National’s caucus meeting today – nothing to see here
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- Date published:
7:30 am, October 16th, 2018 - 83 comments
Categories: jacinda ardern, journalism, Judith Collins, labour, Media, national, Politics, same old national, Simon Bridges, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, trevor mallard, you couldn't make this shit up -
Tags: jami-lee ross, maggie barry
No doubt like everyone else’s feed my twitter yesterday was on fire. I am not sure I have ever witnessed a situation where a stand up by a major party leader has been sabotaged by an MP from his party using twitter.
But that is what happened yesterday.
And other National MPs are cross.
What a disloyal disgrace this flawed & isolated individual has become. Having now read the PWC report I personally believe the unpleasant & bullying pattern of behaviour of Jami Lee Ross has no place in an otherwise united National Caucus under our leader Simon Bridges. https://t.co/Y5xXzUtffr
— Maggiebarrynz (@maggiebarrynz) October 15, 2018
Judith thinks that Ross should have the book thrown at him. From Newshub:
Papakura MP Ms Collins has condemned Mr Ross’ actions – while also seeming to take a dig at Mr Bridges’ leadership in the same breath.
“What’s been said today on Twitter is pretty appalling,” she told NZME. “I would not put up with it if I was in his [Mr Bridges’] position.”
She reiterated to Newshub that she “wouldn’t put up with the behaviour at all”.
“My point to Jami-Lee Ross is put up or shut up.”
She said Mr Ross, who she believes to be the leaker, should have come forward sooner to spare every other member of the caucus being subjected to a needless breach of privacy.
The proof against Ross is not pristine. There is no smoking gun, no confession, no proof that he actually sent the texts to Bridges and the others. And the “proof” only relates to the subsequent texts, not the original leak.
In fact the one matter that troubles me is that the report is relying on communications from his phone. Yet there is no proof of a text being sent to Tova O’Brien or someone associated with her. So presumably a burner phone was used for this purpose but not for other purposes. How likely is that?
And some of the calls complained of were to Trevor Mallard. I am sure that he could comment on the nature of the discussions, if they were innocent. And he has released this statement:
Rt Hon Trevor Mallard today said “I note that Paragraph 37 (o) of the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report indicates that Jami-Lee Ross communicated with me on the 23rd August.
Mr Ross only communicated with me following a call that I made to him in the mistaken understanding that he was to be my contact on the leak inquiry while Paula Bennett was on leave. In fact, the contact was the Leader of the Opposition’s Chief of Staff. Mr Ross was not able to take my initial call, and undertook to call me back. I accidentally cut him off and he called back a second time.
I informed the office of the Leader of the Opposition of my error in this matter a few minutes later. I was not approached by either PwC or John Billington QC at any stage.
The statement is either an innocent explanation of Mallard’s role or an example of evil political bastardry or both but it does blow a rather large hole in the inquiry’s conclusions.
I get the impression there is other evidence which results in the conclusion that has been reached. But it has not been released.
I presume that Bridges will escape his caucus meeting unscathed. But there is this problem.
When I started to become expendable, I confronted him with evidence that I had recorded him discussing with me unlawful activity that he was involved in. Working on his instruction, he asked me to do things with election donations that broke the law.
— Jami-Lee Ross (@jamileeross) October 14, 2018
Like everyone else on political twitter I wondered what he was referring to. It is likely that he was referring to the leak to Newshub over the weekend where it was pointed out that Bridges had amended his electoral return to remove donations from some Exclusive Brethren sources.
As Newshub reported yesterday:
Another party insider revealed to Garner Mr Bridges’ election returns were handed in late after amendments were made. Two donations – one of $10,000, another of $14,000 – were initially recorded on Mr Bridges’ own return, but removed and placed on the National Party’s return instead.
The $10,000 donation came from ‘Cathedral Club’. Mr Bridges refused to talk about who that was. According to blog posts by National-aligned pollster David Farrar and far-right blogger Cameron Slater, Cathedral Club appears to be bimonthly dinner featuring speakers from the political world. Both men imply attendees aren’t meant to reveal the details of conversations that take place at such meetings.
