Judith Collins, Nicky Hager and Dirty Politics

Written By: - Date published: 12:16 pm, September 29th, 2020 - 55 comments
Categories: Dirty Politics, Judith Collins, national, same old national - Tags:

Maybe it is a tactic or an attempt to emulate Donald Trump’s approach to politics?  But it seems strange that Judith Collins should have chosen to disparage Nicky Hager on the campaign trail in a most inappropriate way.

At a recent Grey Power meeting during question time she was asked to be more Crusher than nice person.  And she replied by making a thinly veiled threat to Nicky Hager.

From Craig McCullough at Radio New Zealand:

Queried about Hager’s books The Hollow Men and Dirty Politics, in which Collins features, the National leader did little to hide her contempt.

“He is a dreadful man and what he wrote about me was disgraceful,” Collins spat out.

“He still needs to meet his maker.”

Holy mixed metaphor.  Is that what she meant to say?

It is apparent that Dirty Politics still brings out a sense of anger and frustration in Judith which is funny really because it does the same for me.  The attacks on innocent people doing their job and being hung out for public ridicule just for political jollies I can never forgive.

This 2015 video from one of her speeches in Parliament for me displays a concerning lack of perspective, not to mention self control.

She has announced National’s Law and Order policy this morning and this is included increased funding for the Serious Fraud Office which is pretty funny really given that she was sacked for her role in dirty politics relating to an attack on the SFO.  And it is worth while to take a trip down memory lane to review the background to this.

Matt Nippert at Stuff said this in 2014:

Hacked emails appear to show Hotchin secretly paid bloggers Cameron Slater and Cathy Odgers to write attack posts undermining the Serious Fraud Office, its director Adam Feeley, and the Financial Markets Authority, who were probing his collapsed Hanover Finance in 2011 and 2012.

The emails indicate the campaign was orchestrated by Hotchin’s then spokesman Carrick Graham, a PR consultant and tobacco lobbyist.

Hotchin is a former part-owner of the Warriors league team who built New Zealand’s most expensive residential home in Auckland. Hanover Finance collapsed in July 2008 owing $465 million to 13,000 investors.

Knowing Fairfax was investigating the hacked emails, it is believed Odgers (known by the blog name Cactus Kate) went through her own emails and found some that could be seen as implicating Collins. This correspondence then found its way to a Beehive staffer on Friday.

“I take it you found the smoking gun,” Odgers said in an email to Fairfax shortly before Collins resigned. She declined to comment further yesterday.

Collins was then sacked or at least forced to resign.

Collins resigned after Prime Minister John Key confronted her with the email yesterday morning. She denied any involvement in the campaign against the SFO and Feeley, saying the allegations were “extremely distressing and disappointing” and that she had been the victim of a two-year smear campaign.

One possible explanation was that Cameron Slater big noted her involvement when she actually did nothing.

The “smoking gun” email detailed how Slater was briefing a number of journalists, including this reporter, about the anti-Feeley campaign.

Slater wrote: “I spoke at length with the Minister responsible today (Judith Collins). She is gunning for Feeley. Any information that we can provide her on his background is appreciated.”

Slater said yesterday the line about Collins gunning for Feeley wasn’t a lie, but “embellishing is a good word”.

She was subsequently cleared in an inquiry conducted by retired High Court judge Lester Chisholm who found there was “no probative evidence that Ms Collins undermined or attempted to undermine Mr Feeley”.

But you get the impression that she was at least on the perimeter of some pretty unsatisfactory behaviour.

This may help explain why she said what she did about Hager.  But harbouring a grudge for six years against a reporter doing his job and reporting on a particularly unsavoury aspect of New Zealand’s history and saying what at least could be construed as a threat is not a characteristic I would want my Prime Minister to have.

55 comments on “Judith Collins, Nicky Hager and Dirty Politics ”

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  1. Robert Guyton 1
    29 September 2020 at 12:40 pm

    That's sick, Judith.

    • Sacha 1.1
      29 September 2020 at 12:55 pm

      She is a pathetic, insecure creature.

      • Muttonbird 1.1.1
        30 September 2020 at 7:11 am

        I've lost count the number of times Judy Wong Tung has been "disgusted" in the last few weeks. The poor dear.

        “Oh, for goodness sake!” is another coming thick and fast. It was also a favourite with Paula Benefit when she was asked a tough question.

