Just answer the questions John

41 comments on “Just answer the questions John ”

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1. cogito 1

   25 August 2014 at 10:12 am

   I believe that at the end of the interview on Morning Report, Key said that he would be happy to talk about Collins next week… Probably a throw-away remark, but possibly also a sign that he might take some action….?
2. Anne 2

   25 August 2014 at 10:42 am

   Sorry micky deleted it because I missed one out. No 3. Can you dig it up because I’ve lost it now and can’t remember what I said. 😀

   [Here it is – MS]

   John Key is such a busy man and in the middle of an election campaign so I’ll save him the bother and answer for him.

   Yes. That’s why I employed him as a “press secretary” in the first place.
   Yes. My press secretary thought it important to give him a heads up in advance so he could organise the response.</li
   She’s on her last chance. I think. We’ve not discussed it at length yet. Gonna do that after the election.
   Well, it could have been him in which case he would have deserved what he got wouldn’t he.
   Yeah, I knew about it cos he told me.
   I owe him and he knows me. Pretty hard to know what to do cos he’s owed.
   What do you expect me to say? That it’s part of a right-wing conspiracy? Geez
   I thought it was going good ackshully. They know which side their bread is buttered. That is: my side.
   (tongue in cheek)
   • Anne 2.1

     25 August 2014 at 1:55 pm

     Oh dear… the numbers have gone. Never mind, thanks Micky. My stuff up!
3. CnrJoe 3

   25 August 2014 at 11:00 am

   Key is taking us thru th lookng glass
4. Blue 4

   25 August 2014 at 11:06 am

   What does he think about Cameron Slater’s and Simon Lusk’s interference in National selection contests and their plans for right wing domination of the National Party?

   I would be very surprised if he didn’t know about all that. Dirty Politics mentions two electorates, Palmerston North and Rimutaka, which Key particularly singled out in the 2011 election as electorates National were hoping to take off Labour. He mentions them in the teapot tape. Key paid particular attention to these two, so it would be quite remarkable if he was not aware that the candidates were selected with Lusk and Slater’s help.
   • Chris 4.1

     25 August 2014 at 11:46 am

     Key said a long time ago that “that’s got nothing to do with the National Party.”
     • David H 4.1.1

       25 August 2014 at 8:19 pm

       Thats true Chris, now it’s the Key party.
   • Chris 4.2

     25 August 2014 at 11:56 am

     “Did Jason Ede tell Cameron Slater about the contents of the SIS file concerning the briefing that Phil Goff had been given about the Israeli spies before it was formally released?

     The answer to the this question is in the emails. Ede framed the precise words of Slater’s OIA request. I think asking questions like this one is part of the problem because it allows Key to take a step back and deny what’s already been established as fact. Not every claim Hager makes has been confirmed as fact but Ede’s involvement in the SIS request has been. Key dodges the question and the MSM misses its opportunity to nail him. This has happened far too often. It’s as if the media sees the whole saga as so unbelievable it’s too scared to bust through Key’s lies or something.
     • Rich 4.2.1

       25 August 2014 at 12:17 pm

       I think Ede is not always Ede. Sometimes I think it’s Key himself. The hacker said why use fake emails if you’re not using fake identities. Well Ede may not be fake (although he’s very difficult to track down) but he doesn’t always have to be Ede.

       And why is Ede kept away from the Press when his job involves the Press so much? Seems a little strange.
5. yeshe 5

   25 August 2014 at 11:08 am

   Mr Key .. are you complicit or are you incompetent ?
6. Hanswurst 6

   25 August 2014 at 11:22 am

   Was Jason Ede’s job to give to Cameron Slater scandal that the National Research Unit had dug up on political opponents?

   Did Jason Ede tell Cameron Slater about the contents of the SIS file concerning the briefing that Phil Goff had been given about the Israeli spies before it was formally released?

