My Little Ponytail

Written By: - Date published: 9:49 am, April 22nd, 2015 - 407 comments
Categories: Abuse of power, blogs, health and safety, john key, workers' rights - Tags: , , , ,

A rather strange story has been posted on The Daily Blog in which it is claimed that the PM has been physically harassing a female staff member in his local cafe in Parnell. According to the story, John Key has been repeatedly playing with the staffer’s hair, in particular pulling her ponytail. When challenged about the uncalled for behaviour, it is alleged Key tried to buy the woman off with bottles of wine.

While there is no independent verification of the claim, and the attached photo looks staged or photoshopped, it is consistent with some weirdness Key engaged in a few years ago.

The post says that the harassment began before the last general election when Key began frequenting the cafe more regularly as he began campaigning and carried on over the course of the summer:

“In the beginning, the first time he pulled on my hair, I remember thinking to myself he’s probably just trying to be playful and jolly, seeing as the general consensus of most who meet him is “he’s such a nice guy”.”

The behaviour was not welcomed:

“The next time he came up behind me and pulled my hair I was annoyed. Great, I thought, this wasn’t just a one off.”

The staffer claims she tried her best to avoid the PM when he visited again, but was stalked by him in the confines of the cafe:

“I began to avoid interacting with him where possible, if he entered when another staff member was also present I would promptly make myself busy somewhere else, I would ask someone to take the beverages or food to his table so I didn’t have to. I kept my distance when I could. It seemed as though the more I disliked it and made myself absent the more fun it became for him, the more he enjoyed the challenge of approaching from behind me, unsuspected.”

According to the staffer, he would pull her ponytail and try and pretend it was wife Bronagh who had done it, much as a primary school kid might do in the playground. Key is claimed to have said “that’s a very tantalising ponytail”.

The issue came to a head on Thursday, 26 March, and the staffer claims to have told Key directly that the behaviour was not welcome and should stop immediately. Bronagh Key is alleged to have told the PM to “leave the poor girl alone”. Key is supposed to have responded by pulling the woman’s ponytail again.

Shortly afterwards, Key is alleged to have returned and tried to make amends with a couple of bottles of JK 2012 PM’s Pinot Noir, saying “this is for you, sorry, I didn’t realise.” His staff followed up the following day to make sure the woman was suitably mollified. But apparently she was not satisfied and has decided to publicise the story.

I’m suggesting caution with this allegation. For starters, it’s one person’s story, and apparently not independently verified. And it’s on TDB, so quite possibly it’s just another Bomber brainfart. Further, every time the left tries and fails to land a hit on Key, he gains strength and our credibility takes a hit. So, please be careful in your comments and any defamatory suggestions such as linking the PM with the prominent New Zealander facing sexual assault charges should not be made. But the story is strangely compelling and is consistent with the video of Key playing with a schoolgirl’s hair, which was weird enough in its own right.

I simply don’t know if it’s accurate, but I do think we should be told Key’s side of the story. Or be presented with his head on a platter if it’s true.

 

UPDATE: Radio NZ are reporting that Key has just released an apology to the woman he harassed. Details as they become available.

Update: Key has apologised. See also The Herald.

407 comments on “My Little Ponytail ”

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  1. Sanctuary 1
    22 April 2015 at 9:57 am

    DPF has commented in the most circumspect way possible.

    And since he is practically the online mouthpiece of the ninth floor, I think we can take his commentary as proof that the story is genuine.

    • Colonial Rawshark 1.1
      22 April 2015 at 10:22 am

      Yep. And circumspect because other notable people who frequent that nice Parnell cafe have seen the behaviour as well.

      • Tracey 1.1.1
        22 April 2015 at 10:54 am

        If others have seen it how can it be

        “While there is no independent verification of the claim, and the attached photo looks staged or photoshopped”

        It seems childish for sure but if the story were true (and TRP has said there is no independent verification) surely this

        “Key is alleged to have returned and tried to make amends with a couple of bottles of JK 2012 PM’s Pinot Noir, saying “this is for you, sorry, I didn’t realise.””

        ends it? IF true, Bronagh may have talked to him after telling him to leave the poor girl alone, and he saw the error of his ways?

        My concern is there is apparently, no independent verification yet here it is, being spread?

        • Colonial Rawshark 1.1.1.1
          22 April 2015 at 11:40 am

          Channeling Captain Spock – what we are looking for here from the waitress is not two pairs of gravity boots – but two bottles of wine from a special vineyard.

      • Chris 1.1.2
        22 April 2015 at 5:00 pm

        Key exhibited the same belligerence when he and Bronagh were interviewed at their beach house before the election. He more than once waved a barbecue fork right in front of Bronagh’s face. It was disgusting behaviour. The guy’s a pig.

    • freedom 1.2
      22 April 2015 at 11:00 am

      “He eventually realised it, when he apologised with a couple of bottles of wine.”
      That is very definitive language for DPF to use when responding to what he says is an unproven allegation, before he goes on to say it’s just the PM “mucking around”

      • Tracey 1.2.1
        22 April 2015 at 1:30 pm

        well, he is probably judging the PM’s actions according to his own moral compass. And yes the it’s a lie but it’s true contradiction made me chuckle too

  2. vto 2
    22 April 2015 at 9:59 am

    Over to John Key to respond really…

  3. Kevin 3
    22 April 2015 at 10:10 am

    Funny how those bottles of wine from a vineyard he doesn’t know about keep popping up…

    • felix 3.1
      22 April 2015 at 11:44 am

      Yeah that’s weird.

      Why doesn’t anyone in the media ever ask him about that?

      How come he is on record claiming that he owns the vineyard AND that he doesn’t know if he owns a vineyard?

      In what universe is it not worth ever asking the PM to explain this?

      They have totally normalised this type of obvious corruption.

  4. Puckish Rogue 4
    22 April 2015 at 10:13 am

    I’d personally give more credence to the story if they’d posted first at this site as opposed to TDB

    However having said that if (for the sake of arguement) its true then its a major dick move by Key and it’ll hurt him in the polls

    • James 4.1
      22 April 2015 at 10:26 am

      it’ll hurt him in the polls

      Nope. Nat supporters will just say that she can’t take a joke or some other misogynistic bullshit.

      Edit: I see someone has already been over to the Tory blogs and found comments just like this.

      • Redbaiter 4.1.1
        22 April 2015 at 10:47 am

        Look, I’ll admit this is weird, but to be fair to Key, the waitress let him pull her hair without any kind of verbal reaction at least three times and perhaps many more times.

        Some would say that this failure to express herself could be interpreted as a willingness to go along with the joke.

        Shouldn’t she have spoken out on the very first occasion? Or at least soon after.

        • DoublePlusGood 4.1.1.1
          22 April 2015 at 10:54 am

          And if you’re a waitress at a café, are you going to risk losing your job because you pissed off the PM?

        • Aaron 4.1.1.2
          22 April 2015 at 10:59 am

          Drop dead redbaiter, I wouldn’t accept an excuse like that from a child – most human beings can tell the difference between right and wrong – maybe you can’t, maybe the PM can’t.

          Or more likely you’re just living up to your name and you’ve successfully wound me up. Admittedly it’s quite easy to do, I’ve got two daughters and I get very antsy around idiots who try to excuse any kind of abuse of power.

          • Redbaiter 4.1.1.2.1
            22 April 2015 at 11:18 am

            I’m no fan of Key.

            In fact I am his biggest critic on the right wing side of politics in NZ.

            I’d like just one question answered. In today’s progressive political climate, where women are increasingly outgoing and assertive, how many of the women (or men) writing here would allow Key to pull their hair more than once before they spoke to him about it?

            • vto 4.1.1.2.1.1
              22 April 2015 at 11:20 am

              That’s not much of a question if that is all you got

              • Redbaiter …
                22 April 2015 at 11:23 am

                That’s not much of an answer.

                • Pasupial …
                  22 April 2015 at 11:32 am

                  If my job was at stake, and there was an armed security squad hovering around the hair-puller, then I imagine that I too would be cautious about resisting.

                  The waitress evidently thought that avoiding Key and projecting hostile body language wood be sufficient to avoid a recurrence. But Key only regarded that as making her more “tantalising”. Empathy is not natural to a sociopath, though they do become practiced at feigning it.

                  • Aaron …
                    22 April 2015 at 2:36 pm

                    Thank you Pasupial for spelling out the bleeding obvious to Redbaiter. It worries me that people can’t see how those things (plus the huge power differential) will dictate how people respond in these situations.

                  • One Anonymous Bloke …
                    22 April 2015 at 2:57 pm

                    The members of Diplomatic Protection Squad are sworn police. They need to ask themselves why they didn’t prevent the Prime Minister’s assault, nor even caution him for it.

                • Tracey …
                  22 April 2015 at 11:45 am

                  well, the quality of the answer probably fits the quality of the question.

                • Shona …
                  22 April 2015 at 3:16 pm

                  and you’ve clearly NEVER worked as a waitress. Here was I thinking isn’t great how much we’ve moved on as as society that a young woman employed as a waitress can be BELIEVED and have an avenue to express her experience. This was NOT how it was in the 1970’s and early 1980’s when I regularly had my arse pinched and groped and my breasts fondled by strange men when I worked in hospitality. THAT”S WHY WE HAVE SEXUAL HARASSMENT LEGISLATION> got it Redbaiter ??????

                  • Liberal Realist …
                    22 April 2015 at 6:52 pm

                    100+

                    I worked in Hospo for many years in my younger days (I’m male) and observed (and intervened) in very inappropriate (or out right disgusting) behaviour toward my female colleagues. This sort of thing must not be tolerated under any circumstances, in any environment.

                    As others have stated, this is most serious due to it being exhibited by the PM in a consecutive fashion. From the narrative of the OP on TDB, it strikes me that Key enjoyed tormenting this individual.

                    There’s one clear definition that springs to mind. Psychopath.

            • Kaplan 4.1.1.2.1.2
              22 April 2015 at 11:24 am

              “how many of the women (or men) writing here would allow Key to pull their hair more than once before they spoke to him about it?”

              There are plenty of people that would tell him to his face to stop it. I know I would, but I also know there are plenty of people who wouldn’t for whatever reason (fear of repercussion, just timid, whatever). That doesn’t mean they are allowed to be victimised though. The PM should have bloody known better.

            • Tracey 4.1.1.2.1.3
              22 April 2015 at 11:44 am

              Why is that your question? Your most burning question? And not, why would a Prime Minister think he could pull someone’s hair once, let alone several times, no matter what fucking hat he or she were wearing?

              • Redbaiter …
                22 April 2015 at 12:09 pm

                Because he’s an idiot who thought it was a joke the waitress was playing along with.

                I admit that pulling anyone’s hair is weird.

                However with the growing assertiveness of women these days, its still strange to me that she let him do it as many times as he did without just saying to him “Look sir, I don’t think this is funny, or any kind of joke, and I’d like you to stop doing it”.

                Tell me why she couldn’t have handled it like that?

                • Tracey …
                  22 April 2015 at 12:17 pm

                  You haven’t read her post have you redbaiter? I know that because she answered your question in it.

                • Tracey …
                  22 April 2015 at 12:19 pm

                  “Because he’s an idiot who thought it was a joke the waitress was playing along with and that should worry everyone in a Prime Minister who represents a nation locally and internationally.”

                  FIFY

                • weka …
                  22 April 2015 at 3:00 pm

                  “Because he’s an idiot who thought it was a joke the waitress was playing along with.”

                  I agree he’s an idiot, but I find it inconceivable that he truly thinks this was a bit of fun she was playing along with. The story reads much more like a man used to his power toying with someone less powerful who most likely wouldn’t fight back. That makes him an arse as well as an idiot. That he continued long after it was apparent she was unhappy, and that he did things like ask for her name etc, makes him a creep as well.

                  “Tell me why she couldn’t have handled it like that?”

                  Already answered multiple times, but again, that way of handling things takes assertiveness, presence of mind, job security, and a degree of confidence in that particular context (the man’s job, body guards etc). Lots of people don’t have those things.

                  It’s also worth adding that many women know from experience that saying something like “Look sir, I don’t think this is funny, or any kind of joke, and I’d like you to stop doing it” won’t be respected, and can up the ante, so anyone in her position with that experience would be taking into account the fact that this is probably going to be an ongoing problem not solved by the simplistic action you are suggesting.

                  The story as told about Key certainly makes me think he’s not someone that would respect a simple ‘stop doing that’. Where would be the fun in that? And by fun I mean, where’s the fun at someone else’s expense.

            • Anne 4.1.1.2.1.4
              22 April 2015 at 2:49 pm

              If you’re a young woman with not much of life’s experiences under your belt you are/were often too frightened to respond. I’ve been there when a young woman and so have countless others. Sexual harassment was common place in the workforce and we were expected to take it and do and say nothing about it. Anyone who did complain would invariably find themselves bullied and intimidated to the point where they were forced to leave the workplace. Things are certainly better now, but its still hard out there for young women and girls. When the perpetrator is the prime minister that would make it doubly hard.

              If you’re an older woman you know how to handle it. But then most men know that so they’re not going to try it on in the first place.

              I hope that answers your question redbaiter.

