with academia is part of a sensible approach. Hasn’t exactly got off to a good start, though . . .

Response to Dr Gilbert's OIA request for a copy of the file on him held by Police,

Police response to Dr Gilbert’s OIA request for a copy of its file on him.

 

Dr Gilbert said yesterday he was optimistic about this announcement of apparent change but, given his experience with the police over a long period of time, he was taking a wait and see approach. Meanwhile, Dr Gilbert remained less than impressed with the performance of the Minister of Police over this affair. Caught just before scuttling off to his hide-out for three days, Michael “Worm Farm” Woodhouse reckoned it had nothing to do with him. “Its an operational matter”, he squeaked, as the Beehive Escape Hatch slammed shut.

In response, Dr Gilbert suggested that “if a minister of police can’t see that this has wider implications, then he’s not fit to be a minister.” <—BINGO!!

Mopping up for National Ltd™,  Steven “The $43 million Dollar Man” Joyce spontaneously blurted out the mandatory Crosby Textor half-truth distraction: but, but, but . . . Labour did it too. Then, in a stunning act of stark hypocrisy, he said  “as Science and Innovation Minister and Tertiary Education Minister I’d encourage [government agencies] to be as open with their data as is reasonably possible.”

WTF!! Joyce is the man who has trashed the New Zealand scientific research community. Container loads of useful data have been thrown out and there’s no one around to explain what’s left.  Thank’s to Joyce, John Key can now say, on the eve of his departure to Paris for climate change talks,  “my scientists advise me we’ll have a solution to agricultural emissions in 3 – 4 years’

There won’t be “a solution” but, amazingly, John Key wasn’t lying. These days, scientists will tell him whatever he wants them to, however fantastic. Particularly helpful is when time lines conveniently traverse election cycles. Steven Joyce ensured all this by using John Key’s personal Bunsen Honeydew to front the gambit and finished off the gagging process last year. By that stage, National Ltd™ could no longer suffer exposure to truth for fear the public might begin to comprehend its consequences.

Now, with hundreds of millions of dollars of public funds for scientific research heading into the hands of corporates and our scientists mostly gagged, any victory for freedom of speech and academic research is worth savouring. It ain’t easy speaking inconvenient truth under National Ltd™, and its made even more arduous when going up against the Police as well. It takes a toll . . .

harrod gilbert tweet of thanks

. . . no.  Thank you, Dr Gilbert.

22 comments on “Jarrod Gilbert 1 – Windmills 0 ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Penny Bright 1
    29 November 2015 at 9:50 am

    I’ll say it yet again.

    In my view the answer to the question of access to ‘Official Information’ would be simply solved by the full and thorough implementation of the NZ Public Records Act 2005.

    If you haven’t (yet) familiarised yourselves with the statutory provisions of the Public Records Act 2005 – I strongly recommend that you do?

    We already have the legislation, ‘in the law books’ – just sitting there …..

    So – what’s the problem?

    Penny Bright

  2. Gristle 2
    29 November 2015 at 10:22 am

    Key maintains that his scientists say the “we’ll have a solution to agricultural emissions in 3-4 years.” Well:
    1. Who is giving this advice
    2. What are the technologies

    And perhaps more importantly
    3. National and various spokesmen from agriculture have been saying just last week that the review of carbon trading schemes have to exclude agriculture because the farmers have no way of controlling agricultural emissions.

    So who is telling the truth here?

    If the tech fix is just around the corner then there is no reason to exclude agricultural emmissions from the scheme. (And this is me with my farmers hat on.) Can anybody provide clarity?

    • Smilin 2.1
      30 November 2015 at 12:32 am

      The solution to emissions will not be 3 or 4 years but about 30to 40 yrs if we are lucky to reverse the carnage of the last 30 to 40 yrs AND ESPECIALLY the escalation of the last 7 yrs of polluted atmosphere spewing out of the govt benches
      So fuck off Key and tell your lies to some stupid idiot who will print your BS

  3. Penny Bright 3
    29 November 2015 at 10:56 am

    Are you ‘on topic’ with your post about this issue TRP?

    I am.

    How does my not (yet) replying to your question regarding ‘man made’ climate change – make me a ‘hypocrite’?

    I prefer to give a ‘considered opinion’ and you don’t dictate my priories or (unpaid) workload.

    Aren’t you ‘thread-jacking’ on this topic relating to ‘official information’ ?

    Probably best, in my opinion, if you ‘lead by example’ regarding posts on ‘The Standard’ – unless the ‘rules’ have now changed and you can treat replies to any posts effectively as ‘Open Mike’?

    Penny Bright

    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

  4. Ad 4
    29 November 2015 at 10:57 am

    Reasonably sick that the Police – sworn to the Queen – are showing more accountability than our own democratically elected government.