   I can’t see the point in asking either of those, since we know that Key will simply say “No” until incontrovertible evidence to the contrary is produced (evidence that is merely compelling doesn’t cut it, as we observed amply last week).

   If John does not know the answer to this question why hasn’t he bothered to find out?

   How many last chances will he give to Judith Collins? Is she actually on her last chance now or will there be more?

   I think these are the questions worth pursuing even in the absence of any further evidence. The media should turn the tables on John Key, and refuse to give him any forum to articulate the lines that he wants to put forward until he has addressed them. His line to Suzy Ferguson was that he was pushed for time and had other people to talk to. The media should lead with questions on his responsibility for his office or Jusith Collins by saying, “You’re not the only person who has other people to talk to,” and curtail the interview in favour of talking to people who will answer their questions. They won’t, but they should.

   What does he think about Cameron Slater’s and Simon Lusk’s interference in National selection contests and their plans for right wing domination of the National Party?

   That’s another question that’s too easy to dodge. He will just say that Slater and Lusk are their own men and that he isn’t responsible for them.

   Does he really think that it is “unwise” for her to feed information about a public servant to Cameron Slater knowing full well that he would then slime the public servant and his followers would threaten and abuse this man?

   That’s a good question, but I don’t think it’s pointed enough for a media interview.

   Does he accept that Jason Ede accessed Labour’s crippled server? If not has he checked with his office because it appears clear from the book that Ede did?

   Why is Jason Ede still employed by National and why does he still have a Beehive swipe access card?

   Those two questions feed nicely into the overarching question as to what responsibility Key should take for the actions of those employed in his office or with Beehive access apparently on National Party business. The more he obfuscates, the more obvious it will appear even to the most favourably inclined observer that there are better answers that he is refusing to disclose.

   Why is Key saying the hacking is part of a left wing conspiracy when clearly he has no evidence to prove that this is so?

   That is another question that would really put him on the spot. It would need to be supplemented by a real insistence that he provide specific examples and relate them to specific examples from Hager’s book, however, sincehe’s so far got away with some very vague answers to any questions in that connection. I also think that he should be asked exactly what he means by “the Left”, so that he is forced either to resile somewhat from what he’s saying or potentially directly accuse the Labour or Green leadership.
   • Chris 6.1

     25 August 2014 at 12:07 pm

     “Did Jason Ede tell Cameron Slater about the contents of the SIS file concerning the briefing that Phil Goff had been given about the Israeli spies before it was formally released?”

     Surely the emails tell us that the answer is yes, that Ede did do this? Shouldn’t there be a question that assumes Ede told Slater about the contents of the file, as the emails prove?
7. Dont worry. Be happy 7

   25 August 2014 at 11:40 am

   How about “Mr Key which group, for which you are ultimately responsible, is out of control….your staff or the Security Services?”

   And “You said that the Rugby Union was involved with covertly accessing information on the Australian team….how do you know?”
8. Red Rosa 8

   25 August 2014 at 11:42 am

   Can Simon Pleasants bring an action against Collins and Slater for criminal libel?
9. dingbat 9

   25 August 2014 at 11:49 am

   “9. What does he think about Cameron Slater’s and Simon Lusk’s interference in National selection contests and their plans for right wing domination of the National Party?”

   Of all the revelations in Dirty Politics this sickening tale presents opponents of National with the best oportunity to turn the tables on them and yet it has largely been side-lined in the excitement of the more dramatic stories.

   John Key et al know the real truth about winning votes at elections and it is the same ‘truth’ he used to build his personal fortune. This truth can be summed up in one word – confidence. Confidence is what drives growth in capitalist markets and economies and confidence in political parties is the main driver of their voters to the polls to elect them. Policies and promises are only a small part in the building of confidence. In today’s world it is the voter’s perception of politicians and the resulting level of confidence in these politicians that most strongly influences voters choice.