              • Shona …
                22 April 2015 at 4:32 pm

                Thanks Anne. Damn right we were expected to take it. Laughing at men in my own age group has become an enjoyable pastime now I am officially elderly. Women generally have a far better response to the aging process and remain vital engaged and involved in life.

              • tracey …
                22 April 2015 at 5:09 pm

                no, not youActually the waitress answered that question, but RedB, Bob and another here didnt bother reading the post she made before beginning the attack on her.

            • Murray Rawshark 4.1.1.2.1.5
              22 April 2015 at 3:47 pm

              Assertiveness would be doing something to a creepy middle aged man, not accepting him doing it to you.

            • David H 4.1.1.2.1.6
              22 April 2015 at 4:18 pm

              This is nothing to do with politics. This is more to the true nature of the man. I don’t like the Politician. Now I too am ashamed he’s the bloody PM.

              • Anne …
                22 April 2015 at 5:55 pm

                Said it in a nutshell David H. Its the nature of the man. Many of us saw it from Day 1 but – she sighs – many can’t see it even today. Lack of insight I say.

        • miravox 4.1.1.3
          22 April 2015 at 7:19 pm

          “the waitress let him pull her hair without any kind of verbal reaction”

          The waitress didn’t let him pull her hair…. The Prime Minister pulled her hair (and without verbally asking).

        • AmaKiwi 4.1.1.4
          23 April 2015 at 1:19 am

          No, she should have slapped his face, which would have gotten her a conviction for assault.

          Redbaiter, have you ever heard of “power”? Do you have any idea what it means to be in the zero power position against the leader of the pack?

          • David H 4.1.1.4.1
            23 April 2015 at 7:44 am

            No she should have slapped his face, and then had him for sexual harassment what assault charge???

      • Tracey 4.1.2
        22 April 2015 at 11:00 am

        ^^^^^ this

        it’s puerile but that appears to be part of his popularity

  5. Charles 5
    22 April 2015 at 10:18 am

    Ok so let’s say it’s all a fantastic lie.

    Let’s just get this straight right now. Because I had a look on Kiwiblog and apparently consistently pulling the hair of a waitress if you’re a fully grown man, is just a bit of completely acceptable socially-condoned slightly-maybe inappropriate “flirting”. It certainly isn’t a crime.

    How many people here agree?

    I don’t think I’m cut out for reading blogs. Real life is easier: Someone does something dumb, you sort them. Easy. But blogs, the reality is twisted. The people are… special.

    • felix 5.1
      22 April 2015 at 10:35 am

      Some pretty advanced victim-blaming going on there too.

      Apparently in that world it’s not assault or harassment if the victim doesn’t formally advise you of such in triplicate within 4 seconds of the first incident.

      Which is a bit weird really, because it means the first time you assault someone it doesn’t count.

    • Paul Campbell 5.2
      22 April 2015 at 10:38 am

      It’s all a question of terms I guess, on one person it’s “harassment”, while on two or more I think the word is “fetish”

      • Charles 5.2.1
        22 April 2015 at 11:03 am

        Not really, but I have an experiment that will return conclusive results if anyone’s game:

        Anyone who thinks it’s not a crime and simple flirting, please assemble a group of your best mates, locate your nearest café and, on arrival, grab the hair of the nearest male waiter. (Sorry guys, but I couldn’t say to do it to yet more unsuspecting women) Should you survive, inform all present who you are and where you can be found. Leave photos if you must. Return the next day and do it again.

        If you don’t get a visit from the police, then it must be harmless flirting.

        Remove the gender of the victim in this account.
        Remove the veracity of the account.

        Agree with “flirting”, and you’re still condoning assault.

        The NZ law of ad-hom attack that is applied on blogs every day says that if anyone condones breaking the law, anything else they say is worthless. Therefore the editor of kiwiblog, and all the commenters, are malicious liars.

        Oh but suddenly ad-homs are allowed, because logic isn’t “fair”.

        • Kevin 5.2.1.1
          22 April 2015 at 11:32 am

          Why would our married PM be ‘flirting’?

          • Tracey 5.2.1.1.1
            22 April 2015 at 11:40 am

            married people flirt.

            • Ron 5.2.1.1.1.1
              22 April 2015 at 12:20 pm

              of course they do. But I wonder how long their marriages last when it becomes a habit.

              married people flirt.

              • Puckish Rogue …
                22 April 2015 at 12:48 pm

                (I’m not minimising what the PM did merely responding to this specific question)

                It depends on the type of flirt, I do minor flirting at work and the women I flirt with flirt back but its on the very lower level of flirting ie paying someone a compliment or noticing when someones changed their hair style (and commenting positively)

                What it does is makes both parties feel good about themselves and is a positive interaction

                However there is a line of course

                • McFlock …
                  22 April 2015 at 1:13 pm

                  Yeah – the line is whether both parties feel good about it, or whether the recipient is professionally obliged to be courteous and polite and even smile. I.e. a power imbalance.

                  It’s not just “flirting” this principle applies to: I used to work at one place that had a lot of diverse groups going through. Some regulars were a Christian youth group that was heavily into converting us poor heathens. Most of the time it was okay, but the venue’s customer services manager went ballistic at the group when they started on the receptionists, explaining in no uncertain terms that the receptionists, because they were a captive audience that had to be there and had to remain polite, were completely and utterly off limits.

                • Tracey …
                  22 April 2015 at 1:17 pm

                  is their a difference between paying a compliment and flirtng? Cos you described complimenting someone?

                  • Puckish Rogue …
                    22 April 2015 at 2:23 pm

                    Thats where it gets tricky of course because then you get into areas of Non-Verbal Communication and what i type and what i mean can be two different things

                    But I’d say complimenting someone is flirting but at the lowest end of the scale and is the most socially acceptable form of flirting

                    A good rule of thumb is that you should only flirt to a level that you’re ok with your significant other

                    • Tracey …
                      22 April 2015 at 2:25 pm

                      Fair enough. I guess I always think of flirting as being having slightly sexual overtones/intent, but if married or known to be in a a partnership a kind of “safe” playing…

                      Complimneting I guess can be seen that way when it is done by opposite sexes? Therein lies the confusion?

                      But a PM tugging s pony tail, imo, is not flirting, it is something else, whatever that is.

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      22 April 2015 at 2:58 pm

                      Yes tugging someones ponytail or “hugging” (like a certain ex-cera type) is way above what I’d do or consider ok

                • Jeeves …
                  22 April 2015 at 1:25 pm

                  @ PR- but that’s not flirting. That’s being complimentary. Or its simple intergender rapport.

                  Flirting is where the words or actions are delivered with a deliberate backdrop of obvious or subtle sexuality.

                  • Puckish Rogue …
                    22 April 2015 at 2:39 pm

                    The problem (well usually not a problem) is that those lines can become blurred

                    It all depends on how its given and recieved I suppose

              • Tracey …
                22 April 2015 at 1:16 pm

                and most don’t stroke other women’s body parts as “flirting”

              • AmaKiwi …
                23 April 2015 at 1:24 am

                On her IRD tax return, his wife once listed her occupation as “stud screwer.”

                That should answer your question.

                • miravox …
                  23 April 2015 at 3:02 am

                  It appears that occupation was legit (tongue in cheek, maybe). As a teen, she did work in a shoe factory during the school holidays screwing studs into the soles of football boots.

                  John Roughan: Portrait of a Prime Minister

                  If people are using this anecdote from the book as if it says something about Key’s sexual prowess that’s tasteless and ego-driven imo. If it’s used to criticise Bronagh’s attitudes it’s probably a bit of a stretch.

            • The Pink Postman 5.2.1.1.1.2
              22 April 2015 at 3:08 pm

              Not this one Tracey . I find the whole episode not only weird but quite disgusting.This is the PM we are talking about not a silly teen age boy. In fact if this had been a brown faced teenager the police would have been called in and Tasers used.

              • tracey …
                22 April 2015 at 3:13 pm

                I don’t flirt either, but I have friends who do, so I know some partnered folks do.

                It is weird, and revealing about our PM. It’s not like a celebrity or something this is a guy who runs the whole country…

            • The Pink Postman 5.2.1.1.1.3
              22 April 2015 at 3:16 pm

              not this one Tracey . the whole episode is weird .This is the Prime Minister not a silly teenage boy .In fact if it had been a teenaged brown faced youth the police would have been called in and trunchions and Tazers would have been used. This strange business will once again bring us into dispute in the world .Key should call it a day and resign now.

          • Murray Rawshark 5.2.1.1.2
            22 April 2015 at 4:29 pm

            I don’t think it’s flirting so much as an assertion of power and property rights.

    • Tracey 5.3
      22 April 2015 at 11:02 am

      Spend a moment on the world wide web and google Crimes Act 1961. Look for the definitions of assault. Then google Tort Law and Assault. You are welcome

  6. rawshark-yeshe 6
    22 April 2015 at 10:22 am

    If it has been her breast he touched repeatedly perhaps more people might have quickly reacted… or not, hard to say. But that it is her pony-tail is no different from it being her breast. He aggressed upon this young woman repeatedly not only without her consent, but against her clearly stated objections and requests for him to cease doing it. ( Rape culture anyone ? This is where it begins.)

    I hope she gets support to lay a formal complaint against him. ( Have to say, I am seriously anti-violence, but I would have had to slap or punch him and no doubt have seen a unexpected twinkle in the eyes of long suffering Bronagh. )

    Creepy compuslive liar we have as a Pry Minister isn’t it? He needs to be prosecuted for so many actions — this one has a chance imho.

    • Sabine 6.1
      22 April 2015 at 12:54 pm

      no pity for long suffering Bronagh….she is well of enough to have left dear leader anytime she wanted too.

      what galls me is that dear Bronagh obviously was not able to tell her husband, dear leader, that pulling the hair of little girls is as objectionable as pulling the hair of a grown women.

      but then he pays for her lifestyle and that is all that counts.

      that tweet with the link of John Campbell interviewing a maybe 10 year old girl, and Dear Leader fondling her hair is creepy.

    • Murray Rawshark 6.2
      22 April 2015 at 4:34 pm

      I’d love her to lay a complaint of assault, but I also understand completely why she may not want to. However, it should be up to all of us to see that the creep suffers the consequences, not just her.

  7. felix 7
    22 April 2015 at 10:23 am

    “DP” Farrar says:

    If the story is correct, then he should apologise for causing distress to her.

    But John Key says he only apologises for serious things.

    Not even for victims of attempted rape who were mistreated by his govt and Ministers, even though he promised he would apologise.

    So if this story is true, he’s in a very weird position regarding seriousness, isn’t he?

  8. Atiawa 8
    22 April 2015 at 10:24 am

    This is beyond comprehension. A young woman completely unknown to the Prime Minister is childishly harassed by him. Maybe he was pissed off that she hadn’t requested a selfie with him.
    I have always had the impression that he is nothing more than an attention seeking egotist.

  9. James 9
    22 April 2015 at 10:24 am

    To me, that video just shows the douche-bag moving her pony-tail off her shoulder, probably because it looked better for the camera.

    • felix 9.1
      22 April 2015 at 10:29 am

      And giving it a tug. Weirdly.

      • Pasupial 9.1.1
        22 April 2015 at 10:46 am

        Look at the woman at the back at the end of clip (I assume she is the mother); she certainly goes from smiling to frowning very quickly and says something to Key about it.

      • James 9.1.2
        22 April 2015 at 10:49 am

        I actually thought the gif had just paused for a split-second but watching many, many loops there is a deliberate tug there. Creepy.

    • te reo putake 9.2
      22 April 2015 at 10:31 am

      Yep, it could be that he was wearing his MediaWorks TV Producer hat that day. But if you are correct, why does he rub the child’s hair with his thumb. It’s just … odd.

      • Hayden 9.2.1
        22 April 2015 at 10:52 am

        Well, he is the expert on everything, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he was also the country’s best producer.

      • Alpha z 9.2.2
        22 April 2015 at 11:49 am

        http://imgur.com/r/newzealand/wT4XtDj

        may be he is thinking it is kind of sum quick public pubic feeling or wotnot sicko! kick him out to jail or community service sentence. may be more dirty stuff coming who knows.

        • te reo putake 9.2.2.1
          22 April 2015 at 11:55 am

          Word ‘o’ the Day No. 94: trichophilia.

          Hair fetishism manifests itself in a variety of behaviors. A fetishist may enjoy seeing or touching hair, pulling on or cutting the hair of another person. Besides enjoyment they may become sexually aroused from such activities. It may also be described as an obsession, as in the case of hair washing or dread of losing hair. Arousal by head hair may arise from seeing or touching very long or short hair, wet hair, a certain color of hair or a particular hairstyle. Others may find the attraction of literally “having sex with somebody’s hair” as a fantasy or fetish.

          But clearly this does not apply to Key because “His actions were intended to be light-hearted.”. So nothing to see hair, er, here, move along …

          • Scintilla 9.2.2.1.1
            22 April 2015 at 4:59 pm

            So nothing to see hair, er, here, move along …

            Ba-ha ha ha! Tickled my fancy no end after a hard day at the front. Seriously, though, this is just icky, downright creepy. Trichophilia indeed. I have wondered whether he is on meds of some kind that affect his judgement, I remember he keeled over at some dinner type event, maybe before the last election sometime?