  5. Keith 5
    29 November 2015 at 11:12 am

    Oh my God yes, Stephen Joyce, the hypocrites hypocrite. He must think we are all the meat heads his propogandist department think we are.

    Stephen Joyce, one of two MEN who micro manage this government from start to finish, probably the one person who is behind the repugnant attitude that the public are to be denied any information that has not been bullshitted up to the max by his Ministry of Truth before hand.

    The police like many other government/taxpayer funded departments are simply following their National bosses established behaviour, bury anything that may embarrass the National Party. But this is coming up a bit too much nowadays and although National have batted off academics before, Jane Kelsey being but one, too many knowledgeable non partisan academics being abused not only is bad, for National it looks bad.

    And so as John Keys public standing sinks, deservedly, so Steve throws the police under the bus to save his own duplicitous arse. Well Stephen I saw through it all too easily and your lying, cheating government is starting to unravel!

  6. veutoviper 6
    29 November 2015 at 11:25 am

    Starting right now, Wallace Chapman on RNZ Sunday Mornings is interviewing John Wareham, a NZer who recently returned to NZ from New York after 38 years.

    Wareham is a Pulitzer Prize winning author, poet etc, Amongst his works, is a book on gangs and prison inmates called “How to Break Out of Prison”, based on years of experience working with prison inmates and gangs.

    Sorry for the long google link and excerpt but imho worth reading due to the remarkable relevance to the Jarrod Gilbert situation and revelations.

    https://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiUoOmGi7TJAhVLnJQKHUtBCPUQFgg_MAY&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stuff.co.nz%2Flife-style%2Flife%2F73827725%2Fpulitzer-nominated-kiwi-author-returns-to-schooldays-trauma&usg=AFQjCNHGwnpmMI1CIxM2yhd5Kcyz4tnkmA

    ” In the mid-1990s, Wareham had begun work in prison reform. Corporate consultant turned redemptive philanthropist.

    While visiting a friend who was banged up on Rikers Island – the world’s largest penal colony – he was asked to consider teaching writing, leadership and public speaking.

    “I did that one day and they asked me to come back the next week. So I went back the next week and then they asked if I’d come back forever so I kept going back for 20 years.

    “I saw I was making a difference so quickly I would have felt bad if I hadn’t gone back. What I saw was a transformation. The reason the guys liked me was not because I motivated them. I never wanted to be a motivator because that meant when I left they were on their own. I wanted to share ideas with them that would stay with them for the rest of their lives and liberate them.”

    This work led to the start of the Eagles Foundation of America, a non-profit organisation dedicated to developing leaders within the prison population of which he is chief executive.

    It also spawned “How to Break Out of Prison” about his experiences advising and identifying corporate leaders and spotting potential leaders in prison. Wareham, also a poet, published an anthology of poems by prisoners in “How to Survive a Bullet to the Heart”.

    When he left New York his prison inmates gave him a standing ovation and a mass group hug. Fifty guys, murderers mostly, in a huggle. Wareham keeps a card they all signed in a frame above his desk. Pictures of him and his prison students adorn the walls. You get the feeling this is the work he is most proud of.

    In 2007 Wareham tackled the seemingly impossible task of bringing together the Black Power and Mongrel Mob gang members for what he calls a leadership weekend retreat. A korero of epic proportions.

    Despite both warring gangs’ misgivings, Wareham was convinced a truce could be called and at least for a time, some sort of harmony was restored. He became fond of those guys. Even had some of the Black Power members over for dinner.

    The bottom line, he says, is that it is about turning the gang into a force for good.”

    If John Wareham had done the same in NZ, would he also have been ‘blacklisted’ by NZ Police? I suspect so.

    A small mention of the above has been made in the interview, but the main focus is his latest book – a memoir of his experiences as a boarder at Palmerston North Boys High School. Link to interview (still going) is not yet up on RNZ.

  7. Penny Bright 7
    29 November 2015 at 11:27 am

    Where have I been ‘dishonest’ with anyone?

    You will get a comprehensive, considered opinion from me on ‘climate change’ – when I am ready.

    (I’ve been a bit busy, doing research on another matter, which apparently I’m one of the only people on the planet, that has considered?

    That the root cause of (most) corruption, is the neo-liberal ‘Rogernomics’ model, where public services and regulatory functions formerly provided by the ‘not for profit’ public service BUREACRACY – has been replaced by multiple layers of ‘for profit’ private sector ‘CONTRACTOCRACY’, where private sector consultants ‘project manage’ works contractors, a number of whom then sub-contract

    So – by the time you get down to the ‘boots and overalls’ who actually DO something productive – you can have up to three layers of pin striped suits ‘clipping the ticket’, and making private profit out of public monies.

    Done any work on this issue?

    ‘Put your mind to it’ and got a considered opinion on this matter?

    That’s ok – you take all the time you need to ‘do your homework’ and think about it.