   There are two ways, as very ably demonstrated by Key and his cabal, to win at the polls – 1) build the electors confidence in you and 2) destroy the electors confidence in others so that those that dont support you are at least discouraged from voting. The Hager book is about how Key has been managing the second of these but also points in the direction of how to turn the tables on National.

   Many traditional National Party people and voters would be horrified seeing just how ‘their’ party has been manipulated by vultures like Lusk and Slater. And who has been responsible for engaging with these people? John Key and his cabal have, as they carried on the methods adopted by Don Brash who also surrounded himself with the same type of unethical people and practices.

   If the left are serious about winning on 20 September getting National voters seeing just how Key and his adisers have snuggled up to Lusk and Slater will be vital in undermining those voters confidence in John Key as a person they can trust to represent their values and the view of themselves as decent law abiding citizens.
10. ianmac 10

    25 August 2014 at 12:21 pm

    I expect that everything was legal but remember when it was rumoured a couple of elections ago, that Labour was taking potential voters to get take-aways. Totally untrue of course because to offer such goodies is against Electoral Laws.
    So just wondered if there was any whiff to the bussing of people into the National Opening? What if they were not all members of the National Party? Huh? Suspicious mind?
    • Rich 10.1

      25 August 2014 at 12:25 pm

      I think you might be on to something there. They often seem to use the tactics they accuse others of using, like for example two people having access to the same gmail account and not actually sending emails but saving them as drafts. Apparently this is a terrorist tactic.
      • fdx 10.1.1

        25 August 2014 at 6:43 pm

        Yeah, the yanks spent millions on tracking al qaeda emails when they were put in drafts, was a youngster that pointed it out, hotmail back then. I still use drafts as a depository .
11. heather tanguay 11

    25 August 2014 at 12:51 pm

    Well said Micky, there are certainally many questions that remain unanswered. I am really annoyed, no that’s not strong enough – bloody annoyed that Key feels ‘it’s all over’, just because he is saying so, that’s the way it’s going to be.
    What annoyed me again, was that there was nothing on the lunchtime news today about the unanswered questions, it’s like as if it’s all gone away, I heard someone say ‘that is last weeks news’!
    Well it’s not last week for me, I want the answers. There are a good deal of people, with John Key at the top of the list, that need to be accountable over so many issues. Not to mention the Milkmaid who also has a number of questions to answer.
    In terms of the National launch, if ever there was a photo that had been photo shopped, the stadium one has to be it, looks like it’s been taken up on Planet Key!
12. Sable 12

    25 August 2014 at 12:56 pm

    Questions, what questions? I’m bored, lets talk about how wonderful I am. No really I “am”….

    Look I’m on a magazine with rugby players how can you “not” like me….

    And on it goes. Mainstream media love fest with little Johnny in spite of everything….
    • Puddleglum 12.1

      25 August 2014 at 7:49 pm

      “lets talk about how wonderful I am”

      ‘Absolutely, let’s definitely talk about the Prime Minister’s Office … so, you say it’s wonderful? What about Jason Ede, was he one of the more wonderful people in it? …’

      I like these new definitions of first person pronouns.

      🙂
13. dingbat 13

    25 August 2014 at 2:06 pm

    Hey Rich. Certainly the toxic trio of Key, Slater and Lusk have been up to no good and what would be really good to know is just what Key’s real agenda is.

    Maybe someone should ask him questions along the lines of: “Mr Prime Minister, in that role and as a leader of the National Party, do you approve of non-partry members such as Simon Lusk being an instrumental force in the selection of candidates in National Party held safe seats?” and “If you do approve, are you considering handing over the selection of candidates directly to private interests, effectively privatising the selection process? Of if you do not approve when are you going to have the National Party selection process cleaned up to eliminate the opportunity for selection manipulation by external sectional interests?”
14. phillip ure 14

    25 August 2014 at 2:47 pm

    factcheck:..

    “..KDC hinted that he may or may not be @whaledump ..”

    i was there..i saw/heard what he said..