          • linda 9.2.2.1.2
            23 April 2015 at 5:36 am

            hes guilty of serial tug perverted weirdos are called Johns

    • Robert Atack 9.3
      22 April 2015 at 10:32 am

      But don’t you see the little fondle as he moves it?

    • vto 9.4
      22 April 2015 at 10:32 am

      He runs it over through his hand.

      He was feeling it.

    • Murray Rawshark 9.5
      22 April 2015 at 4:40 pm

      Despite what they seem to think, being a Tory politician does not give them the right to touch other people’s children.

      • srylands 9.5.1
        22 April 2015 at 4:44 pm

        There are no Tory politicians in New Zealand.

        Do you have any evidence that the waitress in question is a child?

        • McFlock 9.5.1.1
          22 April 2015 at 5:00 pm

          🙄

        • tracey 9.5.1.2
          22 April 2015 at 5:02 pm

          well, until a few posts ago you didn’t even think she was a real waitress…

          But really I think you need to catch up with the Leader’s behaviour. He fondled a young girls hair, the link is on here somewhere, or you could just go to 3 news, they have it there.

        • Murray Rawshark 9.5.1.3
          22 April 2015 at 6:44 pm

          Most of us, unless found under rocks, are someone’s children.

        • tricledrown 9.5.1.4
          22 April 2015 at 9:16 pm

          Just Tory charlatans ,Bullies,Predators,Corrupt Lying media manipulating 5 eyed philandering stalkers.

        • linda 9.5.1.5
          23 April 2015 at 5:38 am

          scum lands perverted weirdos are called Johns

  10. cogito 10
    22 April 2015 at 10:26 am

    Now that one person has bravely spoken out, it’s time for others to come forward…

  11. Stuart Munro 11
    22 April 2015 at 10:27 am

    Reptiles are naturally intrigued by hair.

  12. saveNZ 12
    22 April 2015 at 10:30 am

    I wouldn’t want a 50 year old man, fondling my daughters hair under any circumstances.

  13. Bill 13
    22 April 2015 at 10:32 am

    Oddly, given the general knowledge surrounding the alleged incidents (“even the local firefighters have asked me about what one of their guys saw. Other customers will sneak up behind me and say “Boo! Don’t worry, it’s not John Key!” or give my hair a gentle tug to see me panic and then say “I’m John Key”.), that the DB proclaims “We are protecting her identity so she is not punished by her employer or social media victim blaming.”

    Really?! Given the amount of info – some of it quite detailed – any attempted ‘protection of identity’ is a nonsense.

    Assuming the allegations are true, there will be media all over her within 24 hours.

    • tinfoilhat 13.1
      22 April 2015 at 10:39 am

      +1 bill …yes i was thinking much the same thing.

      • Tracey 13.1.1
        22 April 2015 at 11:08 am

        me too. It is odd… to say there is no independent verification then give examples of independent verification… odd… fishy… proceed with caution.

    • McFlock 13.2
      22 April 2015 at 10:43 am

      Frankly, what bomber should have done was asked her to get any regulars (like the firefighters) who saw it to contact him has confirmation. But then that’s the difference between a good journalist and a blogger 🙂

      John Key’s a dick, but I reckon I’ll sit on the fence on this one for a while.

      • TheContrarian 13.2.1
        22 April 2015 at 10:51 am

        Yeah, these sorts of unsubstantiated claims deserve a healthy dose of skepticism until more details/confirmation become available.

      • Tracey 13.2.2
        22 April 2015 at 11:09 am

        I’m with you Did Bomber put it to the PM’s office before publishing? That is what some journalists do.

        • Naturesong 13.2.2.1
          22 April 2015 at 11:41 am

          I wouldn’t consider Bomber a journalist.

          More a happy warrior in the activist space. One whose technical (journalistic ones) and strategic planning skills are not quite matched by his drive and passion.
          People do grow and develop, but I suspect the flaws that prevent Bomber from being as effective as he could be are embedded in the style or “brand” he presents.

          I used to look for and read his material, but since I have at least basic cognitive function in addition to a wide range of feelings and emotions, a diet of outrage that is often poorly written and under researched won’t hold my interest for very long.

          • Tracey 13.2.2.1.1
            22 April 2015 at 11:48 am

            Except he seems to want some kind of credibility, one way is to do some verification of his own…

            • Naturesong 13.2.2.1.1.1
              22 April 2015 at 11:56 am

              “Except he seems to want some kind of credibility”

              I’d like to run a marathon too – but unless I learn what is required to do it, and then put some serious time into it, it’s not going to happen.

              • Tracey …
                22 April 2015 at 12:00 pm

                So, the guy who was paid by DotCom to run a political campaign doesn’t know about verifying information before going public to enhance credibility?

                • Naturesong …
                  22 April 2015 at 12:45 pm

                  I’d say yes
                  He seems to be completely blind to his faults, and takes any criticism as a personal attack.

                  It’s a pretty common affliction in New Zealand.

                  Edit: He was the one running Dotcoms campaign?
                  In which case, I wish to present Dotcom’s entire campaign in support my criticism of Bombers strategic planning ability

                • Naturesong …
                  23 April 2015 at 3:33 pm

                  Well, it looks like my worry was unfounded.
                  Martyn Bradbury has done pretty well under the circmstances.

                  Respect just went up a notch.

        • Murray Rawshark 13.2.2.2
          22 April 2015 at 6:27 pm

          Tracey, you are making exactly the same argument that the right used against Hager.

      • Bill 13.2.3
        22 April 2015 at 11:33 am

        More than that McFlock, what Bomber needed to do was not bullshit her on questions of anonymity, secure her agreement to ‘front’ to the media and then school her on dealing with it.

        From what the DB has said, I doubt that happened. So now the woman, who may not want to go anywhere near TV cameras or whatever is going to be under immense pressure.

        If she had come to him with the story and stated she wanted anonymity, then Bomber had a duty to inform her that wouldn’t be possible and then either drop the story or re-write it in the third person. Of course, a third person account would have went no-where, which would have left dropping the story as the only sensible option.

        • Tracey 13.2.3.1
          22 April 2015 at 11:49 am

          and if she had gone to MSM she may have secured the anonymity cos they would have sought independent verification (I hope).

          • Bill 13.2.3.1.1
            22 April 2015 at 11:54 am

            They’ll want to interview her Tracey. She should have been made aware that was going to happen and that it would be nigh on impossible to remain anonymous.

            I’d suggest if she’d gone to the msm and said she didn’t want to be identified, they’d have dropped it. It’s a human interest story from their way of looking at things. And human interest stories need…people.

            • Tracey 13.2.3.1.1.1
              22 April 2015 at 12:03 pm

              Dont journalist frequently keep sources anonymous though? They would have named the cafe and interviewed other staff and maybe customers. She may have ended up in the same place she will be now BUT with that independent verification first and foremost she wouldn’t start under the gun, but with time and effort from certain people, would have ended up there…

              AND look how quickly after reading TDB post the MSM got comment and confirmation from PM”s office to remove the notion she is an extreme left wing activist making stuff up…

              • Bill …
                22 April 2015 at 12:33 pm

                My point concerns the reality rather than a pile of ‘what ifs’ and ‘might have beens’.

                Some-one, who apparently wanted anonymity, wrote an account of being harassed by the PM of NZ for a blog. It appears from what prefaced the post that the blog suggested she could remain anonymous. Therefore my questions revolve around either the apparent lack of ethical standards, or the stupidity, of that blog.

                Was some-one so anxious to run a story that they didn’t give a flying fuck for the consequences of the person telling the story?

                Or was some-one so stupid as to not realise the likely consequences for the person telling the story?

                • Tracey …
                  22 April 2015 at 1:20 pm

                  Ah, I get you. It did strike me as a lil Slater-esque…. that is, spread the message and to hell with the collateral damage.

                  • McFlock …
                    22 April 2015 at 1:46 pm

                    Following on from the Mana News debacle about the phone call, it appears that some folks are getting dragged down to the tory level.
                    But that would be another thread entirely.

                • Huginn …
                  22 April 2015 at 4:52 pm

                  I think she says that she posted her objections to having her hair pulled on Key’s Facebook, and also the National Party’s Facebook.

                  It also sounds as though several other customers were aware of Key’s weird behaviour.

                  If so, then it was always a matter of time for this to come out.

      • McFlock 13.2.4
        22 April 2015 at 12:33 pm

        Oh. My. God. It’s true.

        For fuck’s sake.

  14. Pasupial 14
    22 April 2015 at 10:36 am

    As I said over on TDB – her anonymity rather depends on how many waitresses in how many cafes have been the focus of Key’s sociopathic attention:

    He then asked her my name and later, as he passed by me upon leaving, he spoke my name

  15. Hateatea 15
    22 April 2015 at 10:39 am

    After spending nearly 30 years telling children that bad touching is ‘below your shoulders and above your knees’ am I now going to have to say ‘and playing with your hair’ ?

    I am still of two minds as to the veracity of this claim but whether true or false, it has generated some heartening and some disappointing comments, on the three sites I have visited.

    Perhaps I need to don my HAZMAT suit and visit the blog of ‘he who shall not be named’ for his spin.

  16. weka 16
    22 April 2015 at 10:45 am

    “I’m suggesting caution with this allegation. For starters, it’s one person’s story, and apparently not independently verified. And it’s on TDB, so quite possibly it’s just another Bomber brainfart. Further, every time the left tries and fails to land a hit on Key, he gains strength and our credibility takes a hit.”

    A couple of points.

    One is that the need express the opinion that Bomber is unreliable when it comes to the truth may be undermining someone speaking truth to power.

    The other is that this isn’t about landing a hit on Key, it’s about a woman speaking up about harrassment from a man in a position of considerable power (and showing him to be a creep).

  17. James Thrace 17
    22 April 2015 at 10:46 am

    I believe the story. There was a one news clip from last year where Key fondled a little girls hair. Anyone else recall it?

  18. veutoviper 18
    22 April 2015 at 11:00 am

    BREAKING

    Jessica Williams, RadioLive political reporter, asked John Key’s office about the allegations in the DailyBlog post.

    Their response does not deny that the ponytail pulling happened at a local cafe Key and Bronagh go to regularly; it was intended to be lighthearted; it was never his intention to make her feel uncomfortable; and he has apologised to her.

    https://twitter.com/mizjwilliams/status/590648971095314432

    • Hateatea 18.1
      22 April 2015 at 11:06 am

      OMG

      Now let the fun begin!!!

      Bring on the spinners. Fisiani? Gosman? Where are you?

    • Bill 18.2
      22 April 2015 at 11:06 am

      Boom.

      So,okay. Now I’m reflecting on his ‘boys will be boys’ comments surrounding roastbusters, his relaxed attitude towards sexual harassment claims against (guys position and nationality?)…

      • Tracey 18.2.1
        22 April 2015 at 11:15 am

        That was a very revealing comment in my opinion. It makes me wonder if he has seen this campaign begun in London?

        http://www.thisdoesntmeanyes.com/#thisdoesntmeanyes

      • adam 18.2.2
        22 April 2015 at 11:27 am

        The ‘boys will be boys’ comment sickened me at the time, now I feel he was leaving the door open for himself. I’m just going to repeat my usual and people can take it as they wish.

        This is a government with no moral compass, no sense of decency – no commitment to anything but a love of cupidity and do as we please.

        I don’t know about you, but that makes me feel more – than just a little uncomfortable.

    • veutoviper 18.3
      22 April 2015 at 11:08 am

      Cannot edit above – but special item discussing this now on Nine to Noon.

    • Tracey 18.4
      22 April 2015 at 11:14 am

      He has, in person, delivered wine and an apology, so that is a step in the right direction, compared to the past? Not sure why his office followed up cos he has told us that his office is not him, and he would be in his John key (cafe goer) hat for this?

  19. RedLogix 19
    22 April 2015 at 11:04 am

    Absolutely unwelcome behaviour. And very difficult for the young woman involved – an invidious position to be put in.

    Difficult for any employee to complain about any client, much less one as powerful and visible as the Prime Minister, worse still when ‘gifts’ suddenly become involved. If this story is true there will be all sorts of pressure being brought to bear on her.

    None of which is of her making. If this does unravel in the worst way possible then I would hope everybody keeps this in mind.

  20. Paul Campbell 20
    22 April 2015 at 11:06 am

    Well I guess that’s confirmed then …. I wonder if he knows which waitress he’s appologising to

  21. EOFB 21
    22 April 2015 at 11:16 am

    Misplaced “toupee envy” I say.

    • Tracey 22.1
      22 April 2015 at 11:23 am

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11436677

      He confirms the story. He did apologise. He only apologises for serious things. is it cos it was in public and witnessed… or cos Bronagh told him to stop being a dick when they left the cafe on one of the occasions?

      IF he did this as John Key (the man) – which I believe he did, and not with his John Key PM hat on, why is the PM’s office (which he says is not him) following it up on his behalf and answering for him? I’m confused about all these different roles and which ones my money supports?

      • One Anonymous Bloke 22.1.1
        22 April 2015 at 3:23 pm

        It’s not an apology when it’s accompanied by immediate minimisation and self-justification – “just horsing around”.

