National’s civil war continues

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:39 am, October 28th, 2013 - 140 comments
Categories: blogs, national, spin, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: amy adams, cameron slater, len brown

I posted previously on how the fallout from the attempted ousting of Len Brown by forces associated with the National Party and the fight back by the civilised wing of the party was evidence of major internal party dissent.

This week things went really strange. Occasional commentator at the Standard Matthew Hooton laid things out clearly for Cameron Slater, essentially saying that Slater should put up or shut up.

In a recent NBR column he said that Slater was claiming that he knew of three other women who had been in affairs with Len Brown and that either the Herald or the Sunday Star Times had important new information to release. Slater has even on his site been dropping not too subtle hints on who one of the women might be. The complete absence of any evidence has not stopped Slater from hinting otherwise.

Hooton said that Slater’s and Palino’s reputations were now at stake.

Others have their reputation on the line, not least Mr Slater himself who took something of a risk in claiming publicly personal knowledge of at least three other women who can prove Mr Brown has misled not just his family this time – which would ultimately be a personal matter – but the media and people of Auckland.

It would be strange were Mr Slater to withhold information which, for that reason, is now clearly in the public interest when he went public with information about Bevan Chuang, which at least arguably wasn’t.

John Palino is also yet to give a credible account of what he discussed with Ms Chuang for one and a half hours late at night in the Mission Bay car park. Until he does, his political career looks no more promising than Luigi Wewege’s. It is not credible they would have spent that long talking late at night about threatening texts they are said to have received nearly a week earlier.

And based on yesterday’s revelations in the Sunday Herald and the SST I would suggest that the reputations of both men as well as that of Luigi Wewege are in tatters.

Karol has already detailed in her post the Blame Game the further allegations that have recently been made, the most startling of which is that Luigi Wewege applied pressure to Bevan Chuang to go public by sending to reporter Stephen Cook three naked photos she had previously sent to Wewege. This is the same Luigi Wewege who said he was not in a relationship with Chuang. The moral and legal issues raised by this latest disclosure are numerous.

The other startling development is the Herald’s interview with Luigi Wewege. His views of what has happened are novel to say the least.

Cameron Slater’s assistant Pete said three days ago that over the next four days “[t]here will be more than you ever wanted to know or talk about”. He is right but I suspect not in the way he or Slater thought things would turn out.

This is all bad news for the National Party. And National MPs are distancing themselves from what has happened.

The links between the National Party and Slater’s site need further investigation and if rumours about direct involvement with the writing of posts are true then this would create a major risk for the party. It would raise all sorts of issues if there was parliamentary resources being used directly or indirectly to support Slater’s site. I suspect that there is a major panic occurring in Parliament right now trying to work out what damage is being caused by Slater’s actions.

National has to cut all links with Slater. The likes of Amy Adams should realise that using his attack dog methods will eventually be a career limiting move. Because he has succeeded beyond what I thought would be possible in converting a story about a philandering mayor into a story of how forces on the right tried to usurp the democratic choice of Aucklanders.

Edit: Just fixed up para 2. Writing on an ipad is not recommended …

140 comments on “National’s civil war continues ”

Comments are now closed

Dumrse 1

28 October 2013 at 8:46 am

” I suspect that there is a major panic occurring in Parliament right now trying to work out what damage is being caused by Slater’s actions.”

CONSPIRACY ……. A theory to use when all else fails.
- QoT 1.1
  
  28 October 2013 at 12:26 pm
  
  There’s no need for a conspiracy at all. The fact is, multiple people with strong National Party ties have acted like complete stooges (as in, The Three) and the “scandal” they’ve been promoting has quickly become overshadowed by their own antics.
  