The larger donation came from Cubro Ltd, which Mr Bridges said was a healthcare business in Tauranga. Garner revealed the owners are also members of the Exclusive Brethren, a religious sect who controversially spent more than $1 million of their own money trying to get National elected in 2005. Nicky Hager’s book The Hollow Men detailed how the National Party worked with the Brethren behind the scenes, while publicly denying it.
Mr Bridges said he didn’t know the company had Brethren links, even though he’s been to the company’s premises.
I wonder why Bridges decided to change his return? Is the EB link that embarrassing?
I also wondered if Ross was referring to the earlier Donghua Liu incident where Ross took one for the team and said that the Donghua Liu payment was a local donation and not a party donation. This is so that National did not have to disclose the donation at the time that Maurice Williamson had provided Liu with assistance relating to a police prosecution.
And one further comment, Jacinda Ardern’s response has been magnificent and in keeping with her mantra there should be more kindness in politics. She has kept out of commenting on National’s problems even though for a fair period of time Bridges was trying to blame Labour for what has happened. This is in stark contrast to what National would do. Remember Key’s political monotones on the inner workings of Labour?
All eyes today will be on Jami-Lee Ross’s twitter feed. And on the decisions reached at National’s caucus meeting this morning.
hey @NZNationalParty in the interests of being open etc do you think you can livestream your next caucus meeting?
— caffeine addict (@caffeine_addict) October 15, 2018
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The Minister of Education has shown complete disregard for rural communities and their school bus routes in Question Time today. ...2 days ago
- Economists sound alarm on Government’s slash-and-burn approach
A group of prominent economists has released an open letter to the Government, raising grave concerns about the far-reaching consequences of its fiscal policy. ...2 days ago
- Release: Smoking numbers up under Costello’s watch
National’s repeal of Labour’s smokefree legislation has taken New Zealand further away from achieving a Smokefree 2025 and a smokefree generation. ...2 days ago
- Release: Call for Palestine recognition by NZ, Australian and Canadian MPs
Parliamentarians from Australia, Canada and New Zealand have written an open letter to their respective Prime Ministers calling on them to recognise Palestine. ...2 days ago
- Justice Select Committee opens floor for Treaty Principles submissions
Today, the Justice Select Committee has decided to officially open submissions for the controversial Treaty Principles Bill. ...3 days ago
- Power of the people on full display as hīkoi approaches Parliament
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- Hypocrisy as Te Whatu Ora contractor bill balloons
Te Whatu Ora’s bill for contracting and consulting staff has ballooned by nearly 20 percent under the National Government, breaking a promise they made during the election campaign to cut contractors. ...4 days ago
- Release: Growing pressure to scrap Section 7AA Repeal Bill
The newly released Section 7AA Repeal Bill's select committee report is further evidence that the Government should scrap it. ...5 days ago
- Government’s move to monetise access to nature a slippery slope
The Green Party is voicing serious concerns over the Government’s proposal to charge for access to public conservation land, released today. ...1 week ago
- Green Party condemns the passage of Treaty Principles Bill
The Green Party condemns the passing of the Treaty Principles Bill at first reading, and is clear that the fight is not over. ...1 week ago
- Stand Up for Te Tiriti
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is our country’s founding document. It forms the basis of the relationship between Māori and the Crown – and the Aotearoa New Zealand we live in today. ...1 week ago
- Release: Over 15,000 sign Labour’s open letter to Luxon
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- Greens join King’s Counsel in calling for Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned
The Prime Minister must answer the call from a group of senior lawyers of the King’s Counsel to abandon the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...1 week ago
- Chris Hipkins’ apology statement to state and faith-based care survivors
...1 week ago
- Release: Labour formally apologises to state and faith-based care survivors
Labour joins with the Government in unreservedly apologising for the abuse, neglect and trauma including torture in state and faith-based care and for ignoring the voices of survivors for too long. ...1 week ago
- Green Party stands in support of survivors of abuse in care
Today, the Green Party stands alongside the survivors of abuse in state care and faith-based care as the Government issues an historic apology. ...1 week ago
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The Green Party has written to the Speaker of the House requesting he enable a personal vote on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
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The Green Party is alarmed by the Government’s move to exclude a journalist from covering this week’s apology for the survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care. ...2 weeks ago
- Without action, an apology will be empty air
For tomorrow’s apology to survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care to hold any water, the Government must not pursue the same policies that drove the abuse in the first place. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Concerns remain over tobacco interference
Concerns about the tobacco industry’s ability to interfere in government policy making remain, despite the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate the Government’s decision to halve the excise tax on heated tobacco products. ...2 weeks ago
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The Climate Change Commission’s latest advice indicates Aotearoa needs to be stepping up on climate action. ...2 weeks ago
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- Release: Poroporoaki: Ta Robert (Bom) Gillies
Kua hinga te manawa kairākau o Te Rua Tekau Ma Waru Tiwhatiwha te po! Kakarauru i te po! Ka rapuhia kei hea koe kua riro! Haere e te Ika a Whiro ki o tini hoa kua ngaro atu ki te Pō ...2 weeks ago
- Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principles Bill
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principle...