    I wouldn’t dream of trying to rush or railroad you on something you need time to consider, so you don’t give a trite, ‘sound bite’ shallow response…..

    Thank you for being so interested in my view.

    Kind regards

    Penny Bright

    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

    • Smilin 7.1
      30 November 2015 at 12:57 am

      Yes reading your comment Penny reminded me where this contractocracy began- back in RDM days or even earlier with Fletchers pinchin contracts with inside govt knowledge off the MOW as it was then fuckin appalling .
      Nothing new it has become a practise entrenched in our govt to about 100% look the other way every time someone blows the whistle on one of these to the point now its Joyces MO in getting the money to all his mates .Instead of any of these freeloaders every being held to account they just stick it in the big washer they keep for cleaning this shit before the public can get the evidence
      Talk about the Mafia, Joyce could teach them new tricks

  8. Penny Bright 8
    29 November 2015 at 11:34 am

    You’ll be pleased to know that I raised the issue of implementation and enforcement of the Public Records Act 2005, directly with Labour Leader Andrew Little, yesterday at the Grey Lynn Park Festival.

    I look forward to the Labour Party ‘picking up the ball’ on this matter.

    Penny Bright

    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate

  9. Penny Bright 9
    29 November 2015 at 12:24 pm

    Yesterday, at the Grey Lynn Park Festival, I encountered Labour Leader Andrew Little, and raised with him directly, my belief that if the Public Records Act 2005 was implemented and enforced in a proper way, then, in my opinion, most problems relating to the provision of Official Information would cease.

    Because arguably most ‘Official Information’ would already be available for public scrutiny – without having to formally request it?

    How can you have transparency or accountability – without proper written records that are available for public scrutiny?

    I look forward to Labour Party MPs (and ALL parties) ‘picking up the ball’ on the Public Records Act 2005.

    Penny Bright

    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate

  10. BLiP 10
    29 November 2015 at 12:27 pm

    ‘

    Yep. Labour started the slide into the non-accountability of elected representatives. Just like it started the slide into neoliberalism when it couldn’t control a cabal recalcitrant MPs. National Ltd™, bereft of any notion other than helping out its funders, then took the neoliberal theme and ran away with it. National Ltd™ is doing the same thing here with accountability and having to deal with difficult to manage truth.

  11. Psycho Milt 11
    29 November 2015 at 12:44 pm

    …my scientists advise me we’ll have a solution to agricultural emissions in 3 – 4 years…

    One does wonder how they’re going to do that when his government is in the process of destroying AgResearch, and some of the research programmes being scrapped were ones looking at how to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

    • BLiP 11.1
      29 November 2015 at 12:51 pm

      ‘

      Factory farming, I’m assuming. You know, keep the unfortunate beasts indoors their whole lives feeding them Indonesian palm kernel and trapping the emissions. Still doesn’t get rid of all the effluent and emissions or the need for copious amounts of fresh water, but, I guess, such “a solution” will be pimped up by the PR folks as a good start, or something. Then again, now that National Ltd™ has followed Labour’s lead on the genetic engineering front, the corporate scientists could invent a milk-producing unicorn that shits gold.

  12. Whateva Next 12
    29 November 2015 at 12:47 pm

    I also note Dr.Gilbert’s efforts to question police decision before having to resort to media exposure, and also, will they reveal the “other 17 pages” of his “file” when reviewing their policy? and will he have a right of reply?

  13. Psycho Milt 13
    29 November 2015 at 12:52 pm

    . . . we will be changing the wording of that policy and what it’s about because the frustrating thing is it’s the opposite that’s true in terms of where we’re at at the moment . . .

    Funny he should say that, because their treatment of Jarrod Gilbert’s research application suggests the policy is very definitely true in terms of where they’re at at the moment. Most likely, what’s really ‘frustrating’ him is being dipped in shit by the media for writing and enforcing such a fucked-up policy – he could always try just not doing shit like this in the first place, that’s always the best way to avoid later embarrassment.

  14. Observer (Tokoroa) 14
    29 November 2015 at 1:13 pm

    Hi Alwyn

    I take it that in your opinion NZ City Councillors should have no access to Government records.

    Congratulations. Your National masters will heap praise on you. You may even get a photo taken of yourself with Richie McCaw. In your opinion Penny Bright has no right to any rights,

    How ridiculous. But so Tory and so dumb.

    • alwyn 14.1
      29 November 2015 at 3:08 pm

      @Observer
      I’m afraid I have no idea what you are talking about.
      I have only commented on one thing about Penny in this post. That was in fact defending her and saying that if she was only running for Mayor her views, if any, on Climate Change were irrelevant as that was not a matter for Local Body decisions.
      How you turn that into a comment such as the one above I have no idea.
      Perhaps things have simply got confused by the comment moves BLiP is doing.

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