  It’s like the Greens activist who was caught defacing hoardings. No conspiracy, but I bet there were a few tense meetings in Parliament about how to handle the issue.
- BLiP 1.2
  
  28 October 2013 at 2:42 pm
  
  ‘
  
  Did John Key lie about how Len Brown received the tip off . . . Yes or No?
  - Dumrse 1.2.1
    
    28 October 2013 at 4:11 pm
    
    Do you think JK gives a fuck about the “tip off”. Find a worthwhile question or go back outside and play.
    - QoT 1.2.1.1
      
      28 October 2013 at 5:40 pm
      
      He must give a fuck if he’s commented about it.
- Intrinsicvalue 1.3
  
  28 October 2013 at 8:48 pm
  
  Also…I notice there is no mention on The Standard of the two recent polls showing the Nats support holding up. And all that hype about the Rouge Morgan!!!
  - QoT 1.3.1
    
    28 October 2013 at 9:04 pm
    
    Um … actually can’t tell if you’re taking the piss, but on the offchance you’re not:
    http://thestandard.org.nz/the-only-response-needed/
  - McFlock 1.3.2
    
    28 October 2013 at 9:04 pm
    
    “No mention”? Really? Looks like one of them got first mention on open mike today.
  - QoT 1.3.3
    
    28 October 2013 at 9:05 pm
    
    Hmm, comment failed to post, but suffice it to say:
    http://thestandard.org.nz/the-only-response-needed/
  - McFlock 1.3.4
    
    28 October 2013 at 9:06 pm
    
    “No mention”? really?
Tat Loo (CV) 2

28 October 2013 at 8:57 am

With any luck the NATs will push a losing strategy even harder, and double down on the attempted smears. That’ll finish things off very nicely.
tc 3

28 October 2013 at 9:00 am

Great to see another obediant servant of this govt, hooten, working hard for his masters in taking a ‘moral’ stand against slater.

Between him, granny, farrer and others they really are going hard on the smoke and mirrors as the rouge unit of the NACT spin machine goes off the reservation.

Handy for them though as a diversion instead of Asset sales shambles, Banks, Skycity, the Police at it again etc etc, they dont have to give slater and his site oxygen.h
- Saarbo 3.1
  
  28 October 2013 at 12:47 pm
  
  “Handy for them though as a diversion instead of Asset sales shambles, Banks, Skycity, the Police at it again etc etc, they dont have to give slater and his site oxygen.”
  
  Yes, National come into power with a flawed strategy, essentially no strategy. They seem to exist to block a Labour led government, their only strategy was to cut government spending and sell strategic assets. I wonder how things in NZ would have gone without the stimulatory affects of the Chch earthquake. Things are now coming home to roost for a govt that has been relying on spin/bullshit…people are now realising this hopeless bunch have no idea what they are doing.
  - BLiP 3.1.1
    
    28 October 2013 at 2:54 pm
    
    ‘
    
    Ooops.
  - Dumrse 3.1.2
    
    28 October 2013 at 4:13 pm
    
    Just what the polls indicate eh!
- lurgee 3.2
  
  28 October 2013 at 11:23 pm
  
  ” they really are going hard on the smoke and mirrors as the rouge unit of the NACT spin machine goes off the reservation”
  
  Good Lord, how many metaphors do you need? And all of them at odds! Can one really ‘go hard’ on ‘smoke an mirrors’? Why was there a ‘spin machine’ on a ‘reservation’? And what sort of ‘rogue unit’ would a ‘spin machine’ have?
  
  Language does not deserve this sort of abuse. It isn’t a Tory.
Anne 4

28 October 2013 at 9:55 am

Of course there is link between National’s parliamentary research unit and Cameron Slater. It’s well known that is where David Farrar gets much of his information, so it’s inevitable Slater is sometimes used for the same purpose. The info. wouldn’t be sent in a traceable way of course to allow them to “categorically” deny it but would probably arrive via some intermediary arrangement.