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ must pursue independent foreign policy
The Green Party says the need is greater than ever for Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue an independent foreign policy. ...2 weeks ago
- Appointments strengthen Predator Free 2050
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Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey today opened Kahurangi, an innovative and much-needed facility for Canterbury’s Child, Adolescent, and Family Mental Health Services. “The new state of the art outpatient facility opened today will be a gamechanger for the way mental health is delivered for young people in Canterbury,” says Mr ...2 hours ago
- Driver safety screens to be installed on Auckland buses
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news from the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) that bus driver protection screens will be installed across Auckland’s bus fleet by 2026.“The Government is committed to improving the safety of working environments for bus drivers, and Budget 2024 allocated $15 million of Crown funding over ...3 hours ago
- Government action provides Southland farmers more time to meet plan requirements
The Government is taking action to ensure Southland farmers and growers are not affected by unreasonable regional farm plan deadlines, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard say.“Cabinet has agreed to provide more time for farmers and growers to comply with regional rules ...19 hours ago
- Bill reaffirms Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending
The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Bill had its first reading at Parliament today. The Bill reaffirms the Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. “In recent years we have seen an unacceptable spike in youth offending. “This Bill makes ...20 hours ago
- Critical milestones for earthquake buildings review
Fairer, more sensible rules about managing earthquake risks are a step closer with the passing of legislation and the appointment of an independent chair to provide expert advice, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The Government is committed to reinvigorating our cities and regions to support economic growth, ...20 hours ago
- State of the art radiology machine for Auckland
People in Northland and Auckland will benefit from a new machine for cancer treatment installed at the Regional Cancer and Blood Service at Auckland City Hospital. The MV5 linear accelerator, or LINAC machine, officially opened today targets cancer tumours with pinpoint accuracy. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says this new, ...20 hours ago
- Foreign Minister to visit Europe
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Europe for high-level talks with France, Germany and the United Kingdom next week. "Since taking office almost a year ago, the Coalition Government has emphasised the importance we place on New Zealand's traditional and likeminded diplomatic and ...21 hours ago
- First arrests made under gang patch ban
Police have made their first arrests under the new gang patch legislation, with two gang members arrested, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “Just before 11 this morning, Police in Wairoa apprehended a gang member for wearing a patch to the supermarket. He has been arrested and will now face enforcement ...22 hours ago
- Better support for victims of sexual violence
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- Government moving forward with Regional Deals
Cabinet has agreed to invite all regions to submit proposals for Regional Deals between central and local government that drive economic growth and deliver the infrastructure our country needs, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop say. Inviting all regions to propose a Regional Deal that boosts ...23 hours ago
- MSA pilot participant update
One of the ten young men selected to participate in the Military-Style Academy Pilot has allegedly reoffended. Children’s Minister Karen Chhour is disappointed but says it would be naïve to think that none of these young men would reoffend. “I’m saddened that this young person has not taken this opportunity ...1 day ago
- Fighting for Kiwis in Trade
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Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that school attendance is continuing to rise. In Term 3 of 2024 51.3 per cent of students attended school regularly, an increase of 5.3 percentage points from 46 per cent in Term 3 of 2023. “This Government has prioritised student attendance and it is ...1 day ago
- Improving the lives of young New Zealanders
Ensuring New Zealand is the best place in the world for children and young people is the vision at the heart of the Government’s new Child and Youth Strategy, Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston says. “Childhood represents a huge opportunity to set people on a positive path towards living ...1 day ago
- Government continues work to reinstate livestock exports by sea
The Government is reinstating the trade of livestock exports by sea while ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare, says Associate Minister of Agriculture Andrew Hoggard.“The Government will introduce legislation changes to reinstate the trade, enhance oversight, and strengthen requirements for exporters to identify risks and manage the welfare of ...2 days ago
