National; Leaking Like a Sieve

Written By: - Date published: 1:02 pm, December 4th, 2018 - 60 comments
Categories: accountability, class war, Deep stuff, Dirty Politics, Judith Collins, Politics, same old national, Simon Bridges, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: , , ,

Someone claiming to be a National Party MP has sent media outlets more embarrassing internal information from the Tory caucus.

A few days ago, it was last week’s Curia polling (Labour 44, Nats 41) and a now, a handy set of talking points on how to deflect away from the Maggie Barry bullying claims. Obviously, the leaker is not Jami Lee Ross, as he doesn’t have access to this stuff anymore and that fact alone raises more doubt about the identity of the original expense claims leaker.

I don’t know who the leaker is. More importantly, Simon Bridges doesn’t either. It could be from the Collins faction or it could from be the Anyone But Collins faction, who don’t think much of Bumbler Bridges either. We can only hope it’s not Bridges himself, flying a false flag, because that would suggest depths of cunning that we had not hitherto noticed.

The Barry bullying talking points are as follows:

Given the focus on bullying in the media lately and the launch of the Speaker’s inquiry, please see some lines below in case stopped on your way in in the morning, if useful.

  • Parliament’s a robust environment and it’s demanding. We’re working very hard for New Zealanders and the demands on the time of MPs and staff is extensive but we have a strong culture and people like coming to work because they know they’re making a difference.
  • “At the same time, we need to make sure we have an environment where staff feel able to come forward with any concerns and that those concerns are dealt with appropriately.
  • “We sought assurances about that recently and we will take any feedback on board as a result of the inquiry under way at Parliament.”

The leaked email also said out what MPs should say when asked if National had a culture problem:

“No we don’t.”

If only it was that simple, Simon, if only it was that simple.

 

60 comments on “National; Leaking Like a Sieve ”

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  1. Cinny 1
    4 December 2018 at 1:13 pm

    LMAO !!! Ouch. Someone else sick of them spinning shite.

    Good on them for speaking/leaking.

    simon will be feeling rattled just prior to question time. Christmas BBQ?

    TRP, am looking forward to Q2 today.

    Do you know if Winston will be standing in for Jacinda today please? Would be ace if he was, on this particular occasion.

    https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/order-paper-questions/list-of-oral-questions/oral-questions-4-december-2018/

    • te reo putake 1.1
      4 December 2018 at 1:23 pm

      Is Jacinda elsewhere? I assume Winston will be the stand in, if so. Kelvin Davis would be the other back up. I see there’s a couple of questions about Sroubek. Can’t help thinking that’s last week’s issue, whereas the Maggie Barry case is going to run and run.

      • shadrach 1.1.1
        4 December 2018 at 1:33 pm

        I’m rapidly coming to conclusion Jacinda is a waste of space. Winston, on the other hand, is gold. The debating chamber is his ball park, and he makes absolute mincemeat of Bridges. As for Kelvin Davis, I’m reasonably confident the Government would want anyone but him answering questions about just about anything.

      • alwyn 1.1.2
        4 December 2018 at 2:10 pm

        Your comment certainly illustrates the accuracy of the one from shadrach that follows doesn’t it?
        He (or she) says “I’m rapidly coming to conclusion Jacinda is a waste of space”.
        This follows immediately after your remark “Is Jacinda elsewhere?”.

        What could be more illustrative of the fact that she is a total irrelevancy than the fact that someone as interested as you in the finer details of what goes on in Parliament hasn’t even noticed that she has been missing in action recently.
        Tsar Winston is now flexing his muscles and taking over the leadership of the Government again. Given the numbers that came up in the CB poll it is hardly surprising that he feels he has to try and right the sinking ship.

        Still, I suppose that someone has to do the puff pieces for the woman’s magazines and the tabloids and Winston is probably a bit old to spend his time on that.

        [Rather desperate attempt at diverting attention. Stick to the post contents – MS]

        • Sacha 1.1.2.1
          4 December 2018 at 2:25 pm

          “Given the numbers that came up in the CB poll ”

          You mean the changes within the margin of error?