Years ago, I remember similar stories of misuse of info. by National’s Research team but it was impossible to find hard evidence. Only the police could do that, but to my knowledge nobody bothered to lay a complaint because they knew it would go nowhere. This was in the Muldoon days and the Colin Moyle affair was an excellent case of the misuse of information. Interestingly, that affair was also an example of a set-up designed to bring down a politician regarded by many as a future Labour leader.
- yeshe 4.1
  
  28 October 2013 at 1:53 pm
  
  Agreed Anne .. and how did it work out for them then ? Well, David Lange replaced Colin Moyle in Mangere, and the rest is some of our best history.
- Treetop 4.2
  
  28 October 2013 at 2:05 pm
  
  Sir Alfred North Inquiry of 1976 (An alleged breach of confidentiality of the Police file on Honourable Colin James Moyle, MP) was a closed inquiry. Submissions could be made.
  
  Were any submissions made?
  
  The full police evidence was ordered to be locked away for 25 years by the Attorney General.
  
  Will the full police evidence ever be released?
  
  From my writings on the inquiry P.6
  
  20 June 1975 Moyle was told by Walton “I explained that whilst his explanation was accepted it was with reservations because further enquires had not been carried out but it was not intended to pursue that matter further to ascertain the truth or otherwise of the explanation, the reason being that no offence was apparent or could be established by further enquiry” P.7. Moyle asked if the matter was to be recorded in police records. “I told him the file would be retained on a confidential basis for at least a year but as the evidence did not prove an offence no details would be entered in information records. I told him the confidential file would be retained in the safe used only by the Commissioner and myself. I told him it was necessary to retain the file in case there was any question as to the action of the police. I told him whilst no Police action would be taken to publicise the matter, we would nevertheless have to be able to account for our conduct in investigating the incident should it be queried in the future” P.8.
  
  P.7, P.8 Commission of Inquiry. (Hope this is sufficent for a reference).
  
  Muldoon’s dirt file was unleashed on 4 November 1976, some 17 months later.
  - Anne 4.2.1
    
    28 October 2013 at 3:51 pm
    
    Let me add something I know Treetop. That episode was sparked by a phone-call to Colin Moyle late one evening . He was told by a person (no name given) that he had damming evidence of fraudulent behaviour inside the Defence Force. (I can’t remember the precise nature of the words used). The person arranged to meet Colin Moyle the same night on a Wellington street corner to pass over the documentation. No-one turned up. Instead Colin Moyle found himself the attention of a passing patrol car.
    
    This information was revealed in a Herald story marking the anniversary (either the 20th or 25th) of the scandal. I understand why Colin Moyle was reluctant to reveal this at the time because subsequent to that period, I was also targeted with hoax-type activity including phone calls. I reported several of the incidents – which I might add were very frightening at the time – to the police who did nothing. The impression I gained was they didn’t believe me.
    
    I eventually discovered the identity of my tormentors. They were former associates, and I was aware of various political hoaxes they had carried out in the 70s and 80s that were well publicised at the time. There is a strong possibility they were responsible for the Moyle hoax too but that’s all I can say on that.
    
    I never returned to the police with the information because of the way they had previously treated me. I lost all confidence in them and nothing has happened since to change that.
    - Treetop 4.2.1.1
      
      28 October 2013 at 4:45 pm
      
      Anne there are people out there who know stuff and some know a lot. I am so in agreement with your last paragraph.
      
      I could sit down and have a chat with you. You are the first person I have known who has (first person) insight into the way Burnside and Muldoon ran the Moyle operation.
      
      The mystery caller died before the 1976 inquiry. There is mention of him in the released part of the inquiry.
      
      Your information could be in the full police evidence?
      
      Moyle is now aged 84. He resigned in February 1977 and was re elected in 1981 and retired in 1990.
      - Anne 4.2.1.1.1
        
        28 October 2013 at 6:15 pm
        
        The mystery caller died before the 1976 inquiry.
        
        I didn’t know that Treetop. It means the person who made that call was not one of my former associates because both are still alive as far as I know. Even so, the nature of some of their activities in the 70s and early 80s in particular does suggest there may be a link of some sort. Hard to say without all the facts at my finger tips. And too many of those facts remain hidden from public view.
        