- Speech to the National Quality Forum 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa – it is a pleasure to be here today. I would like to begin by acknowledging the important leadership role you all play in ensuring a quality health system New Zealanders can trust. There is enormous clinical expertise in this room covering a wide range of disciplines. ...2 days ago
- New Zealand’s COP29 National Statement
Tēnā koutou katoa. Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. New Zealand, and all nations represented here today, are already dealing with the impacts of climate change. Our households, businesses, and economies are bearing the costs of its effects. The choices we make now will shape the severity of these impacts for generations ...2 days ago
- Latest Quarterly Investment Report released
The Government has released its second Quarterly Investment Report (QIR) which shows substantial work still to be done by agencies to improve investment reporting and meet the Government’s expectations, Infrastructure and Acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “New Zealand has significant infrastructure and investment needs. The Government is determined to get ...2 days ago
- New Zealand supporting loss and damage fund
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced New Zealand will contribute NZ$10 million to the new Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage while at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. “New Zealand is joining the global effort to address the significant challenge of responding to ...2 days ago
- Gang crackdown begins at stroke of midnight
The free ride for gangs is over when the clock strikes midnight tonight, with tough new laws officially coming into effect, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say. “Gang patches will no longer be able to be worn in public. To earn the right to wear a ...2 days ago
- LGFA increases borrowing capacity to support high growth councils
The Government is welcoming the decision by the Local Government Funding Agency to increase access to financing tools for fast growing councils to support greater investment in critical infrastructure, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says.“Communities across the country are facing an infrastructure deficit and significant population growth is projected in ...2 days ago
- Temporary Traffic Management costs revealed
The Government has revealed that over the past three years, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has spent an eyewatering $786 million of taxpayers’ money on road cones and temporary traffic management (TTM), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“When I became Minister, I was surprised to learn that that NZTA did ...2 days ago
- Jurisdiction of Disputes Tribunal to double
Legislation that will double the financial jurisdiction of the Disputes Tribunal from $30,000 to $60,000 has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith. “We need to improve court timeliness and access to justice so that Kiwis and get on with their lives. Court delays affect everyone, the ...3 days ago
- Protecting New Zealand from foreign interference
Legislation that will specifically criminalise foreign interference and strengthen espionage offences has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “It is normal and appropriate for states to interact and work to influence one another. This encourages cooperation and can have mutually beneficial outcomes. “However, the reality ...3 days ago
- Significant milestone for Canterbury Road of National Significance
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news that the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board has approved funding towards pre-implementation and early works on the State Highway 1 (SH1) Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass Road of National Significance (RoNS). “Reaching this significant milestone is a reflection of our Government’s ...3 days ago
- Health survey results to help drive change
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says findings from the annual Health Survey highlight the need to continue driving better health outcomes for New Zealanders. The New Zealand Health Survey is an annual snapshot of key metrics measured from July 2023 – July 2024. Findings released this morning include: In 2023/24, ...3 days ago
- Final push needed to get to Smokefree 2025
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- New diplomatic appointments
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced four new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign ...3 days ago
- Next steps for Regulatory Standards Bill
Regulation Minister David Seymour has today announced the next steps in the Government’s plan improve the quality of regulation by opening consultation on a proposed Regulatory Standards Bill. “New Zealand's low wages can be blamed on low productivity, and low productivity can be blamed on poor regulation,” says Mr Seymour. ...3 days ago
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Minister for Regulation David Seymour has today announced that the Ministry for Regulation’s Red Tape Tipline is now live. “We want to hear about your red tape horror stories. From today, New Zealanders will have a say on how they are regulated through an online portal,” says Mr Seymour. The ...3 days ago
- Youth Parliament 2025 announced