    ..and there is no way in any way i took that he was hinting he may be whaledump..

    ..he just told the same hacking story he told at every roadshow up and down the country..

    ..told how he zeroed the german prime ministers’ credit-rating at his bank..

    ..and how there is another prime minister he is sure the audience knows he ‘doesn’t like’..

    ..that’s it..!..the same routine he has used time and time again..

    ..and i have been astonished since then to see the media running around like dervishes at the appearance of a deity..claiming dotcom had hinted just that..

    ..he did not..

    ..the claims he did are a total media beat-up by those two ‘sock-puppet’ tv-journos..sabin from 3..and what’s-his-name? from one..
15. BLiP 15

    25 August 2014 at 4:30 pm

    ‘

    10: What is Sarah Boyle’s role in the Prime Minister’s Officer and what part did she play in the release of the OIA requests concerning Phil Goff’s briefing?
    • Anne 15.1

      25 August 2014 at 7:18 pm

      From Linked In:

      Sarah Boyle
      Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister
      Demographic info
      New Zealand | Political Organization
      Current
      Senior Advisor at Office of the Prime Minister of New Zealand
      Past
      Senior Political Advisor at Office of the Leader of the Opposition
      Education
      Victoria University of Wellington

      Presume she was SPA at Office of the Leader of the Opposition when National was in Opposition. If that is correct she’s been there for 7 years or longer…

      Oh yes, BLiP interesting observation. A missing link?

      Who is willing – and has the expertise – to undertake an information gathering… of Sarah Boyle? Within the law of course.
      • karol 15.1.1

        25 August 2014 at 7:41 pm

        She’s a woman who likes trees?

        As identified by Peter Aranyi at the bottom of this post.
      • BLiP 15.1.2

        25 August 2014 at 10:53 pm

        ‘

        Hmmmm . . . more than ten years of hard won experience dealing with the ins and outs of OIA requests. Curiouser and curiouser.
        • Anne 15.1.2.1

          26 August 2014 at 9:53 am

          Not very curious at all. I think it can be safely assumed she was the staffer who bullied encouraged Dr. Warren Tucker to expedite the Slater OIA in double quick time.

          She would have been irritated when he told her he was going to have to wait a week because of Phil Goff’s reaction. The PM’s Office’s careful plans to have it over and done with before Key returned to NZ were thus thrown into disarray.
16. Chooky 16

    25 August 2014 at 5:25 pm

    ‘A Matter of Whether John Key is Credible’

    By Selwyn Manning / August 23, 2014

    “In reality, John Key is the last man standing, he speaks directly to the reasonably minded New Zealand voter. From this platform they will be asked to judge for themselves whether their Prime Minister is credible… or not. Game on, or game over, they will be the judge.

    WITHIN NATIONAL’S STRATEGY TEAM there is an acceptance that the facts revealed in the book, Dirty Politics, is chewing away at the party’s popular support.

    What National now fears the most is the expectation that all correspondence between the Prime Minister John Key’s advisor Jason Ede and Whaleoil blogger Cameron Slater will be released.

    That raw data (emails between Cam Slater and Jason Ede – a close advisor to the Prime Minister, a member of John Key’s inner circle of Beehive staff, and more latterly for the National Party) has its campaign strategists fearing the worst.

    But the party’s biggest fear is, that once released, that data will once and for all destroy the credibility of John Key, his leadership style, and cause the public to question whether the Prime Minister can be taken at his word.

    If the public forms that opinion, National’s ability to provide stable government, and honourable governance practice, is exhausted.

    National Party sources say: to get National back on track, National’s campaign manager Steven Joyce, late on Wednesday, ordered that all MPs, candidates, and those door-knocking for National, not to discuss the Dirty Politics book with anyone.

    By Friday, the message had become, talk up the economy, focus on the economy, talk up the expectation of tax cuts.

    Why? Because National’s private polling data, according to sources, had revealed that National is seen by the majority of those polled to be the best at handling the economy.