        Tiger Mountain 4.2.1.1.1.1
        
        29 October 2013 at 7:55 am
        
        There are various examples of these types of scenarios involving the National Party, NZSIS and NZ Police in NZs political history Treetop and Anne as you may well know.
        
        Long retired lawyer Hec McNeil wrote a lengthy and detailed (unpublished) manuscript on the “Sutch Affair” that he shared with me a while back and regardless of the duplicity of the state forces they still did not get a conviction.
        
        I have always been suspicious of the level of medical care tendered Norman Kirk in his last days too. It was the era of crude interventions as per Whitlam in Australia. Some of these mysteries may have been sorted ‘by lunchtime’ in todays internet world.
        
        Treetop …
        
        29 October 2013 at 9:11 am
        
        “Some of these mysteries may have been sorted ‘by lunchtime in todays internet world.”
        
        What I love about some on the Standard is what and who the may know in regard to unresolved political dirty tricks. I could sit down and take part in a think tank on police failing to investigate from the mid 70s until the present concerning several high profile incidents where people are still waiting for a credible investigation to be carried out.
        
        Anne …
        
        29 October 2013 at 9:12 am
        
        Yes, Tiger Mountain there are many unanswered questions about that period of NZ’s political history – the 70s and 80s. You could say I had a ‘birds eye view’ of some of it even though I didn’t know it at the time. Suffice to say, I came under close but clandestine scrutiny during that period which leads me to conclude I was closer to the action than I knew.
        
        I see NZ and America have formally resumed ‘normal’ military ties.
        
        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11147936
        
        Are the mysteries of the 70s and 80s related to this latest development? In my view – YES.
        
        Treetop 4.2.1.1.1.2
        
        29 October 2013 at 9:02 am
        
        The person who could verify that Moyle had the 17 June 1975 meeting arranged died in October 1976, Moyle was a pallbearer at his funeral. (I won’t name him).
        
        Anne …
        
        29 October 2013 at 10:09 am
        
        I’m a bit confused here Treetop. You say the person who could verify that there was a meeting arranged died in 1976. The Herald article I referred to… mentioned a caller (I seem to remember it being anonymous) who claimed he had documented evidence of Defence Force corruption (or some such thing) and a meeting was arranged. The caller never turned up, but the cops did.
        
        I’ve tried to locate that article on the internet several times but without success. My curiosity has again been roused so think I will pay the Herald a visit in the near future and see if I can get hold of it.
        
        lprent …
        
        29 October 2013 at 1:31 pm
        
        May be easier at the Auckland Public Library. They had the Herald on micro-fiche pretty well up to date last time I looked at it a decade ago. It is a pity that Papers Past at the natlib only has the herald to 1924
        
        Anne …
        
        29 October 2013 at 4:33 pm
        
        Thanks for that 1prent.
        
        Treetop …
        
        29 October 2013 at 3:40 pm
        
        I’ll get back to you Anne, I have a copy of the released part of the 1976 inquiry.
Sacha 5

28 October 2013 at 10:02 am

Genuine question: which faction in the Nats does Hooten work for?
- Matthew Hooton 5.1
  
  28 October 2013 at 10:51 am
  
  None.
  - Sacha 5.1.1
    
    28 October 2013 at 11:38 am
    
    Thank you for that.
    - felix 5.1.1.1
      
      28 October 2013 at 2:15 pm
      
      Sacha, that answer is only accurate in the most strictly literal sense., in that no-one identifying themselves as “Nat faction x” has a contractual arrangement with the entity “Matthew Hooten”.
      - QoT 5.1.1.1.1
        
        28 October 2013 at 2:43 pm
        
        And if he perceives his work as being on behalf of the entire party then obviously he can’t just be working for one faction.
        
        felix 5.1.1.1.1.1
        
        28 October 2013 at 3:56 pm
        
        And there is no direct connection anyway. Plausible deniability is required by all, so Hooten’s company won’t be invoicing “National Party NZ Ltd”.
        