The Minister for Youth Matt Doocey has today announced the eleventh Youth Parliament will be taking place in 2025. “Youth Parliament offers a unique youth development opportunity to young people from across New Zealand to experience the political process and learn about how government works,” says Mr Doocey. “The two-day ...4 days ago
- Police stats show promising change
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- Better coordination of anti-scam efforts
With the launch of Fraud Awareness Week, the Government is committing to new coordination efforts across industry and government to combat online scams, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Online financial scams are a growing problem for New Zealand. New data released today shows that Kiwis lost nearly ...4 days ago
- Minister to consider 7AA select committee report
Minister for Children Karen Chhour will consider the recommendations made by the Social Services and Community Committee in its report back to Parliament on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. “I want to thank the people who made submissions and those who appeared before the committee in ...4 days ago
- Defence Minister to attend ASEAN meeting
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Vientiane, Laos. “We need to take every opportunity to engage with our international partners, given the increasingly unstable geo-political situation,” Ms Collins says. “New Zealand has a long-standing commitment to this ...4 days ago
- Launching the White Ribbon Ride
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- NZ signs trade deal with Costa Rica, Iceland and Switzerland
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- Government and iwi work together on aquaculture
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- Justice Committee Makes Further Decisions About Submissions Process For The Principles Of The Treaty...
The committee plans to hold hearings in the week starting Monday, 27 January and the weeks starting 10, 17 and 24 February 2025. ...1 hour ago - Watch live: Christopher Luxon faces questions during power station visit
It comes as Labour accuses National of not listening to evidence about boot camps. ...1 hour ago - Survivors of abuse in care know how redress should work – will the government finally listen?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Winter, Associate Professor in Political Theory, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images When Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stood in Parliament last week to apologise to survivors of abuse in care, his words were among many fine speeches by ...2 hours ago - Review: The Day of the Jackal is a riveting and ridiculous ride
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flora Hui, Research Fellow, Centre for Eye Research Australia and Honorary Fellow, Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), The University of Melbourne IoanaB/Shutterstock The United States Food and Drug Administration has just approved the first-ever clinical trial that uses CRISPR-Cas13 RNA editing. Its ...3 hours ago
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Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 22 November appeared first on Newsroom. ...7 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Bill Shorten has declared himself “a proud moderate” in a valedictory speech declaring parliament has the responsibility to ensure the extremes of left and right do not set the terms of political debate. Shorten, ...18 hours ago
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Another political party donation cover up. When will parliament learn that the process for declaring donations is not robust enough.
Donations should be banned entirely. They are simply a purchase of political influence by those who can afford it. A fixed annual party membership fee should be allowed, plus state funding distributed.
Would cost some public resource, but better than having our democracy purchased.
And some kind of realistic information dispersal for people to understand exactly what it is they’re voting for would help. How would that look?
Donations should be banned entirely. They are simply a purchase of political influence by those who can afford it. A fixed annual party membership fee should be allowed, plus state funding distributed.
QFT
Whereas – in the US!
https://talk.whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/default/original/2X/1/1599ba4c27b34a1add118e3043031d1a6ddc1953.jpg
To mis quote the immortal tRump
SO SAD!!!
I couldn’t help it, I just had to vote for Gerry on Newshub’s ‘Who should replace Bridges as leader’ poll!
I voted for bridges on the news hub poll #lets keep Simon. I am delighted that so far the Nat caucus is standing behind him
Every voter on the Left should be supporting Bridges. I see that Collins has a healthy lead in that poll. Oh dear.
That would be good for a Baron Munchhausen shot. He took out the diamond from his tiepin and shot a whole brace of ducks when he saw they were in a line. Get a brace of Gnats in a line behind Bridges and go for it though I don’t know how many Gnats a fast-travelling diamond would bring down.
“Yet there is no proof of a text being sent to Tova O’Brien or someone associated with her. So presumably a burner phone was used for this purpose but not for other purposes. How likely is that?”
Or he may have used the phone of someone like, for example, his wife. Though you’d think PWC may have been told to check for that as well.
Leave Lucy Schwaner out of it. She’s a straight-up local politician.