        • Cinny 1.1.2.2
          4 December 2018 at 2:58 pm

          Alwyn, I asked because Winston raised the Q2 narrative in Qtime last week. So thought it would be great if he would be responding.

          Edit; it was during the debate last Wednesday that Winston raised it….

          Holy moley maybe I should have searched and googled as to her whereabouts today, but no I took the easy way out and asked here instead.

          Quick use it as an attack against me and deflect and distract from the poison ivy and a leaky opposition.

          TS is the only social media i engage with, no FB, no Twitter, so I don’t ‘follow’ any politicians to keep tabs on their whereabouts and posts/updates.

          Jacinda was around yesterday, she gave a post cab presser in the beehive. That I know, cause I watched it.

          I don’t read or waste my money on women’s mags JS.

          So you really read it wrong where I was coming from. Better luck next time sunshine.

          Alwyn, any comment about the post, maggie, leaks etc?

          • Anne 1.1.2.2.1
            4 December 2018 at 3:07 pm

            Jacinda flew up to Auckland to meet the Sth. Korean leader this morning. Plane delayed an hour due to thunder and lightening in Auckland. Her luncheon date with leader an hour late so she couldn’t get back to parliament.

          • alwyn 1.1.2.2.2
            4 December 2018 at 5:07 pm

            I wasn’t using it as an attack on you Cinny.

            I wasn’t even talking to you. My comment, as you will see if you look at the numbering of comments, as in reply to one by trp and referenced a comment by shadrach.
            Thus I didn’t read you wrong. Until just now I hadn’t even read through that comment of yours to the point where you mentioned the possibility of Winston filling in for her.

            So sorry, but I didn’t even realise you had suggested the possibility. Sorry if you think my finding your comment not worth reading completely upsets you.

            By the way. Do you have any comment on Winston smearing Sroubek’s wife in Parliament under the protection of Parliamentary privilege?

            • Cinny 1.1.2.2.2.1
              4 December 2018 at 5:24 pm

              All good, thanks for clearing that up. Text has no tone, which can be a real bugger sometimes for all of us. Please excuse my interpretation of your above comment, in that case.

              Wasn’t upset, so no worries, but was pissed off TBH. Thanks for the apology much appreciated.

              Before I answer your question…

              1. Do you have any comment on said topic re this latest leak?

              2. Any comment re nat mp’s talking about jacinda not being at question time today, but knowing full well a thunder and lightening storm delayed her flight?

              Or saying she wasn’t at Qtime Thursday just been, knowing full well PM’s and opposition leaders don’t usually go to question time on a Thursday, examples… john key, bill english, simon bridges.

              • alwyn …
                4 December 2018 at 6:11 pm

                Parliament always leaks like a sieve.
                If an e-mail was sent to all the MPs in the party it would be seen by everyone of them and everyone in their offices and most of the people in the building.
                Nothing seems to be the stuff of any moment, does it?

                re “nat mp’s talking about jacinda not being”.
                I am amazed that Trevor allowed that. It may be slightly relevant but it is unusual. It is a bit hard to claim that you shouldn’t draw attention to the matter when the fact that someone else is answering questions because you aren’t there is so obvious.

                “saying she wasn’t at Qtime Thursday just been”. As you say they are almost never there. That didn’t stop anyone complaining, on this site at times, that Key or English or Ardern were supposedly “hiding” on occasions.
                Actually she wasn’t there on Wednesday last week either, which is more unusual. That was 3 days in a row which is not a common thing unless you are overseas.

                I wasn’t commenting at all about her not being in the House. I was merely commenting on the fact that trp didn’t even seem to have noticed which is a little odd for anyone who follows politics closely.

                • alwyn …
                  4 December 2018 at 8:50 pm

                  I suggest Cinny, when you get round to telling me what you think of the behaviour of your sides deputy-PM that you read Q2 in Parliament today.
                  You are going to do so are you?
                  https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20181204_20181204_04

                  Then you might care to read this story.
                  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12171177

                  Do you really think it is acceptable to describe a woman as an “informant” without treating it as an attempt to intimidate her into shutting up and embarrassing the Government? Your mate Winston seems to.