        His company will be subcontracted to another PR company employed by a trust administered by someone who just happens to want to communicate all the same messages that National does.
        
        QoT …
        
        28 October 2013 at 4:04 pm
        
        It’s a perfectly believable coincidence, felix, because all those messages are just simple statements of fact. The Left just hates it because we’re really lizard people.
- Rhinocrates 5.2
  
  28 October 2013 at 11:39 am
  
  Whoever pays him.
captain hook 6

28 October 2013 at 11:30 am

he doesn’t work.
he slides.
- fender 6.1
  
  28 October 2013 at 12:39 pm
  
  ….around on the bile that spills from his lips….
Tracey 7

28 October 2013 at 11:33 am

Irony alert

this from a professional liar must be bad indeed. Man whose own integrity is for sale questions integrity of others. Dont you get sick of living in an echo chamber matthew.
Tracey 8

28 October 2013 at 11:35 am

Matthew do you do any paid or unpaid work for anyone in or associated with ACT or colin craigs regressive party
- Matthew Hooton 8.1
  
  28 October 2013 at 11:47 am
  
  No.
  - One Anonymous Knucklehead 8.1.1
    
    28 October 2013 at 11:55 am
    
    But if you pay him enough he’ll answer “yes”.
  - CnrJoe 8.1.2
    
    28 October 2013 at 12:01 pm
    
    Is that a No I do? or a No – you may say that but I couldn’t possibly comment.
    Wish I could afford to pay you to say what ever I wanted you to say. Saving up tho’.
    - fender 8.1.2.1
      
      28 October 2013 at 1:02 pm
      
      In the spirit of ‘shit in-shit out’ just pay him with a trailer-load..
- felix 8.2
  
  28 October 2013 at 12:42 pm
  
  Tracey, you’ll get nothing out of Matthew that way. He works for Exeltium.
Tracey 9

28 October 2013 at 12:14 pm

The fact of the matter, sadly I think matthew, is your record makes it hard to know when you lie or speak the truth. Sad, because its no way to live. Did you ever consider running for parliament?
- Matthew Hooton 9.1
  
  28 October 2013 at 12:17 pm
  
  I would be surprised if you could point to any example of me having lied publicly.
  - QoT 9.1.1
    
    28 October 2013 at 12:29 pm
    
    I don’t know, Matthew, it was kind of all over the radio. Oh that’s right – you were just accidentally being “inaccurate”.
    - poem 9.1.1.1
      
      29 October 2013 at 3:17 am
      
      +1 QoT
  - One Anonymous Knucklehead 9.1.2
    
    28 October 2013 at 1:17 pm
    
    This includes strategy development; project design and management; corporate reputation management; policy development; establishing formal relationship agreements; drafting legislation; government, stakeholder and media relations; market research and political polling; and the generation of all communications materials
    
    My bold.
Populuxe1 10

28 October 2013 at 12:16 pm

To call it a “civil war” is probably overstating the case. Slater is tolerated on the odd occasion he is useful and the rest of the time he is regarded as a sort of remitance character. The various National factions don’t want him because their brand relies on looking a shiny as possible, so he’s ended up falling in with a group of equally marginal and power-hungry critters closer to old ACT and maybe the Conservative cliques. National had nothing to gain from ousting Len Brown – as we saw from the Ports of Auckland dispute, he’s happy enough to sing from their song sheet anyway.
- felix 10.1
  
  28 October 2013 at 12:47 pm
  
  Yeah, right-wingers would have nothing to gain from having a more right-wing mayor of the biggest city in NZ.
  