    That polling data suggested, among those polled, that National outstrips Labour two-to-one on that issue alone.

    Even when news of economic failure is considered, on fiscal incompetency, on the mountain of Government debt which has been ratcheted up under National’s reign, those polled still express a belief that National is the best party to dig New Zealand out of the deep-debt-ditch that National itself has created.

    Meanwhile, throughout this week, National’s campaign team has been busy preparing to unleash policy discussions on the economy, the handling of the economy, on taxation, tax cuts.

    National has been chomping at the bit to get the discussion ‘off the Prime Minister’s credibility’ and back onto message.

    Every day John Key is left standing alone, talking to journalists:
    about whether he lied; trying to convince the nation what he says he really said; attempting to explain whether he was or was not briefed personally by the Director of Security Dr Warren Tucker about a release of intelligence information to hit-blogger Cameron Slater; trying to explain that when he said in 2011 that he was briefed… the words “me” and “I” and “he” etc etc etc didn’t mean that ‘he’ personally was told but that his office was told.

    And when the inevitable question follows: ‘Well who was briefed by the Director of Security? John Key replies that ‘no’ his chief of staff wasn’t told, and no he cannot say who was told, if anyone – all of that exhausts an opportunity for the National Party to get back on message and talk up the economy.

    National sees discussion on the economy as its savior, while realising it is weak when explaining issues of John Key’s credibility.

    It has discovered that when the public is polled on child poverty, education, health, foreign affairs, the environment, even security and law and order, the public is favorable to consider what the lead opposition bloc parties, Labour and the Greens, have to say.

    National’s plan now is to focus on housing, to attempt to erode Labour’s solution to the Auckland housing crisis.

    On Monday morning, National will visit the Weymouth housing development in South Auckland. On Monday afternoon, National will visit the Hobsonville housing development north of Auckland. Its message will be to connect housing policy to the economy and squeeze out the opposition parties.

    Intelligence is vital. This week, the regularity of National’s polling has climbed to fever-pitch proportions. It is polling extensively every day.

    That polling has revealed, according to sources, a shift in public mood.

    Last weekend, the public seemed to have reserved its opinion on whether John Key, members of his staff, and members of his National Party, were really directing a network of shadowy characters – providing them with information designed to destroy their opponents.

    By Friday, that polling was showing people had begun to change their minds, they had begun to believe John Key was covering stuff up, that his assurances were sounding hollow, and more people even considered it likely that he was lying to them.

    Door knockers reporting back to their campaign handlers, who in train were feeding that information back to their campaign data crunchers, had identified a pattern where people all over the country were beginning to change their minds. It is still too early for National to accurately discover the true extent of its damage, but it fears it may end up driving its popular support down below 45 percent. Some say anything below 47 percent means it will no longer be able to govern.

    More concerning for National is this fact: the Prime Minister’s credibility and leadership has become the focus pursued by sensible journalists at this stage of the election campaign.

    And even more concerning for it, is the matter of John Key’s credibility that has also become the key issue consuming the minds of voters as they prepare consider how to express their ticks on Polling Day.

    Credibility is perhaps the most unexpected element so far in this campaign. That John Key’s credibility has been questioned is most surprising. For National, it was the most prized jewel in the Team Key treasure chest. But now it has become perhaps its weakest link.

    After all, John Key is responsible for the conduct of all those working within his office. Is he serving the public interest in not discussing what should be done with key advisors like Jason Ede? Should John Key explain and detail his own discussions with Whaleoil blogger Cameron Slater, and state on record what those conversations were about?

    John Key now stands alone as the leader of his Government, the leader of the National Party, the person responsible as the Minister in charge of Ministerial Services – the employer of all those men occupying Beehive offices under the names of an array of ministers. Some of them, it has come to be known, have been practicing the dark art of deceitful politics in John Key’s name.

    Should they be hung out to dry or spared? It is John Key alone who can save them, or condemn them all.