Really – didn’t get what she wanted after she was elected – tossed her toys and put the ratepayers to the expense of a by-election 5 minutes later.
Presumably there was only so far they could reach in their investigations?
Very quiet here so far!?
Both National and some in MSM are framing it as an isolated incident, the actions of “a lone wolf”. I find it impossible to believe that the National Party is holding hands and doing group hugs around Simon’s BBQ and that they all love each other as much as anonymous party donations and capital-free gains. Yeah, right!
Clean ship and roll Simon, I’d say, but there’s nobody in National with enough guts or backbone let alone vision to do so. A pathetic Opposition is what we have.
A history of aggressive political behaviour unchecked: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/10/15/277466/for-jami-lee-ross-the-charge-sheet-is-long
sacha, to be fair that link reads like a shill hit job not any sort of journalism , dont really have an impression of jlr yet and that link did not inform me any
David Collings is not a lefty. He was burned by Ross’s actions.
Melanie Reid is one of NZ’s best journalists ever. How come you are so touchy about this situation, Xanthe?
Thats bullying sacha
Eh? I was trying to understand from your 2 comments at that stage why you were reacting that way.
For example, do you know some of the people or groups involved? or have some valuable local knowledge the rest of us are missing?
Nope i simply went to the link that you posted and it presented to me as shill. No agenda here just looking for real facts
I agree Melanie Reid is an outstanding reporter.
Sorry, I think I was reading 3.1 above as being from you as well.
Xanthe
Yeah it’s a few vague allegations and nothing more. The writers should’ve done more research before going to print but I suspect they thought it was opportune. I would’ve expected better from Melanie Reid.
“How likely is that?”
Very likely I would’ve thought. He can then plausibly deny any involvement. The fact he is tweeting like a bird suggests he is not the whiter than white character he is trying to portray.
Of course there could be two fuckwits in National who enjoy stabbing their leader in the back but what are the odds? 🙂
“I wonder why Bridges decided to change his return?”
Yes, trying to hide the source of donations; to take advantage of the higher non-declarable threshold of the party rather than the individual. For some reason the system regards that change as OK rather than any sign of corruption.
Good point again , Sacha. Wasnt he caught out in a lie on this matter yesterday when asked about the Curries, he said ‘never heard of them’
Photo came later of him standing with donors when he opened their building!
The lie will cost him more than accepting the donation ever did.
I think Bridges needs to answer more questions about the gardening leave he sent JLR on a couple of weeks back. Clearly he’s been, at best, economical with the truth about the reasons for that.
A real upset is in the air, Ross will come out swinging this morning, note all these National Party Aligned Journalists are saying game over for Ross and back to business as usual, well life is not clear cut like that:). Ross is better than that; i predict he is a fighter in the spirit of Peters and Muldoon.
Go Jami you have my support!
What are you hearing from others in the party, Brian?
Long may they sing from the same public hymn book, whilst quietly pointing the finger at each other as the culprit who stole the donations in the collection plate.
bridges appears to have been dodgy, ross is calling him out on it, are national party mp’s expected to back their leader no matter what?
9 years of key. It’s ingrained.
Tova should now release the info she has.
Be interesting if it wasn’t JLR!!!
Cant still get over that it is about leaking the info that was to become public in 3 day anyway!!!!
Does she know who the leaker is?
And do you honestly think that whoever leaked the info about Bridges’ travel expenses was going to stop at that? Nah it would’ve been drip, drip, drip. So something had to give.
I suspect she (thinks) does. BUT who knows.
You’re right to remind us of that 3 day interval. Could be evidence of a mental health problem, eh? Irrational to see any point to leaking what would soon be public anyway.
If it isn’t jlr all she has do do is say that . And not name her real source.
If she doesn’t exonerate jlr then my guess is it is him .
” Mr Ross was not able to take my initial call, and undertook to call me back. I accidentally cut him off and he called back a second time.”
Yeah
A remarkable column on Newsroom on the amazing history of JLR!
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/10/15/277466/for-jami-lee-ross-the-charge-sheet-is-long?preview=1
“Jami-Lee Ross for erratic and bullying behaviour.”