  🙄
  - Populuxe1 10.1.1
    
    28 October 2013 at 1:52 pm
    
    Not especially, no. Having an ostensibly left wing mayor who doesn’t seem to publically oppose them overly much is far better camouflage for their dictatorial tendencies. This whole fiasco lacks the teflon finesse. Do you even politics?
    A handful of dickheads being dickheads does not a conspiracy make.
    - felix 10.1.1.1
      
      28 October 2013 at 2:35 pm
      
      Yeah, they’re all really pleased that Banks didn’t win. The last thing right wingers want is a right wing mayor.
      
      🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄
      - Treetop 10.1.1.1.1
        
        28 October 2013 at 2:48 pm
        
        I think that there is no money for Brown’s expensive train set and a right wing mayor would not ask for as much money and/or defer.
        
        I also think that Brown could be constrained in asking for train money.
        
        Brown was doing something good for Auckland rail and he compromised himself.
        
        A by election would give him the confidence and a mandate.
      - Populuxe1 10.1.1.1.2
        
        28 October 2013 at 2:50 pm
        
        Oh dear, am I using too many big words? *Sigh*
        Lets try this again. I have no doubt the NACTs would have been delighted if Banks had won, but (1) he was already becoming a liability despite their best efforts regarding Dotcom and so long as Len doesn’t rock the boat too much the status quo is ok for them, and (2) quite clearly the mechanations under discussion are attached to the PALINO campaign and the people caught with dirty hands are not exactly core National players (who generally are smoother operators and don’t skulk around in empty carparks at night).
        
        Rolling your eyes so much maybe causing you brain difficulties.
        
        felix 10.1.1.1.2.1
        
        28 October 2013 at 3:02 pm
        
        My my, haven’t we come a long way from what you actually said, which was
        
        a) “National had nothing to gain from ousting Len Brown”, and
        
        b) patently fucking stupid.
        
        Populuxe1 …
        
        29 October 2013 at 1:27 pm
        
        a) no, that’s still what I’m saying
        
        and
        
        b) yes you are
        
        felix …
        
        29 October 2013 at 6:38 pm
        
        You’re really not very good at this you know.
  - Wayne 10.1.2
    
    29 October 2013 at 7:41 pm
    
    Felix, You may have noticed the Nats did not make a serious effort in the mayoralty campaign. Otherwise the standard bearer for the Right would have been someone other than Mr Palino.
    - Anne 10.1.2.1
      
      29 October 2013 at 8:03 pm
      
      The thing is Wayne… if the boot had been on the other foot your party would have been screaming blue murder “off with their heads. This is a Labour Party plot to destroy the Right candidate etc.etc.etc.”. So you can hardly be surprised the Left adopts a similar tactic when the opportunity presents itself.
      
      I agree with you for the reasons you have given. Perhaps National needs to learn that if you sup with sleazy devils then you will eventually get hurt. But of course Slater, Lusk and co. have their uses from time to time so I guess all will be forgiven… at least until the next time they stuff up.
    - felix 10.1.2.2
      
      31 October 2013 at 4:33 am
      
      Hi Wayne, I think you’re a bit too grown up to be saying “wasn’t playing” after a loss.
Rhinocrates 11

28 October 2013 at 12:25 pm

A little ditty for Hoots…

On the road to St Ives
I met a man with seven guises
In each guise he told seven lies
And each lie contained seven fibs
And each fib had seven tricks
and each trick had seven spins.

Spins, tricks, fibs, lies, guises
Who shall care if he lives or dies?
- Matthew Hooton 11.1
  
  28 October 2013 at 1:10 pm
  
  Is that some sort of death threat?
  - Rhinocrates 11.1.1
    
    28 October 2013 at 1:20 pm
    
    No you hysterical moron, stop rolling about playing the victim. I’m merely saying that you’re worthless: when you start pining for the fjords, no one’s going to give a damn.
    - One Anonymous Knucklehead 11.1.1.1
      
      28 October 2013 at 1:55 pm
      
      you’re worthless
      
      That’s not fair. Matthew’s opinion is worthless, his profession is a cancer on society, but he has the intrinsic worth of any living being. An amoeba, for example.
      - Rhinocrates 11.1.1.1.1
        
        28 October 2013 at 2:26 pm
        
        Hmmm, you’ve put your finger on the mater of worth indeed. Hoots is one of those homunculi like Key that mistakes price for worth, so he charges a price for his opinion… but it certainly has no worth.
        