    • Murray Rawshark 22.2
      22 April 2015 at 4:57 pm

      “Prime Minister John Key has dismissed his hair-pulling pranks as “a bit of banter”,”

      That’s not an apology.

      • tracey 22.2.1
        22 April 2015 at 5:04 pm

        Cos, like some men in NZ, it is all about the man’s perspective. It was fun for Key, so therefore it must be fun for the victim.

  23. James 23
    22 April 2015 at 11:20 am

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/67949918/Prime-Minister-John-Key-pulled-waitress-ponytail

    The way the article is written makes it sound like he did it once, got a disapproving glare and then apologised. Nothing like the impression I got from the original article.

    • freedom 23.1
      22 April 2015 at 11:49 am

      did you not read the first line ?
      “The Prime Minister has apologised to a waitress who accused him of repeatedly pulling her hair at an Auckland cafe. ”
      -bold mine

  24. notowenglenn 24
    22 April 2015 at 11:21 am

    It’s a serious matter when he couldn’t trust Steven Joyce to fix it. I guess Joyce wasn’t in a position to tell her to let her hair down with the PM like he does.

  25. Hateatea 25
    22 April 2015 at 11:22 am

    Now up on Stuff
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/67949918/prime-minister-john-key-pulled-waitress-ponytail

    A lot more from Bradbury on how he came to publish

    Oops, beaten to the punch 😀

  26. Tracey 26
    22 April 2015 at 11:25 am

    Also proves, beyond doubt, that political blogs are read daily by journos in mainstream for stories.

  27. The Murphey 27
    22 April 2015 at 11:25 am

    I’m suggesting caution with this allegation. For starters, it’s one person’s story, and apparently not independently verified.

    And yet you use absolutes when it comes to naming and labeling others under such circumstances

    And it’s on TDB, so quite possibly it’s just another Bomber brainfart.

    Q. Due to the updated statement will you retract this comment ?

    [If you have examples that back up your allegation then post them. Fast. As for your question, Bomber’s record speaks for itself, so no. TRP]

  28. vto 28
    22 April 2015 at 11:27 am

    pfffttt…. apology …..

    the important thing here (alongside the actual harassment of the poor waitress) is what it indicates about the mind and judgment of Key. His behaviour is exactly that of teenage boys in puberty – teenage boys with a bully attitude. Completely and utterly wrong and inappropriate.

    That it is the PM is just off-the-planet …… maybe Key has left Planet Key for Moon Key

  29. Bob 29
    22 April 2015 at 11:28 am

    What a pathetic article, Time waster. I hope the Keys change their local café. The waitress need to grow up very quickly. She should have kindly asked him to stop on day one. It shows to me the John felt safe and comfortable in the café. Interested if she got any money for the article . Think they should name and shame the café and the waitress

    [Let this through so we know what to expect from the right as this plays out. TRP]

    • Hateatea 29.1
      22 April 2015 at 11:36 am

      Dear Bob, Your attitude is part of the problem re work place bullying and harassment.

      Should that have been your mother, sister, partner, daughter who was treated in this fashion, would you still have been so sympathetic to the perpetrator of this offence?

    • vto 29.2
      22 April 2015 at 11:39 am

      No wonder Key attracts supporters like this – Bob is off the planet as well

    • Tracey 29.3
      22 April 2015 at 11:54 am

      Yeah, it’s the victim’s fault Bob, not the paid-more-than living-wage millionaire who is Prime Minister of a country.

      You are on this continuum Bob

      “A short skirt is not a yes.
      A red lip is not a yes.
      A wink is not a yes.
      A slow dance is not a yes.
      A walk home is not a yes.
      A drink back at mine is not a yes.
      A kiss on the sofa is not a yes.
      What I wear and how I behave are not invitations.
      There’s a myth that surrounds women, a myth that embroils them:
      women who dress or behave suggestively,
      women who are playful or who act provocatively,
      women who flirt or openly discuss sex – they’re ‘asking for it’.
      It’s an insidious fable, and it needs to stop.
      Every woman has a right to freedom of expression.
      No woman deserves to be raped for it.
      No one should be able to blame rape on a short skirt.
      A short skirt can’t talk – a short skirt can’t say ‘yes’.
      the only yes should be an active and embodied ‘yes!’

      http://www.thisdoesntmeanyes.com/#thisdoesntmeanyes

    • Kevin 29.4
      22 April 2015 at 11:56 am

      What if the Commander In Chief came up to you and goosed your balls Bob?

      Happy with that are we?

      If not, can we name and shame you for being unpatriotic?

    • felix 29.5
      22 April 2015 at 12:00 pm

      “It shows to me the John felt safe and comfortable in the café.”

      Sure does. But then he’s not the one being assaulted by a very powerful person with armed bodyguards standing beside him, so his level of comfort isn’t really the issue now, is it.

      “She should have kindly asked him to stop on day one.”

      Even if that was relevant- and it’s not – he would have already assaulted he by then. You’re saying the first assault doesn’t count. It does, and so do all the others.

      “The waitress need to grow up very quickly.”

      Funny, that’s exactly what Key said about the “roastbusters” incidents.

    • Tracey 29.6
      22 April 2015 at 12:12 pm

      Another one who didn’t actually read the DB post but felt able to cast aspersions. Cos if you HAD read the post your question would have been answered.

      “What more could I do? How humiliating would it be to have to stand before the Prime Minister, his wife and security personnel and a handful of customers and say John, Mr Prime Minister, Sir, could you please stop tugging on my hair, I don’t like it, please stop, please… I felt I shouldn’t HAVE to do that. I certainly couldn’t reciprocate his actions, maybe see if he liked to have his hair pulled. Who would dare do that to a man with his own personal security? I told his security that I was sick of having my hair pulled and one day I’ll snap and i’ll punch him in the face. I hoped that maybe they’d tell him that enough’s enough and it’s time to draw it to an end. I posted on the National Party and the John Key Facebook pages a message along the lines of “Stop pulling my hair – I don’t like it!”. Maybe between social media and his security buddies and my body language and his wife’s advice he might finally get the message?

      The next time I saw him I managed to successfully avoid facing him throughout his visit, what a huge relief! Friday, 13th March, however, I wasn’t so lucky. I was stood at the main entrance to meet and greet customers, I saw his security personnel enter first and I quickly turned myself to place my back against the wall, then John entered. Despite my best efforts to avoid the situation, without literally running away, he just couldn’t help himself and still attempted, from directly in front of me, to reach around behind me in search of my hair, as he walked by. That was too much, even for me. I had remained professional for absolutely as long as I could and this time I put my hand out in front of me, a barrier between John and myself, and I said “No! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!” as I wagged my finger at him and he reluctantly backed away. During this visit he said to my manager “she really doesn’t like me pulling her ponytail?” and she responded “well, …no!””

      Thursday, 26 March, and once again he was at the cafe. I continued to keep my distance, dreading any unpleasantries. Unfortunately, I found myself at the door when it came time for him to leave, which meant, besides passing him, I had nowhere to go. As he approached me he thought it would be fitting to raise his hands high and make scary, suspense sound effects, like the music from the movie Jaws that we all know so well, and still gestured as if to reach behind me. As he towered overhead I slunk down, cringing, whilst Bronagh told him to “leave the poor girl alone”. I looked him in the eye and asked “is it self defence, with your security here, if I have to physically stop you from touching me?” and he countered, with a smile, “defence against what?”. He then changed the topic to the settling of his account and bid me politely farewell, but, as he motioned to leave and I turned towards the computer, he couldn’t resist that satisfying tug and once again he pulled my hair.”

  30. shorts 30
    22 April 2015 at 11:32 am

    I’m as disgusted at the PM’s attempt at an apology as his creepy behaviour – he is the sort of man who feels that a gift will excuse his behaviour and make amends as opposed to the sort of man who will change his behaviour and stop bullying others

    typical tory in other words

    • te reo putake 30.1
      22 April 2015 at 11:39 am

      I don’t think Key has actually apologised a second time. His spinner has used the past tense, so I think it’s a reference to the apology he made in the cafe with the wine. Key’s in London, on route to Gallipoli. So probably asleep, dreaming sweet dreams of running his hands through the luscious locks of flaxen haired young women. Or something.

      • shorts 30.1.1
        22 April 2015 at 11:46 am

        I figured it wasn’t a new apology, he’s far too busy moving forward trying to reach the ever elusive end of the day

        • Jeeves 30.1.1.1
          22 April 2015 at 2:27 pm

          ” he’s far too busy moving forward trying to reach the ever elusive end of the day ”

          Beautiful!!

      • Tracey 30.1.2
        22 April 2015 at 11:55 am

        I also got the impression he used his office, which is for when he has his PM hat on, for dealing with a problem arising from when he had his John Key – citizen hat on. The fact that he wears no hats, ever, makes it very confusing to follow.

  31. Joe Hendren 31
    22 April 2015 at 11:42 am

    He might has well have said ‘do you know who I am’. That was National MP Aaron Gilmore abusing waiting staff as reported by TV3 on 2 May 2013. Gilmore was apparently drunk at the time.
    http://www.3news.co.nz/politics/do-you-know-who-i-am–aaron-gilmore-2013050217#axzz3XzLRu3UE

    There was the issue of the MBIE emails as well, but that related to conduct before Gilmore was an MP.

    Gilmore announced his resignation from Parliament on 13 May 2013

    Will Key do the same? If not, an unparliamentary word staring with ‘H’ would be appropriate.

    Is normal in Key’s government for backbench MPs to be held to a higher standard of accountability than the Prime Minister?

  32. TheBlackKitten 32
    22 April 2015 at 11:49 am

    Key behaved like a goofy dick. I can remember when he won his first election as they interviewed him coming into Skycity to do his victory speech thinking that he came across as a bit of a goofy nerd.
    Key misread the situation which was dumb and what was even more stupid, is that his minders also misread the situation and failed to tell him to cut it out or it could blow up in his face.
    This is a case of a goofy idiot and disorganised minders not reading the situation correctly. Lesson learned from Key is that you do not touch anyone in any way unless they are very close to you because if you do, all kinds of scenioros can be interpreted as this situation has proved.
    Why the girl did not tell him to naff off the first time I don’t know. If he had pulled my ponytail (and yes I do have one) I would have politely but firmly asked him not to do it again. If he had persisted, then I would have followed the correct channels of reporting inappropriate behaviour to my employer. Why did she instead tell her story to a left wing blog? Surly if she was too frightened of taking the correct channels due to consequences then she must have realised that telling her story to a blog would reap more grief for her unless of course she is now in a better financial situation where she no longer needs to work as a waitress at this cafe anymore.

    • RedLogix 32.1
      22 April 2015 at 11:54 am

      Why the girl did not tell him to naff off the first time I don’t know.

      You and I probably would. But as I mentioned above, a young female employee who had gotten to know the Key’s reasonably well – and given the immense social power gradient going on – might well be unsure about exactly what to do initially.

      • Tracey 32.1.1
        22 April 2015 at 11:58 am

        I wouldn’t at her age. But then the PM’s when I was her age would not have thought it a good idea to do that over and over again. So let’s re-frame the question.

        Why on earth would our (any) Prime Minister think this was appropriate behaviour for someone in his position? What does it suggest about how he sees other people in relation to himself?

        • RedLogix 32.1.1.1
          22 April 2015 at 12:19 pm

          Lets put it this way – at the risk of TMI.

          Last year my partner and I were in the habit of a Sat morning visit to a local cafe. As it turned out one of the waitresses lived right next door to us – so we subsequently became quite good friends over the last year. (Recently she moved away to Perth to be with family). So it’s a pretty parallel situation, except the woman involved was more our age.

          But never, ever in a million years, can I imagine touching her in public in any fashion whatsoever. Even in ‘fun’. Where exactly people draw these lines is going to vary from person to person and context to context – but this is definitely way over mine.

          • Tracey 32.1.1.1.1
            22 April 2015 at 1:07 pm

            Yup. I have a great “relationship” with people at a local cafe, two in particular, when I am visiting to get my Hot choc. We laugh, share jokes etc, share news BUT none of us has ever touched each other. IF something arose, like one of them leaving, I would say “C’mon, can I give you a goodbye hug”?

    • Tracey 32.2
      22 April 2015 at 11:57 am

      Are you a male or female?

    • Tracey 32.3
      22 April 2015 at 12:11 pm

      You didn’t actually read the post at TDB did you TBK?

    • Bill 32.4
      22 April 2015 at 12:37 pm

      If he had pulled my ponytail (and yes I do have one) I would have politely but firmly asked him not to do it again. If he had persisted, then I would have followed the correct channels of reporting inappropriate behaviour to my employer.

      Maybe so. But while we’re on the topic of role playing, (yup, I’ll put myself in that odious man’s shoes for a second) you wouldn’t have had to object to your pony tail being fondled or pulled because it simply would not have happened.

    • swordfish 32.5
      22 April 2015 at 2:03 pm

      Ahhh, BlackKitten, so it was all some sort of ghastly misunderstanding, was it ?, with faults on both sides, so let’s hear no more about it. It that the official spin now ?