Maybe JLR and Meka should team up…
National need to be decisive today, JLR has decided on a scorched earth policy so let us wait and see. As anyone who has watched Tropic Thunder knows – you never go full retard.
Is JLR the real deal for National?
Through the grapevine; –
National spin doctors in hypo drive today; – after they were apparently working on triple time overnight at reportedly a $1000 a minute retainer per member involved in the ‘illegal donation’ cover up..
I wondered about that headline when I saw it earlier: National’s caucus meeting today – nothing to see here. Literally true, of course – not televised live.
MS isn’t alone in seeing the event as non-event, however. Daily Blog is trying to distract everyone with a story about how traditional behaviour in our military is still traditional, as though Hager making an issue out of it is somehow news. The bomber’s sometime propensity for bombing everything National does is conspicuous by its absence. All he could manage was an inconsequential bit yesterday about JLR `going full Trump’.
The story in RNZ after the leaker sent the txt to Mallard and Bridges – and nothing was said for some days-is this one on Aug 24 by Jo Moir
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/364796/exclusive-text-plea-to-call-off-bridges-expense-leak-inquiry
Sources have told RNZ Mr Bridges and the Speaker Trevor Mallard both received an anonymous text message last week from a person claiming to be responsible for leaking the information to Newshub.
This was the first tip off to media that a txt from the leaker had been sent and the leaker was suffering from mental health problems.
This was the connection from Ross to RNZ journalist Jo Moir that has been mentioned and revelaed details of the txt that werent known in public at the time.
Yeah nah.
Great image micky
Thanks seemed appropriate! I should have added in the video …
Well I think it’s safe to say Bridges won’t be ask Ardern “Does she have confidence in all her ministers?” at Oral question time today
Lol
Be funny if he did though
Arderns comebacks would be gold
A must watch today Parliament at 2pm for Q+A.
On RNZ at 1015 today Jamie Lee Ross made ‘serious charges’ and has resigned and said he is marching down to the police station to make a charge against Simon Bridges and provide the evidence including tape recording of illegal donations to national; he will cause a bi-election and stand for an independent..
Toby Manhire on where this leaves Bridges: https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/16-10-2018/jami-lee-ross-has-left-bridges-leadership-hanging-by-a-thread/
Not bad. See him treading gingerly between rationale & self-contradiction: “Two of New Zealand’s busiest political pundits, Michelle Boag and Bryce Edwards, suggested on RNZ this morning that Bridges would emerge from all of this stronger. That’s a bizarre argument. Even should everything go as well for him today as possible, the question is not whether he will be left stronger but the extent to which his grip on the leadership is weakened.”
“Most critically, this rare exhalation of internal division is bound to damage National in the polls. The only thing more awe-inspiring than the National Party’s consistent discipline is the National Party’s consistent polling. Could it be, just possibly, that they’re linked? And were National to fall by two or three or four points or more in the next published polling, National MPs in marginal seats or the grey area of the list will start thinking about their electability. And there is no greater guarantor of instability in a caucus than its members fretting about losing their jobs.”
To summarise, a unanimous caucus vote will make him seem strong. National dropping a few points in the next poll will have the opposite effect, particularly if there’s a slide in his preferred PM rating. The unanimity of caucus will seem ephemeral in retrospect!
Geezes
Ross is ripping Bridges to bits in his stand up
Wow, am watching the livestream, crikey.
ross is going to release all his recordings, messages even a photo re donations distributions within the nats.
ross has just thrown simon under a freight train.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows.html
national is going to lose it’s mind over this, media frenzy for sure.
Edit…. Dang jlr could get a book deal out of this, wow he’s telling all. Crikey never seen anything like this.
ross is resigning from the nats, triggering a byelection where ross will stand as an independent for Botany.
He is stretching credibility a bit in the second half
He should have stuck with the first bit
Too much fake emotion and gilding the lilly
He’s put it all out there now.
https://tenor.com/view/chris-pratt-oh-my-woah-damn-dang-gif-4564131
Yes, I agree. Just listened to the RNZ live cross to JLR delivering his statement to the media and the impression I got was one of integrity & authenticity. This changes everything. He acknowledged having a “mental breakdown” under the pressure, but I never detected any such vulnerability in his delivery. He seemed fully in control of himself, as though speaking from a safe place within.