        For a moment I thought that you comparison with an amoeba was unkind to a noble unicellular organism, but then I remembered Amoebic meningitis, which is surely what he tries to emulate.
        
        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amoebic_meningitis
  - cnrjoe 11.1.2
    
    28 October 2013 at 11:05 pm
    
    Death threat ?- ta da ! – my suspicion confirmed – The Hooter is a boy. Who calls wolf when directed to.
    - felix 11.1.2.1
      
      28 October 2013 at 11:15 pm
      
      Not a real boy.
Tracey 12

28 October 2013 at 12:29 pm

Lol matthew. I am sure you would rely on phrases like misleading or ambiguity but I am sure you choose your words carefully to avoid accusations of outright lying but you deal in murky areas.

Didnt you recently call cunliffe a liar when you had no proof… so on radio it could be said you lied about cunliffe being a liar.

Perhaps its more accurate to say you sling mud…
- felix 12.1
  
  28 October 2013 at 12:37 pm
  
  What Matthew does is deliberately attempt to steer people away from the truth.
  - Dumrse 12.1.1
    
    28 October 2013 at 2:03 pm
    
    The Standard steers readers away from the truth and real issues. For example lets shoot all the messengers and not worry about Browns trousers around his ankles. There is way more to be had in the … he said, …she said, debate than actually exploring the ethics and morals of the left wing lying serial rooter. Then again, his ethics and morals fit the Labour Party model………..
    - Tat Loo (CV) 12.1.1.1
      
      28 October 2013 at 2:18 pm
      
      Pfffft. It seems that you are the only one who thinks that “Browns trousers around his ankles” is a “real issue.”
      - chris73 12.1.1.1.1
        
        28 October 2013 at 2:30 pm
        
        Well it should be, not the cheating itself but giving her a reference, using your position to get free motel rooms and sending threatening these are all things that if a politician on the right had been accused it’d be called corruption (at the very least)
        
        felix 12.1.1.1.1.1
        
        28 October 2013 at 2:41 pm
        
        “Well it should be, not the cheating itself but…”
        
        The fuck are you on about?
        
        One second you’re agreeing with dumbarse that it’s all about the trousers around the ankles, the next you’re denying that that’s an issue at all.
        
        Weak attempt at a smear, lacking the courage to say what you really want to say. D+
        
        chris73 …
        
        28 October 2013 at 2:49 pm
        
        Yes but in my defense you are a dick head so I’m not surprised you missed the point
        
        felix …
        
        28 October 2013 at 2:56 pm
        
        No, I highlighted the point.
        
        Dumbarse 1 says ‘it’s all about trousers around ankles’.
        
        Dumbarse 2 says ‘yes I totes agree except it’s not about that at all, it’s about something else, and btw threats’.
        
        As Morrissey would say, that’s a damn near word perfect transcript.
        
        Dumrse 12.1.1.1.1.2
        
        28 October 2013 at 4:21 pm
        
        And that right wing politician would still be hanging in the town square.
        
        One Anonymous Knucklehead …
        
        28 October 2013 at 4:28 pm
        
        Dumrse. You mean like Don Brash was hounded and vilified in the media and no wait, that didn’t happen, did it? And Rodney? Come to think of it he didn’t get dragged through the press either. Nor did Lange, despite the number of people who knew.
        
        Face it, Wewege, Slater, Palino, these people are damaged goods and you’re doing yourself no favours aligning with them. Perhaps you approve of their slimy curtain-twitching hypocrisy bordering on blackmail, but that says something about you.
        