      Like your fellow Tory spin-meisters (Redbaiter and Bob above), you profess to be utterly mystified that (to quote Redbaiter) “the waitress let him pull her hair without any kind of verbal reaction at least three times and perhaps many more times. Some would say that this failure to express herself could be interpreted as a willingness to go along with the joke. Shouldn’t she have spoken out on the very first occasion ? Or at least soon after.”

      Well, if you’d actually read her original post, you would have known, wouldn’t you ?

      The waitress argues that:
      (1) On the first occasion she gave an “unimpressed expression”.
      (2) Second occasion: “my obvious annoyance.”
      (3) Third: “I didn’t respond verbally, but everything about my body language screamed I DON’T LIKE THAT”

      She then gives a clear explanation of why she didn’t react verbally:

      “No one else had ever thought it was OK to walk into the café and pull the waitresses hair, so why did the Prime Minister think it was OK ? My reasoning was simple. I could tell him that I didn’t like it – but I shouldn’t HAVE to. He was like the school yard bully tugging on the little girl’s hair trying to get a reaction, experiencing that feeling of power over her. I would think to myself, even a five year old could tell you that if you pull a girl’s hair she will not like it. I shouldn’t have to tell THE PRIME MINISTER that I don’t like it when he pulls my hair – talk about stating the obvious !”.

      And again, after going out of her way to avoid him “What more could I do How humiliating would it be to have to stand before the Prime Minister, his wife and security personnel and a handful of cutomers and say John, Mr Prime Minister, Sir, could you please stop tugging on my hair, I don’t like it, please stop, please…I felt I shouldn’t HAVE to do that…..I told his security that I was sick of having my hair pulled and one day I’ll snap and I’ll punch him in the face. I hoped that maybe they’d tell him that enough’s enough and it’s time to draw it to an end.”

      She (probably rightly) felt that being forced into such a potentially humiliating conversation would only end up further satisfying and re-inforcing Key’s controlling tendencies.

    • Jeeves 32.6
      22 April 2015 at 2:31 pm

      “I would have followed the correct channels of reporting inappropriate behaviour to my employer.”

      “….correct channels…”

      Christ this could almost be a line from Chapter 1 of Animal Farm.

      • Colonial Rawshark 32.6.1
        22 April 2015 at 2:52 pm

        going to the public and not going through “channels” is one thing that the NSA/CIA always complain about re: their whistleblowers. It’s like they all read off the same play book.

    • Delia 32.7
      22 April 2015 at 2:34 pm

      Well looks like it is all the woman’s fault, Bronaghs fault, the security men’s fault , the Manager’s fault, anyone but the stupid Key and I mean that sincerely, he must be from the Ark if he does not know how unacceptable this is, than again he takes abuse of women pretty lightly…cutting funding to sex abuse services, barely caring when a diplomat assaults another young woman…says a lot about this ‘man’

      • One Anonymous Bloke 32.7.1
        22 April 2015 at 2:44 pm

        Bullying with a smile. Apart from the staffer, the only person who appears to have called the creep out for it was Bronagh.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 32.7.2
        22 April 2015 at 3:29 pm

        the security men’s fault

        They are Police, after all. Preventing assault is part of their core business.

    • Murray Rawshark 32.8
      22 April 2015 at 5:07 pm

      “Why did she instead tell her story to a left wing blog?”

      I don’t care why. It’s irrelevant. I’m glad she told it. I would be interested why she chose Bomber rather than The Standard. There may be a story there as well.

  33. Dont worry. Be happy 33
    22 April 2015 at 11:55 am

    Wait for the smears to run on this woman….Key has a “top drawer” after all….and what a crowded place that must be with compliant cops and snoops and tame media all willing to sniff around for dirt to protect their ‘man’.

    • Bob 33.1
      23 April 2015 at 5:18 pm

      Unfortunately for her, the smears will run because she broke the story through a political blog. The whole thing is Len Brown/Bevan Chuang-esque.
      This story should be told, and the PM should be shamed for his actions, but running through a political blog has left her wide open to abuse and Bomber should have known as much!

  34. Alfie 34
    22 April 2015 at 11:57 am

    Would Key have done the same thing to a male waiter with a ponytail? Of course not, this is misogonistic behaviour unfitting of the PM’s office. Was he possibly wearing his “creepy John” hat at the time.

  35. felix 35
    22 April 2015 at 12:05 pm

    Hang on, where’s the apology?

    According to stuff:

    In a statement, a spokeswoman for the Prime Minister said:

    “It’s a familiar cafe which he regularly visits with Bronagh and both have a good relationship with those who work there. His actions were intended to be light hearted. It was never his intention to make her feel uncomfortable and he has apologised to her.”

    That’s the PM’s people saying he has apologised to her. So does that mean when he gave her the wine?

    Where’s the bit where John Key actually says sorry?

    • Tracey 35.1
      22 April 2015 at 12:14 pm

      According to the waitress

      “A short while later he reappeared holding not one, but two bottles of JK 2012 PM’s Pinot Noir. He scurried over to me in the very centre of the cafe and hurriedly handed me the bottles, with big smiles, really big smiles, saying “this is for you, sorry, I didn’t realise.” Before I could say a word he’d already hightailed it out of there, the grinning assassin appearing as if he was the nice guy, whilst no doubt following someone else’s advice to contain the situation before it really got out of hand, and I pretty much felt like in my hands was a bribe.”

      • Tracey 35.1.1
        22 April 2015 at 12:16 pm

        “grinning assassin”…. smiling assassination. That she is no John Key fan before or after this is, yes, IS, irrelevant, before the right-wingers trot it out.

        • felix 35.1.1.1
          22 April 2015 at 10:02 pm

          So when his office says he has apologised, they don’t mean he has apologised to her today in a public statement. I think they’ve tried to imply that, but he hasn’t done that at all.

          So they really mean “it’s all good he already apologised ages ago”

    • shorts 35.2
      22 April 2015 at 12:31 pm

      He doesn’t actually use the words sorry… that would be an admission of guilt, the wine conveys all he intends I would guess

  36. Westiechick 36
    22 April 2015 at 12:07 pm

    sexual harassment 101. Power imbalance= keep your hands to yourself even if it is just a non-creepy bit of fun for you.

  37. Kevin 37
    22 April 2015 at 12:09 pm

    I wonder if Judith knew in advance?

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11434890

    Works in rather well with her opening gambit for leadership of the National Party.

    • Tracey 37.1
      22 April 2015 at 1:24 pm

      Who TOOK Collins and replaced her with this “caring” clone. God forbid she advocate for valuing the work (unpaid) women do at home.

      It’s like she wasn’t even there when Turei was derided for her clothing

      “Justice Minister Judith Collins has stepped up the war of words with Green co-leader Metiria Turei, saying she dresses badly and is a “sensitive wee sausage”.

      It’s like the media didn’t know about it, except they led with it…

      http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9670970/Collins-jumps-in-racist-clothes-fight

      “…Collins said last year on Twitter that a speech by Turei was “vile, wrong and ugly, just like her jacket today”. “

  38. Tracey 38
    22 April 2015 at 12:10 pm

    “I exclaimed “Really?!!”, to my manager beside me, and shot him a look of utter disbelief and frustration.”

    So, the Manager didn’t take any action despite seeing inappropriate behaviour upsetting a staff member. Now, WHY didn’t the Manager step in on behalf of the employee? I don’t see people demanding that answer?

    • Hateatea 38.1
      22 April 2015 at 12:30 pm

      I did but on open mike at 2.6 at 8.58

      ‘If this is true, it is appalling. No person should have to tolerate such behaviour once let alone repeatedly. Where were her co-workers and management in this?’

      • Tracey 38.1.1
        22 April 2015 at 1:13 pm

        Good for you. I was kind of angling it toward those asking the question “why did she just not tell him to stop”

    • Dave 38.2
      22 April 2015 at 1:30 pm

      In his defence, in this case, he’s just as powerless as her. I don’t think I could correct the PM’s behaviour, and I’ve worked in hospo for 15 years now.

      • Tracey 38.2.1
        22 April 2015 at 1:37 pm

        The Manager is a she.

        However your point is well taken. If the Manager didn’t feel she could respond why would the waitress. I think Bob et al live in a parallel universe or are just deliberately trying to deflect by focusing on why the waitress didn’t stop him. Especially when she writes why she didn’t. They didnt even read her account before slamming her.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 38.2.2
        22 April 2015 at 3:34 pm

        The people who really let them down were the sworn Police officers Key surrounds himself with. It’s their duty to prevent assault.

  39. risildowgtn 39
    22 April 2015 at 12:12 pm

    He touched her inappropriately

    No one has the right to do this to anyone.. regardless of who the person thinks he/she is

    Its wrong its AN OFFENCE and he should resign.. o and be charged for it…

  40. Maui 40
    22 April 2015 at 12:20 pm

    Is this the first time he’s apologised for anything?

  41. freedom 41
    22 April 2015 at 12:21 pm

    Over an hour after confirmation has been released
    and DPF still hasn’t updated his post
    must be a long spin call with CT

  43. Tiger Mountain 43
    22 April 2015 at 12:33 pm

    well all good hard working god fearing Key loving kiwis will know that this woman should have kept her “tantalising” pony tail to herself and stopped forcing it into the PM’s hand

  44. Morrissey 44
    22 April 2015 at 12:47 pm

    Exactly what is the problem here?

    Yours in utter mystification,

    William Jefferson Clinton
    [Deleted]
    David Lloyd George
    [Deleted]
    Cecil Parkinson
    [Deleted]
    Anthony Wiener
    [Deleted]

    [I’m not taking the risk that you might be defaming people so I’ve removed 4 names. TRP]

    • McFlock 44.1
      22 April 2015 at 1:18 pm

      No wonder you’re mystified. You seem to not be able to tell the difference between “scandals” that involved consenting, even willing, adults, and those that allegedly involved blatant sexual assault.

      • Morrissey 44.1.1
        22 April 2015 at 2:02 pm

        ???

        As even the most bewildered ACT supporter could have seen, my post was nothing more than a lighthearted jab at a few other serial predators from the political sphere.

        Surely—surely— that would have been obvious to even the meanest intellig—-

        Oh, sorry, I’ve just realized who I’m responding to.

        • McFlock 44.1.1.1
          22 April 2015 at 2:09 pm

          ” a lighthearted jab at a few other serial predators”

          While you might be lighthearted about sexual predators, see above.

          • Morrissey 44.1.1.1.1
            22 April 2015 at 6:40 pm

            While you might be lighthearted about sexual predators….

            I’m not. I was placing Key—“weird” and “creep” were the two most common descriptors for him today—in the context he has made for himself, viz., powerful men who feel entitled to abuse women.

            • McFlock 44.1.1.1.1.1
              22 April 2015 at 10:15 pm

              You even called your own comment a “lighthearted jab”.

              How was [Deleted] or [Deleted] a “sexual predator”, oh great and noble defender of womens’ rights?

              [Good question, McFlock. I’ve removed the name until Moz proves that he’s not exposing TS to the risk of a law suit. TRP]

              • McFlock …
                22 April 2015 at 10:47 pm

                Also, TRP, I think [Deleted] was the former us state governor who was a client of expensive prostitutes – definitely not “predation” in NZ.

                • Morrissey …
                  23 April 2015 at 7:11 am

                  You mean: definitely not predation in YOUR mind.

                  • McFlock …
                    23 April 2015 at 12:24 pm

                    The Prostitutes’ Collective might have a better idea than you.

                    But basically you have no idea about the difference between consenting adults and sexual predation, at least half your list is wrong, but either way you merely regard it as fodder for “lighthearted jabs”.

                    Do you ever get the slightest suspicion that your ego is writing cheques that your IQ can’t cash?

        • Rawsharkosaurus 44.1.1.2
          22 April 2015 at 6:02 pm

          McFlock is probably confused because you have, in the past, sought to minimise sexual assault when it’s done by someone you look up to.

          I wonder if Key is going to end up holed up in an Ecuadorean embassy any time soon…

          • Morrissey 44.1.1.2.1
            22 April 2015 at 6:46 pm

            McFlock is probably confused because you have, in the past, sought to minimise sexual assault when it’s done by someone you look up to.

            No I have not. Due to your extraordinarily inept writing style it’s not absolutely clear, but I presume that you are (foolishly) endorsing the British Government’s black propaganda operation against Julian Assange.

            I wonder if Key is going to end up holed up in an Ecuadorean embassy any time soon…

            Are you trying to be funny? You should not.

    • Morrissey 44.2
      23 April 2015 at 7:10 am

      You’ve removed the name of a [Deleted] National Party former president, a[Deleted] National Party former MP, and as for the New Zealand First MP, you might remember this….

      [Deleted]

      You might recall that the [Deleted] former National MP was the subject of some particularly sanctimonious denunciations by….Prime Minister John Key.

      I appreciate your caution, and I note that, unlike our bewildered and humour-challenged friend, you recognize [Deleted] indeed belongs on the list.

      [Don’t waste my time or expose TS to similar risk in future, Morrissey. And definitely do not tell me what I think. TRP]

  45. Clemgeopin 45
    22 April 2015 at 12:48 pm

    This despicable behaviour from Key is simply NOT excusable. He is the guy in charge of the country! If one can not trust him with basic common sense conduct, how can anyone trust him in his capacity as Prime Minister of the country? I think he HAS to resign or be replaced or be charged immediately. He should not be allowed to carry on as if it was nothing to worry about! He can not simply give the girl two bottles of expensive wine and hope to fool her and every body else.