    • cathy-o 1.2
      30 September 2020 at 8:20 am

      POOR WEE THING

      if she can't stand the heat she should get out of the kitchen

  2. woodart 2
    29 September 2020 at 12:51 pm

    glad that someone else has noticed the hypocrisy of collins wanting SFO given some teeth. seriously wonder about her ability to govern for all five million of us. she is far too small minded .good politicians rise above the personal and revenge motives. at her age(same as mine) ,very hard to change your personality and outlook on life.

  3. Chris 3
    29 September 2020 at 12:59 pm

    Just the thought of collins as leader of the nats and potentially PM should be as untenable as matthew hooton keeping his Monday morning job at RNZ after being outed as a major player in the slater/odgers/graham/collins filthfest. It became hooton's job to comment on filth he himself was up to his eyeballs in. Now we have someone who’s spent a lot of time rolling around in that exact same sewer in the position of vying for PM of New Zealand. Only in America.

    • Morrissey 3.1
      29 September 2020 at 1:11 pm

      It became hooton's job to comment on filth he himself was up to his eyeballs in.

      With hardly ever a word of dissent from the supremely indulgent host Katherine Ryan. Here's Hooton riding roughshod over her and Paul Holmes's former high school classmate Mike Williams in 2015….

      MIKE WILLIAMS: Mmmm.

      KATHRYN RYAN: Okay, it does say that. Then we have the other arguments, and PLEASE let’s not get bogged down again, but these arguments about sovereignty, you’re gonna have governments being sued in these international tribunals or worse, where they’ll just be delayed and public health policies they might introduce these kinds of things, so that’s where you get—

      MATTHEW HOOTON: Well that’s what I mean by HYPERBOLE! So while Groser is—

      KATHRYN RYAN: Well it’s NOT hyperbole, it’s happening right now to Australia, over—

      MATTHEW HOOTON: It’s NOT happening.

      KATHRYN RYAN: The plain packaging is happening right now. Okay? And that is, that is—

      MATTHEW HOOTON: Here we go! A single case, that hasn’t been won, that won’t be won, the Australian government will prevail over Philip Morris and that’ll be the end of that matter. But what, um, y’know, while we’re victims of hyperbole from the pros, we’re also told people are gonna die and this sort of thing and I think the most intelligent way to look at this is umm, y’know, it is not the “world historical breakthrough”, it is not “bigger than Ben Hur”, “best thing that—“. Y’know, it’s not, nor is it the most evil thing. It is an important way of integrating, um, our economy further with other economies.

      KATHRYN RYAN: Right. …

      https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/04/well-thats-what-i-mean-by-hyperbole.html

      This domination and intimidation had been going on for many years before Dirty Politics was released….

      https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2020/05/useful-idiot-kathryn-ryan-is-easy-meat.html

      • tc 3.1.1
        29 September 2020 at 1:14 pm

        Hooton appearance as a paid media commentator after all he's done shows how low the RNZ bar is….if one exists at all.

        But Jude’s timing is awesome as Hotchin’s back buying up a mall apparently. Salty times.

  4. tc 4
    29 September 2020 at 1:09 pm

    Soon as she played the SFO card yesterday my thoughts went to Hagers book and nat's 'reorganising' of the regulatory watchdogs at the time.

    Begs for a walk down memory lane in public for all to re-live some of her activities as a minister. A penny for Adam Feeley’s thoughts at the mo.

  5. Tricledrown 5
    29 September 2020 at 1:10 pm

    The Police should be called in and Collins charged for threatening to kill or inciting to kill or both.

    Collins could have sued through the courts if what Nicky Hager had published falsehoods no such action was taken proving Hagers book tells the truth.

    The Truth hurts Collins crushed by the Truth.

  6. mary_a 6
    29 September 2020 at 1:41 pm

    Judith Collins very recent election campaigning to a group of voters in reference to Nicky Hager "… He still needs to meet his maker …" Bit of a dangerous statement to make!

    This is an indication Collins, after all these years still harbours an unhinged vicious grudge against Hager, isn't beyond advocating harm, even death in this case, on those who dare cross her! Not the sort of person who should be in public office, let alone PM!

    • Drowsy M. Kram 6.1
      29 September 2020 at 2:27 pm

      Collins may be under pressure, but I agree that's no excuse for badmouthing (to put it mildly) an authoritative journalist who was put thought the wringer in October 2014.

      "In 2015, then-Green party co-leader Metiria Turei complained to the IPCA, asking the authority to investigate misconduct or neglect of duty.

      Co-leader James Shaw said the report showed police were "wrong and over stepped the clear legal protections that journalists have".