Don’t rate his chances in two ticks Botany.
https://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2017/electorate-details-03.html
I love a good bonfire….
A musical interlude perhaps,
Or maybe this…
It appears Winston went with the burn….https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/10/16/twitter-watch-best-burn-of-2018/
(from the ‘I wish I’d been there…’ file.)
🙂 🙂
Wow! Can’t wait for the movie. Such drama.
Edit: OMG! Sexual harassment claims. And JLR compares himself to Kavanaugh in the US?
The plot thickens.
And JLR will resign from parliament.
Will stand as independent in Botany.
Simon is history.
Paula is history.
The National Party is full of Liars.
JLR is a heroic whistle Blower.
Its Judith time!
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQuh4Xa6fhqgtnaw-Bs4P7PkZ-vB1oO4ewLQcf_Bbj8zOAp_EwL
Your hero has just said how much he likes Paula Bennett as she is so nice and compassionate
Paula for National Party leader!
Bridges may emerge stronger if his caucus comes out and backs him and this is good for the left. He is basically incompetent and unlikable and the longer he stays the better for labour. I can’t wait to see the next poll…………………no predictions though from me.
BTW my take on J L Ross is what sort of creep hangs on to a recording of the boss engaging in illegal activity and then only uses it to threaten when he has become “expendable”……………………….to me aside from bullying accusations etc, is real bad.
JLR on Soimon – a corrupt leader
edit : he’s burning the house down
https://www.facebook.com/RadioNewZealand/videos/249292659091740
And setting up a new client party for Nats with Botany the new coat tail.
Thats just crazy enough to be actually plausible!
He had me, nearly, until he threw up the Nuremberg defense….
Oh boy!
Go Jami he is making history we are witnessing a new Muldoon and Peters!
He has real mana.
If he gets sufficient local support in the by-election. He’s proved your prediction true enough, so far. Very impressive in that speech just now. No uncertainty, not even a momentary lapse of pace, if he continues on that basis he could win.
He’s meeting with police tomorrow to deliver his recording of Bridges discussing how to break electoral law. If this was the USA, he’d mysteriously disappear before that meeting, never to be seen again. Wonder if Bridges has called Simon Lusk in yet…
bridges needs more help than lusk, direct dial to the saudi embassy?
jlr is going to the police with a complaint of electoral fraud against bridges.
He also says there is a second breach, that the public doesn’t know about yet, but he will go public with in once he has laid another complaint with police.
jlr is implicit that he is not the ‘leaker’
Dang jlr is telling all, so much to digest.
jlr seems to loathe and hate simon so very much.
This tops the Brett Cavenough allegations or the sacking of Aussie PM Malcolm Turnbull.
Shit in NZ we have a real scandal here fit for a movie called “NZ dirty politics” or “A litany of lies”
Did ross just figure out how the national party handles donations in the last year?
He said it was only in the last year that he was privy to such info.
How many nat mp’s will publicly be anti jlr, until…… the police prosecute. Will the police dig further and discover such things have been happening within national for many many years.
Wise of jlr to go to media prior to the police.
Question time at 2pm, will we hear from simon before then?
Popcorn?
JLR and Bridges are gone, the former before the latter. JLR won’t win a by-election in Botany but the Nats’ confidence in Bridges must be fatally undermined. Both men will face a Police investigation but may well be cleared, the Police being little more than National Party members decked out in Party colours. I do wonder whether JLR is acting for Crusher (a deus ex machina?) – by bringing down Bridges he clears the way for Crusher to take over the Nats. I bet we’ll hear a lot more about Chinese money and influence in our politics now.
Michael,
Yes Jami lee Ross said in his statement that he would hope that a fit Leader would need to be placed to lead national and he said either Collins, Adams, or Mitchell would be o/k.
Nothing on Kiwiblog or Whaleoil yet, both still trying to figure out how to positive-spin the thing. Probably be in a funk for hours yet. Perhaps try Caucus united behind strong National leader, dismiss the purported evidence that he conspired to break electoral law as the ravings of a self-confessed madman.