    Key is a disgrace. I think everything revealed about him, his office and associates in the book ‘Dirty Politics’ by Hager is also true.

    Both Stuff and NZH have articles on Key’s hair pulling fetish and his Clayton’s apology where he only said ‘sorry’ because, he ‘did not realise’ and not for his hair pulling bad conduct at all!

    From the Stuff article:

    “The waitress said she told him to stop, “or I will actually hit you soon”. It was a “short while later” she said the Prime Minister reappeared at the cafe and handed her two bottles of his JK 2012 vintage Pinot Noir saying “this is for you, sorry, I didn’t realise.”

    Strangely, both articles (in Stuff and NZH) do not have provision for readers’ comments. I wonder why!

    Key should be thrown out and the key thrown out.

    • Naturesong 45.1
      22 April 2015 at 1:20 pm

      Key will survive this, and may in fact enhance his “brand” amongst that well known undercurrent of casual misogyny in NZ.

      I hope that this does not cost the waitress too much for speaking out – she’s about to find out how much effort goes into controlling the public speaking space in NZ.

      • McGrath 45.1.1
        22 April 2015 at 7:12 pm

        I reckon she’s going to find out the hard way. The name of the cafe is already out there, and the media will be chomping at the bit to get an interview. Don’t know if she still is working at the cafe, but I can see her being forced out of her job if she is;

  46. weka 46
    22 April 2015 at 12:53 pm

    sorry, haven’t caught up on all the backlog yet, but when people and the MSM say Key has apologied, are they talking about the bottles of wine? Or has he come out with an actual apology today since TDB broke the story? Because the bottles of wine isn’t an apology, it’s a PR move after they realised the big mistake they’d made.

    • te reo putake 46.1
      22 April 2015 at 1:00 pm

      I think the consensus is that Key’s office are referring to him bunging plonk at the woman, not a fresh apology. That might have to wait until breakfast time in the UK (around 6 hours from now). There will be heaps of media accompanying Key so he’s going to have an interesting time as he orders his Full English. Hope the female hotel staff stand well back, he may not have learned his lesson yet!

  47. repateet 47
    22 April 2015 at 1:05 pm

    Oh no! Another distraction is bound to come. What do you reckon the possibility of a new National Anthem is announced just in time for Parliament resumes?

    • miravox 47.1
      22 April 2015 at 8:36 pm

      Nah, Paula will bash a few more parents. This time about their housing ‘choices’.

  48. Plan B 48
    22 April 2015 at 1:05 pm

    JKs career in politics started with a bottle of wine, maybe it will end with two bottles and some ‘casual sexism’

  49. peterh 49
    22 April 2015 at 1:24 pm

    He was just trying to be himself, a proper dickhead

  50. halfcrown 50
    22 April 2015 at 1:30 pm

    If it is true, when do you think we will see an article by Armstrong calling for his resignation?

  51. The Murphey 51
    22 April 2015 at 1:39 pm

    If you have examples that back up your allegation then post them. Fast.

    Q. You need reminding of your ‘absolute’ position on Assange ?

    As for your question, Bomber’s record speaks for itself, so no. TRP

    Q. Would you feel a lesser man for admitting your prejudice was out of order or are you ok comforting yourself citing ‘historical perspectives’ and a smear ?

    [Last chance. Come up with some examples, retract or take some time off. Up to you. TRP]

    • The Murphey 51.1
      22 April 2015 at 2:11 pm

      You asked for an example of where you had used ‘absolutes’

      I provided an example

      Now you’re threatening me to retract my verified comment while at the same time stating you are unprepared to retract smears against Bradbury when the post on TDB was verified as being an ‘actual event’

      [You were asked to provide an example and you didn’t. Take a week off. TRP]

      • One Anonymous Bloke 51.1.1
        22 April 2015 at 2:36 pm

        Bradbury’s pronouncements are frequently inaccurate. He’s given to hyperbole. TRP urging caution as a result is hardly a smear.

      • McFlock 51.1.2
        22 April 2015 at 2:52 pm

        This day has so many nice surprises 🙂

  52. Brendon Harre 52
    22 April 2015 at 1:41 pm

    OMG what a dork of a PM we have. This is the sort of behaviour you might see from an attention seeking socially inappropriate teenage boy.

    • tracey 52.1
      22 April 2015 at 5:06 pm

      they have rules against it in…

      Kindergarten!

      • linda 52.1.1
        23 April 2015 at 5:48 am

        in kinder garden you turn round punch the little git in the hooter and what huge hooter on end of the Johns face

    • emergency mike 52.2
      22 April 2015 at 5:39 pm

      You hit the nail on the head Brendan. Key doesn’t have a great concept of ‘socially appropriate’. He’s faking it. Making it up as he goes along. And as such sometimes he’s going to get it wrong in a ‘WTF’ way.

      That’s what happens to psychopaths, sociopaths, and antisocials – most of the time their behaviour falls within socially acceptable boundaries because they have observed others enough to learn what is ok. But that method has its limitations, we understand what is acceptable at a fundamental level because of our ability to empathize with others. They can’t do that. Thus the antisocial’s understanding of socially acceptanced boundaries rests on flawed foundations.

      So every now and then the mask slips. And everyone scratches their heads and says “What was he thinking?”

  53. Kriss X 53
    22 April 2015 at 1:43 pm

    Key will emerged unscathed. He is more skilled at spin than any of his opponents, which always come across as petty and hysterical. Kiwis warm to his folksy style.

    His opponents need to come down to earth a bit if they hope for the dirt to stick.

    • cogito 53.1
      22 April 2015 at 2:05 pm

      Key is certainly skilled at spin, but there will be no shortage of skeletons in his cupboard. Sooner or later people will start talking, just as they did with eg Rolf Harris, and then his “folksy style” will be revealed as something else.

  54. The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 54
    22 April 2015 at 1:46 pm

    Is the Left using a blogger to smear the PM? Sounds like more of that dreadful dirty politics we need to be worried about.

    [It’s not a smear if it’s true. And if you are going to use the word dirty, then it’s probably best used in the phrase dirty old man. Stop trolling. TRP]

    • appleboy 54.1
      22 April 2015 at 2:30 pm

      FFS!

      key admitted it and apologised. What fucking smear are you talking about.? The smear you right whiners call reality and truth? Dick.

      • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 54.1.1
        22 April 2015 at 2:49 pm

        So, it wan’t a smear to point out Goff lied about being briefed about the Israeli backpackers?

        • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 54.1.1.1
          22 April 2015 at 2:51 pm

          Hager thinks it was a smear, despite being true.

          Whether Goff deserved this or not, the point here is the nature of the attack politics. Goff is a conservative on foreign policy and intelligence issues who would not naturally question or criticise the intelligence services. The aim from the start was to cause him political trouble…

          [See Tracey’s comment below. Last chance. TRP]

          • Tracey 54.1.1.1.1
            22 April 2015 at 2:55 pm

            you are now seemingly deliberately dragging this off topic, take it to open mike. You are deflecting from an important issue or 2.

            1. The unacceptable behaviour of the Prime Minister;
            2. The tendency to deflect away from the appalling treatment of women and girls by many in NZ.

            If you continue I will ask a fellow author to ban you.

          • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 54.1.1.1.2
            22 April 2015 at 3:01 pm

            Last chance for what?

            This is the problem. The left only likes talking to itself. Which is why no-one else is listening to it.

            Plunk.

            • tracey 54.1.1.1.2.1
              22 April 2015 at 4:00 pm

              Take it to Open Mike, is not shutting you up. Reading is a skill you are struggling with today.

        • McFlock 54.1.1.2
          22 April 2015 at 2:58 pm

          Let’s put it this way:
          If Little or someone in his or his caucus members’ office had apparently leaked confidential information to bomber in order to coach him on exactly how to phrase an OIA request which was then fast-tracked so Bomber would have a scoop within hours, and Bomber’s stories were then picked up by more legitimate commentators and media outlets that have close links with the Labour party, then your comparison might not be full of putrid shit.

          However, as absolutely none of the above “if” is true, then bomber’s completely true allegation is in no way comparable to “Dirty Politics”. You utter tool.

        • appleboy 54.1.1.3
          22 April 2015 at 3:58 pm

          That’s really relevant here. Typical distraction crap from bats when they are in the shit.

    • Tracey 54.2
      22 April 2015 at 2:53 pm

      Yes, that is absolutely the most important point about this story, that maybe TDB indulges in Dirty Politics. Nothing to do with how women are treated or perceived by the Prime minister of New Zealand. Note how when someone else writes the post it is called a guest post. On WO it’s signed by Slater as if he wrote it. You need to go to Pete George’s website where you can both bemoan how you two are the only ones who

      a. don’t really understand two-track strategy with the use of bloggers; and
      b. focus on the peripheral stuff to ensure nothing really changes in the appalling treatment of many women and girls in NZ

  55. kalyfornia 55
    22 April 2015 at 2:21 pm

    Eeeeeeewwww.
    As a teacher i know its not cool to touch others hair…especially younger girls hair. I would be suspended by the teachers council. This is just plain weird (and very revealing of jk mindset).

  56. Delia 56
    22 April 2015 at 2:29 pm

    I doubt National voters will care, most are already explaining it all away as only they can.

  57. McNicholl 57
    22 April 2015 at 2:32 pm

    Is a pattern starting to emerge here. He doesn’t mind his daughter posting [revealing] photos of herself online. He has supported his Ex MP Sabin in his [family difficulties]. He didn’t really give two hoots about the roast busters case. And then there this.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/271145/rape-prevention-group-%27told-not-to-speak-out%27

    [Small edit, because your original word was probably a bit judgemental. And replaced a legally dodgy phrase. TRP]

  58. Malconz 58
    22 April 2015 at 2:56 pm

    Just think, in a parallel universe somewhere the waitress smacked him in the mouth in front of his astonished bodyguards. She was charged with assault, but laid multiple counter-charges of her own and was acquitted.
    Because the Dear Leader was PM, the court went easy on him and discharged him without conviction, but his reputation was shot and he retired soon after to devote himself to a semi-permanent holiday in Hawaii….
    Meanwhile, back in the REAL world, don’t you just love the new Gilded Age and the unbridled sense of entitlement it brings to the toffs? Sigh

  59. NZJester 59
    22 April 2015 at 3:01 pm

    Apparently the “He apologised – case closed” lines seam to be all that key supporters want to post about this.
    The fact he felt entitled to do this to a stranger seams to be of no concern to them.
    This is as bad as when YouTuber Sam Pepper tried to say his pinching of female bottoms was all in jest.
    Is not pulling a strangers hair assault even if you claim it is in jest?
    I very much doubt he would have done that to a man with a ponytail!
    It is not only creepy but sexist!

  60. Jeeves 60
    22 April 2015 at 3:17 pm

    Leave Him alone!!!!
    He has steered us out of the mess that the socialists left us in, what with Maori and everything- not to mention the Global Financial Warming thing- and taken us to Rockstar status Quo, almost single handedly. He loves Bronagh, and she’s a loyal wife. If this is all you greenie obama Bin Ladens can get him on- No wonder you lost!

    Anyway- from what I hear- that so called ‘waitress’ is not all that she says. And why would she tell just her side? Theirs two sides to this- and John’s away when this comes out- very suspicious indeed.

    THe whole things seems very anti american, Hager- moment of truth-betray-traitor-Leftie radicals Lefty radicals- Snowden did it- Kim dot com- Korea. John Loves you.

    This free public service comment is brought to you by the National Party.Use it in blogs to put those Lefties in there place.
    Remember- we say what you think- and that proves you are clever. You voted for us, and we won- that’s makes you a winner too.

    • mac1 60.1
      22 April 2015 at 3:36 pm

      His version.

      “She thanked me for that and said “That’s fine, no drama.”” -perpetrator.

      Her version.

      “He scurried over to me in the very centre of the cafe and hurriedly handed me the bottles, with big smiles, really big smiles, saying “this is for you, sorry, I didn’t realise.” Before I could say a word he’d already hightailed it out of there.” -victim.

      Which to believe?

    • NZJester 60.2
      22 April 2015 at 5:13 pm

      Oh yes that big socialist mess of having paid off our international debt and making sure this country had assets that would pay the NZ tax payer good dividends. How could Labour have done such a thing to us?
      John Key worked fast after getting into power of fixing that by getting us right back into debt and then sold off half those assets that previously paid us good dividends.

      I agree that we have a Rock Star economy in this country.

      It is just such a pity though that the Rock Star it takes after is one that has spent all their money, borrowed heavily from the bank and sold of a lot of their recording royalty rights for some quick cash.

      • lprent 60.2.1
        22 April 2015 at 5:43 pm

        You forgot that they pushed that quick cash up their nose or into their arm. In our case into a property bubble.

    • halfcrown 60.3
      22 April 2015 at 7:54 pm

      Have you read Alice in Wonderland? also another very good juvenile story.

    • Stephanie Rodgers 60.4
      22 April 2015 at 10:30 pm

      Poe’s Law! Poe’s Law!