      "Police have questions to answer about whether journalists from now on can expect to receive better and more lawful treatment than Mr Hager did," Shaw said.

      In June 2018, police apologised to Hager and paid substantial damages for the unlawful search."
      https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/115130824/police-neglect-of-duty-led-to-unlawful-search-of-nicky-hagers-home–ipca

      Doubt Collins' tenure as leader of National will last any longer than 'post-Key' leaders English (1 year, 77 days) and Bridges' (2 years, 85 days), although to be fair at 77 days she has already outlasted Muller (53 days) who seems well on the road to recovery.

      Judith Collins new National leader: Simon Bridges' dig at Todd Muller – 'We wasted a bit of time'
      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12348674

      What goes around comes around; Labour ran through five ‘post-Clark‘ leaders before discovering/choosing Ardern, so there's probably at least one more temporary National party leader (after Collins) to be had before they finally discover their next 'success story’.

      • RedBaronCV 6.1.1
        29 September 2020 at 7:32 pm

        And far from being sorry about what they did the police agreement with Nicky Hager did not allow the damages paid to be disclosed. So us taxpayers who footed the bill are still in the dark.

      • georgecom 6.1.2
        29 September 2020 at 10:41 pm

        yes, Collins successor has 18 days before people in Botany put him into Parliament and then it comes down to how many months the fragments of National decide he is probably their best bet to try and get into power and bring Collins stint of seat warming to an end

    • Chris 6.2
      29 September 2020 at 2:37 pm

      "Judith Collins very recent election campaigning to a group of voters in reference to Nicky Hager "… He still needs to meet his maker …" Bit of a dangerous statement to make!"

      Par for the course for this lot. Don't forget hooton emailed the name of the suburb where Hager lived in a response to odgers relaying how she believed Chinese businessmen wanted to inflict revenge upon him, probably in the knowledge his address was in the phone book. These are the kinds of people the leader of the national party is quite comfortable mixing with.

      • PsyclingLeft.Always 6.2.1
        29 September 2020 at 5:58 pm

        Remember it well. Dirty indeed. The lot of them.

        Dis honourable….

        "In October, the Prime Minister announced that Collins would not be allowed to use the title 'Honourable' before her name unless she is cleared by the inquiry into her behaviour. Collins was reported to be 'appalled' and 'seething' that she heard about this decision through the media rather than being told personally by Mr Key."

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_Politics#Judith_Collins

  7. Tricledrown 7
    29 September 2020 at 1:48 pm

    Given she is a former minister of Police she should resign as the National Party leader.

    Given she is tough on crime she should turn herself into the nearest police station.

  8. Wensleydale 8
    29 September 2020 at 1:54 pm

    No surprises here. She wears a mask in public, but it's fairly rickety and the elastic's started to give. It has a habit of slipping askew and revealing the unhinged, frothing bucket of spite and venom that lurks beneath. Pair that with an obvious lack of self-control and you have someone who should probably be kept as far away from the reins of power as is realistically possible. If you vote for Collins you're either a political sadist, like her, or you simply don't care about her history of dubious behaviour, which is almost as bad.

  9. karol121 9
    29 September 2020 at 2:24 pm

    May it please the Contributor and Readers.

    In mitigation, as bush advocate for Ms Collins, and not in any way intended to be a submission consistent with any sincere, constructive defence in relation to her alleged behaviour, real or imagined, Sirs and Mamms;

    FIRSTLY I submit that New-Aotearoa is a small country giving rise to the potential for political, corporate and state nepotism, but where as a nation, we have never had to endure nor experience any of this.

    THAT secondly, we are a non-corrupt, non-corruptible fair go nation with a gentle approach to most matters political, and Ms Collins has simply been putting her best hoof forward so as to provide a background contrast for both the voting and non-voting public of New-Aotearoa.

    THAT she has done so at the risk of tarnishing her unblemished, calm disposition reputation so that we can all recognise, review and be taught how grubby adversarial politics, hypocrisy and cronyism plays out elsewhere.

    THAT she has done so to highlight how it might play out here if we ever lose sight of the fact that we are all ambassadors to and for an innocent, generous, humble, honest, god zone nation such as we all suggest to hold dear.

    THAT Ms Collins (along with associates such as Clam Slater) have done their utmost to present as ready fighters and protectors to this nation. Evidence of this is publicly available for almost anyone to peruse. There are many examples of this is rightly distributed and available in the public domain.

    Annexed herein and marked as "exhibit 121", a photograph of Ms Collins pointing a handgun at a target range suspect dummy believed to be about to speak his mind.