                  You might, in the Herald story, want to treat the National Party claims with a little reserve, particularly when they say
                  “When told that the wife had first contacted a former Labour Party Minister for help, but was told to contact the Opposition because the Government wasn’t going to change the decision, Peters said: “So she is the informant, then.”

                  However it was an Immigration Department Officer who said
                  “Immigration NZ general manager Nicola Hogg said officials visited the wife with police after a “thorough risk assessment”, which was standard practice.
                  “On this occasion, one Immigration NZ official was accompanied by two police officers during this visit. Immigration NZ stands by this approach.”

                  One Immigration Official and 2 Police, No doubt fully arrayed in their equipment. If that is not intimidation what I?
                  The standard approach of this Government is it? Intimidate anyone who embarrasses you until they shut up?

                  You commented, I believe, on how badly you thought the woman who testified against Kavanaugh was treated in the US. Are you not going to say the same about this current Government’s misdemeanours?

                • Cinny …
                  4 December 2018 at 10:41 pm

                  Am sure her talks with the leader of South Korean went well this morning.

                  Which was prior to being grounded by a lightening storm that killed animals and injured people.

                  No doubt many catching flights out of Auckland would have missed meetings/appointments/connecting flights etc today.

                  Still working on the teleporter or I would have given her a lift myself.

                  Re the nat mp’s moaning…. it wasn’t in the house, least I didn’t hear it. But they be busy sharing a tweet trying to distract, including poison ivy.

                  Re the ex wife of the kickboxer and current partner of a nat member.

                  Did you hear at Qtime that she did not co-operate with the officials that turned up? JS. Maybe the police had to be there, I mean would it be or feel safe for the immigration official to want to go alone, considering the whole nature of the case?

                  Anyways will have a read and get back to you in the morrow on the rest an your dig re kavaugh. Nitey nite.

                  PS if the herald is just an interpretation of Qtime, I don’t need to read it, I watched all of Qtime today. So all good. Nite.

        • cleangreen 1.1.2.3
          4 December 2018 at 2:58 pm

          Alwyn.

          What a lot of “tommy rot” you speak!@!!!!!

          Jacinda is absent?

          Where has she gone I ask?

          “Tsar Winston”; – where the F—ck are you smoking now?

          Winston is there when Jacinda is unable to be there so get over it man!@!@!@!!

          Winston knows the parliamentary system better than most there now so needs to give his input.

          Do you use your best skills also???

          Get a real job will you.

          • shadrach 1.1.2.3.1
            4 December 2018 at 10:20 pm

            I think the point Alwyn is trying to make is that the PM appears to be increasingly absent from QT. That is concerning, even more so given the other government MP’s who are frequently absent when their performance is under scrutiny. It is one of the things I have admired about Ian Lees-Galloway. Whatever one may think about his decision in the Sroubeck case, he has fronted up at QT and faced the music. Good on that man I say.

            • Muttonbird 1.1.2.3.1.1
              4 December 2018 at 10:24 pm

              QT seems a waste of time with Bridges and Seymour being singled out by the speaker as the primary cause of disruption in the house.

              Not sure why JA would bother with these university student types, tbh.

              • shadrach …
                4 December 2018 at 10:29 pm

                I’m not sure why you would consider the current speaker’s opinion of any value. Trevor Mallard is either totally out of his depth, or he is deliberately running cover for at least some government MP’s.

                • Muttonbird …
                  4 December 2018 at 10:37 pm

                  He’s better than the last speaker but that isn’t saying much I agree. The last speaker had his nose so far up John Key’s arse he lost his job right after Key lost his.

                  • shadrach …
                    5 December 2018 at 10:21 am

                    I’m not sure claiming Mallard is better than David Carter is any kind of defence of Mallard! But I take your point.

                  • shadrach …
                    5 December 2018 at 4:05 pm

                    Did you watch QT today? Mallard is a disgrace. He is obviously running interference for some government members, and that now looks to include the PM.

      • Cinny 1.1.3
        4 December 2018 at 2:46 pm

        Thanks TRP,

        Winston is filling in, perfect as Q2 related to a comment he made last week during Qtime.

        Totally agree with you re Sroubek being last weeks issue.
        Public seem to be satisfied and have moved on. Government has done it’s homework, nat’s looking like they are digging an even bigger hole.