  61. halley 61
    22 April 2015 at 3:18 pm

    Key the ‘prom monster’
    Acted like an adolescent teenager.

  62. finbar 62
    22 April 2015 at 3:24 pm

    Continuous harassment of a worker and a member of the public by our John,after repeated requests to to desist is the stuff of resignation of the position of Prime Minister,and without doubt John ,does not now deserve the respect title of being known and addressed as our Prime Minister.
    Do the only road for your honour and resign John,for you have shamed your position of power as our P.M. over a lesser POWER.

    • srylands 62.1
      22 April 2015 at 3:39 pm

      You are being ridiculous. I think he mad a slight error of judgement. Get some sense of proportionality when you propose a penalty. Losing the nation’s PM over a pony tail pull is nuts. Pony tails get pulled every day.

      • Kaplan 62.1.1
        22 April 2015 at 3:54 pm

        “I think he mad”
        Freudian slip there?
        I think key IS actually mad to have participated in this childish behaviour. Fullstop.

        Whether you think it’s warranted, acceptable, fair or not, it’s a massive distraction I’m sure he wishes he didn’t have.

        The story will be remembered well outside the beltway for a very long time. In fact in twenty years I think we are now more likely to all remember Key the hair puller than Key the flag changer…

      • appleboy 62.1.2
        22 April 2015 at 3:55 pm

        Yeah pony tails get pulled every day but not by adults. Even less defendable when it’s repeated behaviour by a PM. My god you right whiners have no shame. It’s CREEPY!

      • tracey 62.1.3
        22 April 2015 at 4:03 pm

        You get to “think” whatever you like and the beauty of you being able to post it, is that you do far more to make yourself look foolish than any of us could in a retort.

      • tracey 62.1.4
        22 April 2015 at 4:06 pm

        Not in Kindergarten and not without learning how wrong it is and suffering consequences.

        http://www.boetcherskindergarten.com/#!discipline/cee5

      • Huginn 62.1.5
        22 April 2015 at 4:26 pm

        No. He made an enormous error of judgement, again and again and again over several months.

      • Atiawa 62.1.6
        22 April 2015 at 4:52 pm

        ” Pony tails get pulled every day”
        Yeah just like your dick.

      • tricledrown 62.1.7
        22 April 2015 at 9:30 pm

        Arron Gilmore to you spylands trying to defend a rabid socialist like PerveKey for being Creep!
        Shame on you .

      • finbar 62.1.8
        25 April 2015 at 5:15 pm

        Not when you hold the highest position in the land that demands grace integrity and respect of those your position is their to represent.
        This invasion of this young ladies personal space in her place of employment on numerous occasion!s after being requested to cease is just arrogant and putting it as mildly as possible bullying arrogance,then for it to be passed off as harmless fun and arrogantly by the perpetrator appeased by a couple of bottles of debatable plonk,is insulting.Just one of the minimum wage workers,what would she know.She should be grateful that i the Prime Minister pay her personal attention

        What i do know is one Arron Gillmore got the sack for treatment of a service worker for his arrogant verbal abuse,and NOT THE MORE SERIOUS charge of physical abuse.

      • Draco T Bastard 62.1.9
        25 April 2015 at 6:22 pm

        I think he mad a slight error of judgement.

        BS sslands. A slight error of judgement is when someone does something once, apologises profusely for being an arsehole and then never does it again. When the PM does the same thing over and over again after being told that it wasn’t appreciated nor wanted then we’re not talking about an error of judgement but a continuous and purposeful assault on someone.

        Losing the nation’s PM over a pony tail pull is nuts.

        It’s not over the ponytail but over the psychopathic behaviour.

        Pony tails get pulled every day.

        And out comes the But they did it tooooo excuse that RWNJs always revert to once they realise that they actually don’t have an argument.

  63. northshoreguynz 63
    22 April 2015 at 3:24 pm

    From a poster on Kiwiblog
    Earlier today Cameron Slater commented –

    “Sensible journalists looking for a good story should ask senior Nats why they are never seen wearing a white ribbon, and the Prime Minister should be asked why, when he wears a white ribbon, why it is he tolerates a wife beater holding his position in the party.
    I wonder if the “Dream Team” of Steve Joyce could actually spin their way out of it if Labour or Winston got up the courage to name him under parliamentary privilege.”

  64. srylands 64
    22 April 2015 at 3:37 pm

    I think the reaction I am seeing is OTT. He was just mucking about – people do that stuff all the time socially. Plus the waitress got a couple of bottles of decent wine out of it.

    Lets face it – Bill Clinton did far more than play with pony tails – think of the cigar. And he is remembered still as one of America’s best Presidents in the last 50 years.

    I think we should just move on.

    • mac1 64.1
      22 April 2015 at 3:48 pm

      srylands- your analogy is false. There was a power imbalance between Clinton and lewinsky, but their action was consensual. Key’s actions were not, repeatedly.

      And no, people I know don’t “do that stuff socially.”

      But I guess that’s the best defence available for the defenders of the Prime Minister- “they did it too”, “false analogies” and “it’s not that serious, everyone does it.”

      I’d love to see a jury rule on those defences on a charge of harassment, sexual impropriety or repeated assault.

      • te reo putake 64.1.1
        22 April 2015 at 3:59 pm

        Yep, you can bet C/T are desperately trawling the net to see if they can find a picture of Andrew Little in close proximity to a woman with a ponytail. See! Labour did it too!

      • Huginn 64.1.2
        22 April 2015 at 5:54 pm

        srylands, you think it’s trivial, I think it’s a massive error of judgement – but let’s put this aside for a moment.

        Key is now the object of global attention. Newspapers all over the world – from Delhi to New York – are reporting that he pulled the hair of a waitress and she didn’t like it.

        And this is happening as he makes his way to Anzac Centenary commemorations in Gallipoli, an occasion of deep significance to New Zealand; a solemn occasion where we need him to represent us with dignity.

        He can’t do that now because he is the object of scandalized attention. He is bringing the country into disrepute.

        Key has brought this upon himself and he needs to resign. That’s what he would expect anyone in the same position as he is in now to do.

        • finbar 64.1.2.1
          22 April 2015 at 7:51 pm

          As his control has always done,not shame my brand,my office said that,my advisers said that,i don!t know my office do these things.

          Ponsious,is John and his hand was of what did i do controlling our corporation control of N.Z.nothing they let me do it.

    • Jeeves 64.2
      22 April 2015 at 3:56 pm

      Yes please do srylands- move on.

      “think of the cigar” lol.

      Christ, their sickness is endemic.

    • tracey 64.3
      22 April 2015 at 4:07 pm

      The first two words of your first and last sentences are thoroughly disproved by everything in between. Thanks for doing our work for us, and so succinctly.

    • Sable 64.4
      22 April 2015 at 4:27 pm

      What does it take mate to change your mind about Keys? Unbelievable….

    • Huginn 64.5
      22 April 2015 at 5:23 pm

      srylands, you think it’s trivial, I think it’s a massive error of judgement – but let’s put this aside for a moment.

      Key is now the object of global attention. Newspapers all over the world – from Delhi to New York – are reporting that he pulled the hair of a waitress and she didn’t like it.

      And this is happening as he makes his way to Anzac Centenary commemorations in Gallipoli, an occasion of deep significance to New Zealand; a solemn occasion where we need him to represent us with dignity.

      He can’t do that now because he is the object of scandalized attention. He is bringing the country into disrepute.

      Key has brought this upon himself and he needs to resign. That’s what he would expect anyone in the same position as he is in now to do.

    • Skinny 64.6
      22 April 2015 at 9:09 pm

      Hey look I am not prepared to rip John Key too bits he has a deep seeded insecurity thing going on from childhood. It’s definitely a fetish thing as a result.

    • appleboy 64.7
      22 April 2015 at 10:03 pm

      Your hypocrisy is breathtaking. You know damn well if Helen Clarke repeatedly pulled the belt of a male waiter in a cafe you and your right whinged mates would be all over this like a rat up a drain pip. pathetic. I don’t believe even cab really even fool yourself with this denial bullshit.

  65. Murray Rawshark 65
    22 April 2015 at 3:41 pm

    All the concern for Key because this was alleged to be one woman’s unsupported allegations makes me sick. Bomber seems to be owed a few apologies from some on here.

  66. rawshark-yeshe 66
    22 April 2015 at 4:14 pm

    Audrey Young on her shame at Key being Prime Minister !!!! OMG ! Well said indeed.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11436771

    • Sabine 66.1
      22 April 2015 at 4:31 pm

      and this is the only thing she is embarrassed about. Not the homeless or soon to be homeless, not the hungry kids, not the kids that are’nt going to a doctor because they dont have the money to pay for the services, not the missing surplus, not the economy on the rocks, not anything……but this.

      And frankly the only reason she is writing this is because it is mentioned overseas in the news. If they could have hushed hushed it she would be writing another screed about how good it is in NZ, cause she and her ilk are doing well.

      • Sable 66.1.1
        22 April 2015 at 4:34 pm

        +100 Sabine. Well said…

        • rawshark-yeshe 66.1.1.1
          22 April 2015 at 4:50 pm

          Agree 100% Sabine, but Audrey Young has to start somewhere and I think this piece is a major slap in the face for Key. I think she wrote it like she believes it, so credit where credit is due for at least catching up to the reality of him .. no matter how late we think it is.

      • miravox 66.1.2
        22 April 2015 at 8:48 pm

        +1 Sabine

    • Sable 66.2
      22 April 2015 at 4:33 pm

      Still calls Keys and his other half “the first couple”. No wonder he’s so full of himself.

  67. Sable 67
    22 April 2015 at 4:29 pm

    Its all pretty bizarre in my estimation……

  68. JanMeyer 68
    22 April 2015 at 4:57 pm

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/22/new-zealand-prime-minister-john-key-apologises-for-pulling-waitresss-hair

    TDB cited in the bloody Guardian! “Bomber” Bradbury is going to be even more insufferable after this heady experience

    • Murray Rawshark 68.1
      22 April 2015 at 5:32 pm

      Why worry about Bradbury? FJK is the problem here, or do we once more have to purify the ranks before we can attack the secondary enemy that is Torydom?

  69. Lloyd 69
    22 April 2015 at 5:06 pm

    I am more than a little upset at this website showing FJK wearing that T-shirt.

    FJK has said Bronagh gets a man in to drive nails when needed. The corollary of that comment is that when FJK is home there is no man in the Key household. Therefore FJK is not a man.

    Rest of the story goes on to describe actions of a child.

    It is obvious then the the country has a child as Prime Minister.

    God help us.

  70. NZSage 70
    22 April 2015 at 5:08 pm

    This type of behaviour would not tollerated in a workplace.. as for tollerating it from a PM there is not an argument on earth that could justify his actions.

    Sleeze of the highest order from the highest office.

  71. peterlepaysan 71
    22 April 2015 at 6:02 pm

    Well, for once he has not claimed the opposition do it too.

    Apparently it is not a Nicky Hager inspired left wing conspiracy.

    Maybe he did it.

    If so, why?

    Would the member please answer the question?

  72. whateva next? 72
    22 April 2015 at 6:49 pm

    If there is too much more reaction to this it will simply become a story about the reaction, and Key will be off the hook, people might even start to feel sorry for him.(aaaaagh)

  73. Plan B 73
    22 April 2015 at 7:29 pm

    ‘That creepy small man’

  74. NZJester 74
    22 April 2015 at 7:40 pm

    Key is apparently a serial Ponytail puller!
    The NZ Herald has a clip from Campbell live from 2014 of an interview with John Campbell asking two young girls if they know who this man is referring to the PM who is standing behind them. You see in the video the PMs hand pull one of the girls ponytails.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11436677

  75. Paul 75
    22 April 2015 at 7:41 pm

    Have just read the waitress ‘s full account.
    Then I read Key’s apology.
    It is not an apology.
    It is a lie.

  76. Michael 76
    22 April 2015 at 7:46 pm

    More oafish, insensitive behaviour by our Prime Minister. This time it reaches the world’s attention. He really does represent us, doesn’t he?

  77. finbar 77
    22 April 2015 at 8:03 pm

    Why are our Labour noise not claiming resign you arrogant shame of what our Prime Minesters knowing.What shame do they have to be scared aside from the run down the road.What is the required sounds unusual,Green ,what it sounds like diffrent.What has happened to the sound resign,opps some of our power freeks do that sort of stuff also.

  78. jenny kirk 78
    22 April 2015 at 9:02 pm

    I’ve come late into this discussion but what I find most disturbing is that on Facebook pages there are photos of the PM pulling or handling the hair of young girls – first of all on a Campbell Live clip and secondly on a photo of 4 young girls (11-13 years maybe) in school uniform. Its on a FB page “John Key has let down NZ”. This is NOT good behaviour on the part of the PM —- its creepy, it could be called sleazy …. it could also be called something else….. and as an older woman who has gone through all those experiences of women in younger days with inappropriate approaches (assaults ?) from older men, I find it very disturbing that the PM is indulging himself in this way — and that some adult people are letting him do it.

  79. RedBaronCV 79
    22 April 2015 at 9:45 pm

    Really creepy by JK. But did you see that Audrey Young in the herald – has this story been changed ? I thought there had been a line something like ” those who know key may not be surprised” ..