    THAT even for Serious Fraud Office staff, both office and field investigation life is no wine box nor a magnum of champagne that can be used to enhance the performance of various staff employed therein.

    THAT their "highs" may only be experienced as a consequence of extra powers to snoop with, internal promotion, salary increases and of course, successful prosecutions and convictions.

    THAT it is Meredith Connell and others with boutique Crown prosecution warrants as law firms, the ministerial jet set cliche and those provided lucrative remuneration in relation to contracted investigatory and consultancy services who are authorised to "pop the corks" when a high profile case wins acclaim for various ministerial jet setters and any hangers on consequent to.

    THAT, as that dear lady, (named most politically correct), Margaret Wilson indicated when class action against the tobacco companies was ruled out for New-Aotearoans, we do things our way. A viewpoint documented as being supported by various appeal Court judges over the decades and would likely be uttered by Ms Collins herself were she ever to flung, willingly or unwillingly into the position of Attorney-general of New-Aotearoa.

    AND so, Sirs and Mamms, it must be abundantly clear that we are not like the rest of the world, and we have little intention of following precedent(s) set by them. Aside from global conventions which New-Aotearoa is bound to observe and be party to, as a pseudo-sovereign state nation, we will do things as we please, and do it our way, unless or until we are told not to by many interests around the globe who really do matter.

    THAT lastly, this in essence is overwhelming circumstantial evidence that none of our esteemed leaders and decision-makers could, should or would ever be likened to the DJ Trumps nor anybody else fitting the profile of self serving or self absorbed from those other, foreign (non god zone styled) lands.

  10. Mark Craig 10
    29 September 2020 at 4:17 pm

    Absolutely delish post ,one of the best ,cheers

  11. rod 11
    29 September 2020 at 4:40 pm

    Lets face it, Collins is as toxic as her old mates Boag and Slater. devil

  12. ken 12
    29 September 2020 at 5:11 pm

    “He is a dreadful man and what he wrote about me was disgraceful,”

    I guess it would take a lot of creativity to write nice things about someone as disgraceful as Judith.

  13. woodart 13
    29 September 2020 at 5:15 pm

    as for dirty politics and collins wanting revenge, right about now, she is probably thinking dark thoughts about key and banks having a cuppa to stitch up a deal. if key hadnt practised that dirty piece of politics, act would be a footnote in history and the natz wouldnt be loseing voters to their poodle. that cuppa has gone cold but the effects are hot as hell. hahaha.

  14. Peter 14
    29 September 2020 at 6:41 pm

    All the talk about the hideous person Collins is coming out now is like all the questioning about Trump's business skills and ethics being done in 2020. Too late.

    Sorry, not too late for National people. It’s their style.

  15. Barfly 15
    29 September 2020 at 6:49 pm

    I think Hagar would "proverbially" more happy to meet his than Collin's hers

    • In Vino 15.1
      29 September 2020 at 8:16 pm

      I thought the same. But at the Pearly Gates, Judith would probably fail interrogation because she would not recognise Hagar's name. In the video above she constantly calls him 'Haygger" Shows how much she knows. Only idiots could take this error-ridden, gibbering, hysterical politician seriously.

      • Obtrectator 15.1.1
        30 September 2020 at 9:58 am

        "But at the Pearly Gates, Judith would probably fail interrogation because she would not recognise Hagar's name. In the video above she constantly calls him 'Haygger" Shows how much she knows."

        Probably intentional. It's a recognised put-down technique, deliberately failing to get someone's name (or its pronunciation) correct. Usually employed when you're with a bunch of cronies, but can work one-on-one as well.

      • Chris 15.1.2
        30 September 2020 at 1:55 pm

        I think it's Hager.

      • PaddyOT 15.1.3
        30 September 2020 at 3:15 pm

        Judith would never be at heaven's gates for her lifetime enacting the Beatitudes towards poor, hungry or peacemaking etc

        The only reason she'd be there was to present her mining claim certificate without Regulations for the gold and pearls off the Gates.

  16. Incognito 16
    29 September 2020 at 9:25 pm

    "We're all going to die one day and we're going to have to justify our actions," she [Collins] said.

    "If you're a Christian, you do believe that."

    Is Collins a Christian?

    • Barfly 16.1
      29 September 2020 at 9:42 pm

      Sucks to be her?

    • ken 16.2
      30 September 2020 at 12:02 am

      Cue Judith standing in front of a church brandishing a bible.