        Meanwhile was wondering if maggie had ever challenged our new government re it’s conservation decisions.

        The link you gave via the Herald and it’s media interview of maggie, is a goodie, she appears to be very practised at denial and deflection.

        The spin lines that were leaked, some people won’t even be aware such things go on. Others may have been ridiculed for even suggestion such a thing.

        Good on the leaker and the media for bringing awareness to some of such procedures.

        • shadrach 1.1.3.1
          4 December 2018 at 10:24 pm

          ‘Public seem to be satisfied and have moved on. ”

          That’s not what at least one Labour MP thinks.
          https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12170542

          I suspect there is more to run on the Sroubeck case.

          • Muttonbird 1.1.3.1.1
            4 December 2018 at 10:41 pm

            Depends what else his ex-wife is prepared to give the National Party I suppose.

            And what they are prepared to pay for.

            • shadrach 1.1.3.1.1.1
              5 December 2018 at 10:23 am

              I’m not sure what they are ‘paying’ for, but given the latest revelations about the wife’s ‘secure’ address being given to Immigration by someone (??), yes there’s plenty more to run on this.

              • Muttonbird …
                5 December 2018 at 10:54 am

                What evidence is there that the address was secure? There are claims she’s “in a safe house” but is that actually true?

                I’d assume immigration would have her address because she filed documents in support of Sroubek’s case.

                • shadrach …
                  5 December 2018 at 11:37 am

                  I’m basing that on a conversation on radio (Newstalk ZB) this morning between Stuart Nash and Mark Mitchell. There seemed to be general agreement that Sroubeck’s wife was in protection, and that no-one outside the police should have known her address. Nash, to his credit, seemed quite alarmed that her address had been disclosed.

                  Edit – just saw this https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12171177. Looks like Immigration were told by Police. Winston Peters accused Sroubeck’s wife of being the ‘informant’ in Parliament, when she is in police protection. Nice.

                  • Muttonbird …
                    5 December 2018 at 11:50 am

                    It would be interesting to know what the ‘initial contact’ was about. Mitchell is saying she approached a former Labour minister but what about? That she wanted Sroubek out of the country after supporting his application?

                    • shadrach …
                      5 December 2018 at 1:40 pm

                      Yep. “”She doesn’t want him to stay and has changed both her phone number and address, because of what she says are threats to her safety.” From the same Herald article.

                    • Muttonbird …
                      5 December 2018 at 2:30 pm

                      Presumably these threats occurred after she went to the National Party?

                    • shadrach …
                      5 December 2018 at 3:38 pm

                      “Presumably these threats occurred after she went to the National Party?”
                      No, before that. Apparently she went to a Labour MP first, who refused to help.

                    • Muttonbird …
                      5 December 2018 at 4:11 pm

                      shadrach, that is total rubbish.

                    • shadrach …
                      5 December 2018 at 4:52 pm

                      “shadrach, that is total rubbish.”
                      Sorry…forgot to write ‘former’.

                      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12171177

                      “When told that the wife had first contacted a former Labour Party Minister for help, but was told to contact the Opposition because the Government wasn’t going to change the decision, Peters said: “So she is the informant, then.””

  2. Anne 2
    4 December 2018 at 1:38 pm

    “At the same time, we need to make sure we have an environment where staff feel able to come forward with any concerns and that those concerns are dealt with appropriately.

    Hahahahaha…. excuse my hollow mirth but neither has been the case in the parliamentary arena nor the Public Service. If a staff member dares to come forward with “concerns” they are almost always hounded out of their job.

    I note Maggie B is lamenting the fact the complainants are anonymous so she can’t respond to their claims. Why are they anonymous? Because they know the moment they identify themselves she will use the power and resources she has at her fingertips… hire the most expensive QCs in town… and commence defamation proceedings against them. Bullies who have the backing of the state behind them always win.

  3. Fireblade 3
    4 December 2018 at 2:08 pm

    Typical National Party

    All talk and bravado, then BANG!