    And so much for the culture change by the cops. The DPS stood by condoned the assault and let this happen, Can’t even recognise crime staring them in the face.

    But you can bet your last dollar that if she had kicked him in the shins or better still kneed him the DPS would have taken her down pronto and charged her.

  80. Redzone 80
    22 April 2015 at 10:09 pm

    Key: ‘born to pull!’ In more ways than one.

    And this time Key can’t defend this behaviour.
    It’s abusive and explicit. Intimidating and frankly unacceptable from anyone, let alone the PM. An abuse of positional power and that’s why this will be/already is a big hit on Key judging by the global and social coverage. Much more so than political hits which tend to slide off his slippery reptilian exterior. Thank you to the cafe worker who had the guts to call him out on this – thats brave.

    It’s also a personal violation and it looks to be serial seeing the multiple images emerging today of key fondling just about any ponytail he can find. Especially young girls. It’s fucking obscene quite frankly.
    As a father of a young (pony tailed) daughter this looks exceptionally creepy and deeply disturbing.

  81. fisiani 81
    22 April 2015 at 11:32 pm

    Lots of faux outrage on display. The hatred of Honest John runs deep in the sewer. Apology given , apology accepted. Misinterpreted banter. Get a life.

    • Pasupial 81.1
      22 April 2015 at 11:45 pm

      fisiani

      It is real outrage. If you could comprehend human emotions, you could understand why; but that is evidently beyond you. If you read the TDB post then you will see that no apology was given nor recieved. But all you do is fire off your slogans without understanding. A waste of space.

      • John 81.1.1
        23 April 2015 at 12:19 am

        You’d have to be pretty naive to believe it to be real outrage.

        She now says other people have been pulling her pony tail to tease her about it, but she hasn’t shown any outrage towards any of those people.

        So why is she outraged at one pony tail puller, but not all the rest?

        Of course it’s faux

        Backed up by the fact that she used specific derogatory labels for Key that you’ll only ever hear from extremists on the left.

        And the fact that she went to a far left blogger to spill the beans.

        • Colonial Rawshark 81.1.1.1
          23 April 2015 at 12:31 am

          John, it seems very easy for you to dismiss bullying and unwanted touching by turning the tables on the female victim. Just like that other John. You two must be related.

          She now says other people have been pulling her pony tail to tease her about it, but she hasn’t shown any outrage towards any of those people.

          Maybe they weren’t being creepy and abusive about it like the Prime Minister was, and whom you are making sad ass excuses for.

        • Murray Rawshark 81.1.1.2
          23 April 2015 at 12:44 am

          “She now says other people have been pulling her pony tail to tease her about it, but she hasn’t shown any outrage towards any of those people.”

          Do you have a source for that, or did Lynton just make it up? All I’ve seen from her is what she wrote on the blog and no one knows who she is. Even if other people have, I bet they would be friends, not powerful men whom she is waiting on. There is a real difference, but I wouldn’t expect you to realise it. I think you’re lying anyway.

          By the way, you give me the shits. You remind me of creeps who’ve justified rape because the victim had been screwing other guys. You right wingers have real weird and dangerous ideas about how to relate to people. You could keep them to yourselves.

    • linda 81.2
      23 April 2015 at 6:18 am

      fuck off fisiani PerveKeys a serial tugger hahahaha

  82. Mr In Saiif 82
    23 April 2015 at 12:17 am

    Hey fisiani

    The Urban Dictionary most liked definition of pony-tailed is:

    “Ponytail; verb. To grab a girl by her ponytail and remove her from whatever current situation she is in.

    After drinking too much, Maddie began dancing with the wrong guy. Noticing the situation, Erin ponytailed her outside to safety.”

    Maybe we could change that to:

    After trying to crib the waitress he ponytailed it out of there

    (or was that hightailed)

  84. linda 84
    23 April 2015 at 6:15 am

    PerveKey goes rock on pony tails ,you watch the curtain is open it will be like tiger woods lolololololol

  85. Stuart Munro 85
    23 April 2015 at 10:50 am

    This one’s for John, who I guess is losing it
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADNbtAID5wM

  86. Clemgeopin 86
    23 April 2015 at 1:17 pm

    From Chris Trotter’s article : (See link below for full article)

    But, it makes you wonder.

    According to Bomber’s informant, the hair-pulling antics of the PM began in September of 2014, during the election campaign. So let me leave you with this little thought experiment. Had the man doing the pony-tail pulling not been John Key, but the Leader of the Opposition, David Cunliffe, and the story had broken before election day (let us say, for the sake of argument, on the Whale Oil blog) how do you think the mainstream news media would have responded? Would David Cunliffe have been permitted to get away with an admission and an apology? Would his political opponents have conceded that he was guilty only of a little playfulness, a little friendly fun?

    Of course not! Every honest New Zealander knows that if it had been David Cunliffe who’d repeatedly pulled a waitresses pony-tail, and been found out, then the story could only have ended one way – with his resignation.

    What does it say about John Key and his relationship with both the news media and the wider New Zealand electorate that, public admission and apology delivered, he will almost certainly walk away from this scot free?

    http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/04/22/upbraided-but-not-undone-will-john-key-survive-tailgate/#sthash.rkOU5NOJ.dpuf

  87. ruby 87
    24 April 2015 at 2:22 pm

    This is absolutely bogus , the women is stirring things up and purposely attacking the pm , maybe to seek some sort of compensation.i believe key hasnt done anything wrong and this is just a bogus stunt to attack him.i mean would this be a issue if someone else rather then key pulled her hair

    • te reo putake 87.1
      24 April 2015 at 2:34 pm

      “i mean would this be a issue if someone else rather then key pulled her hair”

      Good question, but I think it’s more relevant to ask if anybody else a) would have done it at all or b) done it when they were Prime Minister.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 87.2
      24 April 2015 at 2:38 pm

      🙄

      The Crime Act, for example says

      assault means the act of intentionally applying or attempting to apply force to the person of another, directly or indirectly, or threatening by any act or gesture to apply such force to the person of another, if the person making the threat has, or causes the other to believe on reasonable grounds that he or she has, present ability to effect his or her purpose;

      The best way for the Prime Minister to avoid being “attacked” is for him not to assault people.

  88. ruby 88
    25 April 2015 at 12:17 am

    te reo putake

    24 April 2015

    “i mean would this be a issue if someone else rather then key pulled her hair”

    Good question, but I think it’s more relevant to ask if anybody else a) would have done it at all or b) done it when they were Prime Minister

    A- school teachers do it all the time to students ,even uni but havent seen anyone making this into a huge deal.

    B- hes a human being first then a prime minister.

    As i said earlier this is just a stunt to attack the pm and gain a little fame and compensation.

    • b waghorn 88.1
      25 April 2015 at 5:59 am

      A- any teacher did it to one of my girls he’d be getting a visit from me

      B- If a prime minister is incabable of understanding the fact that it would freack a young lady out to pull her hair it’s frightening that he got elected .

      But as long as you’re making a profit all good a???

      • felix 88.1.1
        25 April 2015 at 6:35 am

        +1

        And Ruby, I totally disagree. He is the PM at all times when he’s dealing with the public. That’s just the nature of the job and if he doesn’t like it he can fuck off back to whatever corporate rock he crawled out from under.

        But it doesn’t matter. He fails as a human being AND a prime minister by grabbing girls’ hair when they don’t want him to.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 88.2
      25 April 2015 at 7:22 am

      …a little fame and compensation.

      Compensation for what? Oh, yeah, that’s right: assault.

    • Anne 88.3
      25 April 2015 at 10:31 am

      @ ruby
      There has been talk of pedophilia or serial sex abuser on the internet and I agree this is extremist language. But to suggest that it’s just a stunt to attack the pm and gain a little fame and compensation is equally puerile and extreme.

      You have absolutely no knowledge or understanding of the distress that harassment can cause when it is repeated again and again even though the perpetrator knows (and john Key knew that is obvious) the attention is not welcome. He also knew he had the power and status of his position behind him and therefore to confront him directly was going to be difficult for her. That she eventually plucked up the courage to do so and then told the story was a brave and admirable thing to do.

      Nothing would please me more than to see ignorant individuals like you suffer a similar fate. And in the unlikely event it happened… you ended up being “victim blamed” and suffered the humiliation of having the persecutor/persecutors labeling you as a liar and cheat? How you would cope? You wouldn’t.

      Btw, it happened to me so I know a genuine case when I see one.

  89. dv 89
    25 April 2015 at 7:59 am

    Ruby
    Say you have long hair,.
    say when ever i saw you I came over and fondled you hair.

    That would be OK then.

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    Election Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t have time for. You’re welcome, etc. Let us press on, etc. 1.  What did Christopher Luxon use to his advantage in ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Pure class warfare
    National unveiled its fiscal policy today, announcing all the usual things which business cares about and I don't. But it did finally tell us how National plans to pay for its handouts to landlords: by effectively cutting benefits: The biggest saving announced on Friday was $2b cut from the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Ask Me Anything about the week to Sept 29
    Photo by Anna Ogiienko on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour, including:duelling fiscal plans from National and Labour;Labour cutting cycling spending while accusing National of being weak on climate;Research showing the need for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Weekly Roundup 29-September-2023
    Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    3 days ago

  • Protest at Parliament: The Reunion.
    Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Labour cuts $50m from cycleway spending
    Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • The Greater Of Two Evils.
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Hipkins fires up in leaders’ debate, but has the curtain already fallen on the Labour-led coalitio...
    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    4 days ago

  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    4 days ago

  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago

  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • Old habits
    Media awareness about global warming and climate change has grown fairly steadily since 2004. My impression is that journalists today tend to possess a higher climate literacy than before. This increasing awareness and improved knowledge is encouraging, but there are also some common interpretations which could be more nuanced. ...
    Real ClimateBy rasmus
    5 days ago

  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    5 days ago

  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    5 days ago

  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • STEPHEN FRANKS: Press seek to publicly shame doctor – we must push back
    The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Competing on cruelty
    The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Further funding for Pharmac (forgotten in the Budget?) looks like a $1bn appeal from a PM in need of...
    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 days ago

  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    6 days ago

  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    6 days ago

  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    6 days ago

  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins… but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    6 days ago

  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • A pallid shade of Green III
    Clearly Labour's focus groups are telling it that it needs to pay more attention to climate change - because hot on the heels of their weaksauce energy efficiency pilot programme and not-great-but-better-than-nothing solar grants, they've released a full climate manifesto. Unfortunately, the core policies in it - a second Emissions ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • A coalition of racism, cruelty, and chaos
    Today's big political news is that after months of wibbling, National's Chris Luxon has finally confirmed that he is willing to work with Winston Peters to become Prime Minister. Which is expected, but I guess it tells us something about which way the polls are going. Which raises the question: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • More migrant workers should help generate the tax income needed to provide benefits for job seekers
    Buzz from the Beehive Under something described as a “rebalance” of its immigration rules, the Government has adopted four of five recommendations made in an independent review released in July, The fifth, which called on the government to specify criteria for out-of-hours compliance visits similar to those used during ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • Letter To Luxon.
    Some of you might know Gerard Otto (G), and his G News platform. This morning he wrote a letter to Christopher Luxon which I particularly enjoyed, and with his agreement I’m sharing it with you in this guest newsletter.If you’d like to make a contribution to support Gerard’s work you ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Alarming trend in benefit numbers
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  While there will not be another quarterly release of benefit numbers prior to the election, limited weekly reporting continues and is showing an alarming trend. Because there is a seasonal component to benefit number fluctuations it is crucial to compare like with like. In ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON: Has there been external structural change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase.   Brian Easton writes –  Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • CRL Progress – Sep-23
    It’s been a while since we looked at the latest with the City Rail Link and there’s been some fantastic milestones recently. To start with, and most recently, CRL have released an awesome video showing a full fly-through of one of the tunnels. Come fly with us! You asked for ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    7 days ago

  • Monday’s Chorus: Not building nearly enough
    We are heading into another period of fast population growth without matching increased home building or infrastructure investment.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Labour and National detailed their house building and migration approaches over the weekend, with both pledging fast population growth policies without enough house building or infrastructure investment ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • Game on; Hipkins comes out punching
    Labour leader Chris Hipkins yesterday took the gloves off and laid into National and its leader Christopher Luxon. For many in Labour – and particularly for some at the top of the caucus and the party — it would not have been a moment too soon. POLITIK is aware ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    7 days ago

  • Tax Cut Austerity Blues.
    The leaders have had their go, they’ve told us the “what?” and the “why?” of their promises. Now it’s the turn of the would be Finance Ministers to tell us the “how?”, the “how much?”, and the “when?”A chance for those competing for the second most powerful job in the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • 100 new public EV chargers to be added to national network
    The public EV charging network has received a significant boost with government co-funding announced today for over 100 EV chargers – with over 200 charging ports altogether – across New Zealand, and many planned to be up and running on key holiday routes by Christmas this year. Minister of Energy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago

  • Safeguarding Tuvalu language and identity
    Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
    Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
    40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • COVID-19 funding returned to Government
    The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Appointment of District Court Judge
    Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today.  Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
    Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
    An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
    The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
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  • New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
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