    • Gabby 16.3
      30 September 2020 at 10:13 am

      Corn, probably wisely, refrained from asking what lines Codger's defence before the pearly gates would follow.

    • Draco T Bastard 16.4
      30 September 2020 at 2:03 pm

      Its amazing how many people who say that they're Christian follow the right-wing path which almost fully anti-Christian. You'd think all the theft, lies and corruption would get them thinking but apparently not.

      • greywarshark 16.4.1
        30 September 2020 at 2:11 pm

        To them Christian is a brand name, a point of reference that goes to the heart of most of their listeners, one of us etc. Christian is a reference that you can quote to show you are reliable and good, and it can never be checked on for full details – so useful.

  17. Tiger Mountain 17
    29 September 2020 at 10:26 pm

    “Meet his maker” sounds a rather serious employment of “pay it back double”…

    She should never be be allowed anywhere near the office of PM of this country–and it is past time a few journalists at least revisited “Dity Politics” in detail, and shared the filth pump within for public information.

  18. mosa 18
    30 September 2020 at 12:24 am

    I wonder if Nicky realises how close he came to real serious danger. It is frightening that a journalist who seeks to uncover the truth in our country could be in danger of being silenced. Something to ponder but won't be covered by the MSM.

  19. Jack 19
    30 September 2020 at 4:03 am

    Judith Collins “disgusted” at Arden SFO comments. You “poor wee thing” Judith.

  20. Peter 20
    30 September 2020 at 6:46 am

    Hager now, someone's next in a Herald headline as the bitch witch has a spray.

    Probably Ardern. It is the daily Herald online strategy.

    Somewhere she has been told it is the way to go and at a keyboard eager fingers are poised in some desperate employee with a deserted mind.

    • Peter 20.1
      30 September 2020 at 8:54 am

      Today's episode: 'Correct the record': Collins' warning to Ardern ahead of leaders debate.

      I usually steer clear of the 'media bias' line. I do remember when TVNZ were big sponsors way back of Team NZ yachting. Peter Blake or Russell Coutts or whoever would scratch their bums or fart and it would be the third item on the 6.00pm news.

      The words for that have become prominent in the past two years: 'quid pro quo.'

      The more daily inane Collins attack headlines I see on the Herald is enough to have me considering that the advertising she, her party are paying that company for, especially on that site, is a quid bearing quo.

      • dv 20.1.1
        30 September 2020 at 9:01 am

        Correct the record

        For completeness

        Release the email to Slatter Juth

        Doubling down and digging deeper.

        WHAT HAS Jude got to hide?

        '

      • observer 20.1.2
        30 September 2020 at 9:10 am

        It's all really shitty, but part of the problem is that the Ardern strategy is not to engage, and so Collins gets a free ride.

        Can't the PM's comms team just put out a simple, light-hearted piss-take or something? "Judith Collins in her own words … blood sport, poor wee thing, crush the other lot" etc. Collins says "correct the record", so just quote her, all correct, all on the record.

        I know the idea is not to take the bait, but it's no good just sitting back and hoping voters all read Hager books and are well informed about Collins' record. They aren't.

        Obviously Collins is gearing up for a nasty performance in the leader's debate. It's predictable, so Ardern and her team should be ready for it. She shouldn't be nasty back, but nor should she just passively take it. Smile and kill with kindness … every time she says "Miss Ardern" say "Judith".

        "Deputy leader, Paddy? Well, it won't be Merv. How about you, Judith?"

  21. Anker 21
    30 September 2020 at 9:21 am
    • Agree Observer. Expect judith in full flight tonight. Ardern does. Need to find a way of firing back. I think National should be attacked on their strong team meme and changing sea of leaders
    • I am sure labour comms are aware of the problem
    • greywarshark 21.1
      30 September 2020 at 2:19 pm

      PM Ardern could say with a sincere look, that Labour will be doing all it can within its power this term, and will try to answer all National's queries but will reject some of them if they seem malicious.

      Then when Judith C asks or says anything ludicrous in the leaders debate, perhaps saying that it seems most unlikely and that you wish to discuss the real problems facing us now and in the next term, and always looking at the continuing threat from climate change. And that you hope that National will abandon the idea of attacking the government's every move as now we are expecting regular emergencies and need to concentrate on preparing for these.

  22. Anker 22
    30 September 2020 at 4:48 pm
    • Yes Grey. That sounds good. Or if judith brings up SFO say obviously that was very hard for you Judith and I do appreciate your feelings are hurt. But that’s a pretty low priority for nzders right now. NZ needs a strong leader and strong team and our track record is brilliant