  4. Michael who failed Civics 4
    4 December 2018 at 2:31 pm

    A lot of people love the fact that the Nats are a nasty pack of bullies, especially when they are not the bullied ones. In this case, Barry’s alleged victims are public servants, albeit political hirelings, so everyone knows they are lower than dog shit in the hierarchy. I’m sure many of Barry’s constituents on Auckland’s North Shore are thrilled that she represents their values so closely.

  5. Anne 5
    4 December 2018 at 2:59 pm

    Simon says:

    The new leak didn’t come from National. It’s Labour wot done it. Now where did I hear him say that before?

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/377459/new-leaks-didn-t-come-from-national-mp-bridges

    • Fireblade 5.1
      4 December 2018 at 4:01 pm

      Hahahaha, anonymous text message from a Nat MP, hahahahaha.

      Quick launch an investigation Simon, hahahahaha.

    • Paul Campbell 5.2
      4 December 2018 at 6:44 pm

      I think we should all remember that JLR was never proven to be the previous leaker, nor did he admit to doing so, in fact he denied it …. I don’t think it’s impossible that there’s just one leaker who just hasn’t been caught yet …

    • Muttonbird 5.3
      4 December 2018 at 10:01 pm

      The Nats need to invest in some incontinence trousers. They have the money.

  6. cleangreen 6
    4 December 2018 at 3:03 pm

    Michael yes!!

    There are now so many ‘nasty’ people around here now so they are gravitating to National more and more sadly.

    But the double edged sword may come back to get them back one day as the clock goes around.

    “What goes around comes around”.

  7. Puckish Rogue 7
    4 December 2018 at 3:19 pm

    “It could be from the Collins faction or it could from be the Anyone But Collins faction, who don’t think much of Bumbler Bridges either.”

    you missed out the Everyone Loves Collins faction, it’s a pretty big faction 🙂

    • You_Fool 7.1
      4 December 2018 at 3:31 pm

      Hey now PR, don’t be so down on yourself… some people are just big-boned@

    • peterlepaysan 7.2
      4 December 2018 at 8:51 pm

      To PR
      How many of the ELC faction can you name? I don’t want to embarass you (heh) by asking for names, just the numbers will do. You clearly have very good insider info about Nat internal wranglings given your thoughtful insights to this site.

      Approximate numbers from 0 to whatever would suffice.

      Would be interesting to compare the estimates at (say) 6 monthly intervals.

      I dare you to take up this challenge.

  8. JustMe 8
    4 December 2018 at 7:16 pm

    Some weeks ago Simon Bridges and other National MPs claimed to not know who the young man was who sexually harassed a young woman at an event. The next item on the same news was that National had been in touch with the unknown young man and he had been spoken to.
    That indicates that Bridges etc had known who the young man was but pretended not to know. Talk about bizarre and childish on their part???!!!!!
    Maggie Barry claims to have not known about any bullying whilst there was a National government. Does that mean she turned a deliberate blind eye to the bullying of Running Late for a Plane Gerry Brownlee, Do You Know Who I am Aaron Gilmore, workplace office bully of his staff Paul Foster Bell, sexual deviant ponytail puller John Key, Tau Henare’s bullying actions???!!!!!
    In fact I doubt there is one National MP who has never, ever resorted to bullying because it, bullying, seems to exist in the National Party Requirements for an MP.
    Will she(Barry)next claim that she never introduced the Dalai Lama at Auckland Girls Grammar School in the 90s?
    Out of all this there is the strong nauseous smell of lying going on and the bad smell comes from within the NZ National Party MPs and their supporters. Lets hope the bad smell lingers around the National MPs for NZ voters to realise how selfish, self-serving and especially arrogant the National MPs truly are.
    At least this latest leak puts JLR in the clear and he cannot be used by even Maggie Barry as a scapegoat.
    And yet it now brings up the question of who is the leaker??? Is it the shifty looking botox blonde who looked ill at ease standing behind Bridges in a recent photo opportunity?
    Still who knows but National might just wheel out David Seymour to say that he has never ever seen bullying during a National government.

    • Muttonbird 8.1
      4 December 2018 at 10:14 pm

      Some weeks ago Simon Bridges and other National MPs claimed to not know who the young man was who sexually harassed a young woman at an event. The next item on the same news was that National had been in touch with the unknown young man and he had been spoken to.