    But, in reality, John Key is the last man standing, he speaks directly to the reasonably minded New Zealand voter. From this platform they will be asked to judge for themselves whether their Prime Minister is credible… or not.

    Game on, or game over, they will be the judge.

    • See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/08/23/a-matter-of-whether-john-key-is-credible/#sthash.BDVS98I2.dpuf
    • karol 16.1

      25 August 2014 at 7:36 pm

      chooky, it’s not necessary to post the whole post here. Just a link, maybe an extract, and an explanation as to why you are recommending it.
17. Inky 17

    25 August 2014 at 6:42 pm

    Just answer the questions John?
    Nah, he won’t, he’ll just grimace (the facial expression formerly known as ‘grin smugly’) and move on. He won’t answer the questions because he knows the National supporters are OK with him not being answerable. These days, they don’t expect integrity, honesty and accountability from their politicians. Despite the glossy-looking TV advert, none of that stuff rows the Nats’ boat in 2014.
18. fdx 18

    25 August 2014 at 7:02 pm

    My question to ‘im. (while trying to keep a straight face)

    Mr Key. Why do you find it necessary to lie so much?
19. outofbed 19

    25 August 2014 at 7:41 pm

    1, Find out what staff where employed in the PM’s office at the time
    2, Ask each one in turn if they had responsibility for the OIA releases

    Surely it can’t be hard for a smart journo to find out who the staff were and then ask them the question that needs answering
20. Reddelusion 20

    25 August 2014 at 9:35 pm

    Does not matter what key says, those of strong left persuasion will simply make a mountain out of a mole hill, and/ or twist to rationalise to satisfy their conspiracy theories irrespective of the truth or balance of probabilities
    • mickysavage 20.1

      25 August 2014 at 9:36 pm

      You mean like when Key says that the hacking of Slater’s server is part of a left wing conspiracy? That sort of conspiracy theory?
21. North 21

    25 August 2014 at 9:57 pm

    Love the way there are blog names popping up that have never been seen here before……

    The Busted Master(Baiter) of the Universe SlaterPorn put you up to it what……?

    You’ve already freudianly told every reader here that you know this is serious stuff. And your way of dealing with it is to deny…….and lie, comme LeGodKey. Clay feet bastards the lot of you.
22. Reddelusion 22

    25 August 2014 at 10:06 pm

    Ok. It was hacked in error, information some how fell into Hagars lap by accident, suddenly this information via an act of quantum weirdness turned into a book and by freaky coincidence was released just 30 days before and election. I think a bit more substance to this conspiracy Micky than to Key been the right wing devil beast
    • mickysavage 22.1

      25 August 2014 at 10:11 pm

      You should get a less disingenuous name and learn about nestled comments.

      Hagar has said how he got the information and the value judgments that he went through before publishing the book. The funny thing is that Slater has done this sort of stuff (use stolen information) for years but suddenly he thinks it is a bad thing.

      The first issue is whether or not the emails are real. It appears from the response from various related parties that they accept the emails are real. In which case the discussion should be about the morality of Slater’s behaviour. Which is severely lacking …

      And don’t get me started about the morality of Key’s operatives …
      • One Anonymous Bloke 22.1.1

        26 August 2014 at 5:58 am

        It’s not disingenuous, the delusions about “Reds” are genuine.

        Reddelusion, the timing was inevitable.

        Slater’s revolting behaviour towards the Halls was on 27th January. His cesspool was hacked shortly afterwards, and Hager received the stinking mess “some weeks later”.

        The emails are genuine, their contents speak for themselves. As much as you would like him to be, Hager is not the story.
    • Tautoko Viper 22.2

      25 August 2014 at 10:12 pm

      Do you think that it would have been fairer to keep this information of dirty tricks by the National Party under wraps so that people could vote for the nice My Key and then find out too late that they were stuck with another 3 years of corrupt government.?

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