      This hasn’t been resolved. Such a small matter really – the behaviour of someone who the party isn’t really able to control but the Nats just had to lie about it.

      That’s what defines that party. A default position of deceit and lies.

  9. DJ Ward 9
    4 December 2018 at 7:25 pm

    Maybe the original leaker wasn’t JLR, after all the report said they didn’t prove that he did it. It does look like he is the leaker. The evidence looks compelling.

    JLR was talking to one Journalist, but someone else was talking to another journalist.

    What if someone was plotting against JLR all along. After all a Journalist was working on things for a year. Waiting to spill the beans. Denigrate him, and shame him.

    Nasty, dirty, revenge, and persecution.

    So what’s the female MP up to these days, just interested.

    • BM 9.1
      4 December 2018 at 7:36 pm

      Dude, you’ve had a bad experience with a woman. get some professional help and try and move on.

      You cannot hang your shit on all females, it’s not fair and it’s not healthy.

      • DJ Ward 9.1.1
        4 December 2018 at 7:54 pm

        How was that me hanging stuff on females. I wasn’t involved in those events. Bitch to them, not me.

        It’s the topic.

        Someone leaking.

        Today’s pointless personal attack telly 1, that I know of.

        • BM 9.1.1.1
          4 December 2018 at 8:00 pm

          People who are interested in politics in NZ are few and far between, I’ve read your comments on Kiwiblog.

          You have had a really bad experience with a female which as rather distorted your view towards all females.

          For your own health, you’ve got to take steps to get that anger and resentment under control, otherwise, it will eat you up and destroy you.

          • DJ Ward 9.1.1.1.1
            4 December 2018 at 8:27 pm

            I don’t have anger and resentment. That’s in your mind not mine. I have sadness and compassion.

            JustMe ….8
            “Sexual deviant ponytail puller John Key,”

            Go annoy that person. Some real personal issues in that one.

            Let’s see if you know what gynocentric means.

  10. Muttonbird 10
    4 December 2018 at 10:16 pm

    Brett. DJ is one of yours. Deal with it.

  11. Sanctuary 11
    5 December 2018 at 7:34 am

    Part of these leaks are of course just deliciously cold Karmic revenge being served to National, a party which in power displayed a fantastical level of bluster and strutting arrogance which, in retrospect, must also have been played out in private with their staffers.

    But also, destabilising leaks combined with Simon Bridges desperately trying to constantly outflank Judith Collin’s on the right means to me it is crystal clear that Bridges is being undermined by what can only be described as the delusional Auckland Tea party faction of the National .

    let’s pray that the assorted deitritus of the Auckland National party – that delightful assortment whhose individual members are made up of various proportions of corrupt loser, swaggering braggadocio, delusional foolishness and desperately untalented ambition – manage to roll Simon Bridges. We will then get to see the Collins/Slater/Hooton school of mad dogs self-destruct in public whilst reducing the National party vote to it’s core of 20%.

    • Doogs 11.1
      5 December 2018 at 8:43 am

      Delightful summary of the reality of National, Sanctuary. You have encapsulated the ethos and the MO of these unappealing people. My only criticism of your summation is that I believe the core support for these arrogant rejects is closer to 40% – unfortunately!

  12. Muttonbird 12
    5 December 2018 at 11:07 am

    This is insane. Another text today/yesterday to RNZ.

    After RNZ ran the story with Mr Bridges’ comments, it received another text from the same anonymous person saying Mr Bridges was foolish for thinking the polling leak did not come from a National MP.

    The texter offered details of what happened in yesterday’s caucus meeting as proof they were an MP.

    Umm. This is the same method and wording the original limo expenses leaker used. It’s not JLR so Simon is back to square one. Will he bring in the auditors again? He has to just have a caucus vote on his leadership, doesn’t he?

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/377531/leaker-claiming-to-be-national-mp-sends-another-text

  13. Michelle 13
    5 December 2018 at 3:41 pm

    lets hope she( maggie whose nicer to her plants ) gets hounded the same way Meka Whaitiri did somehow I doubt it and she has s being doing it for years you would think she should know better.