        Dumrse …
        
        28 October 2013 at 9:02 pm
        
        Mmmmm, sometimes I suspect damaged goods are a better better option than a bunch of commentators with their heads stuck up their arses trying to ignore the inevitable. Brown is toast just like Cuntliffe and Labours most recent poll results.
        
        Intrinsicvalue …
        
        28 October 2013 at 9:10 pm
        
        OAK…who cares whether or not Slater is damaged goods. Was Len Brown having an affair or not? Did he give his lover a reference or not? Has he cheated on his wife and family for 2 years or not? Facts are facts, no matter how ‘damaged’ the source.
        
        Tat Loo …
        
        28 October 2013 at 9:14 pm
        
        That ship sailed dude. The Right had a couple of days to make its point and get Len to resign, but it didn’t happen. Trying to win now on action replays isn’t going to work.
        
        David H …
        
        29 October 2013 at 10:25 am
        
        I’m still waiting for the plod’s to stir themselves awake at the mention of Blackmailing Len. But no they will just keep on pissing off motorists.
        
        One Anonymous Knucklehead …
        
        29 October 2013 at 1:51 pm
        
        Intrinsicvalue yes, and your obsession with such matters says something about you and Slater. Vorhangzucken.
  - chris73 12.1.2
    
    28 October 2013 at 2:24 pm
    
    You mean like Len Bowns spin doctors?
    - felix 12.1.2.1
      
      28 October 2013 at 2:50 pm
      
      Wouldn’t know about that. Does he even have “spin doctors”?
      
      Can’t imagine he really needs them tbh.
      - chris73 12.1.2.1.1
        
        28 October 2013 at 3:04 pm
        
        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11146405
        
        Len spent council time conducting the affair
        Len gave his mistress a reference
        Len used his position to get free motel rooms to conduct his affair
        
        Had an employee of the council done any of the above then they would have been fired
        
        Had a politician from the right done any of the above the Standard would be calling it corruption and calling for his resignation
        
        Yet most people on this site think Lens the victim so yeah his spin doctors (I’m sure he has a team) are doing a good job
        
        felix 12.1.2.1.1.1
        
        28 October 2013 at 4:17 pm
        
        Well blow me down, I had never heard of that guy and I’ve already forgotten his name. I guess that alone indicates that he’s better at his job than some attention seekers I could name who constantly make themselves the story.
        
        ____________
        
        “Council time” lol. I’ve asked you this before.
        
        Would it make any difference to you if he waited until 5.30 on friday to rub one out in the office?
        
        I don’t think it would, because senior politicians don’t clock off at 5.30. He’s the Mayor of the biggest city in NZ. All of his time is “council time”.
        
        I think you object to him having an affair but you’re scared to say it, so you’re inventing reasons like “on council time” as if that was the issue.
        
        —————
        
        “reference” Yeah that’s careless. You shouldn’t write references for people with whom you have unacknowledged connections. It’s a pity you lot got so excited about the Mayor’s penis and didn’t realise that the reference was the only thing worth reporting on.
        
        Probably too late now though, we’re telling the story and it’s all about Slater and Wewege and Lusk and Ede and Banks. Sorry.
        
        ————–
        
        “motel rooms” Bollocks.
        
        ————–
        
        “victim” Liar.
        
        chris73 …
        
        28 October 2013 at 10:49 pm
        
        “Would it make any difference to you if he waited until 5.30 on friday to rub one out in the office?”
        
        – I expect him to be held to the same standards as those below him, if someone else had done what he’d done they’d be gone (or at the very least a final warning)
        
        “I think you object to him having an affair but you’re scared to say it, so you’re inventing reasons like “on council time” as if that was the issue.”
        
        – As I said before its not the affair its how it was how he conducted it
        
        “motel rooms” Bollocks
        
        – No its not bollocks its someone using their position for financial gain/keeping it off the books but more importantly it leaves him open to speculation about his signing off on skycity…was the free rooms a payoff for him?
        
        Tat Loo (CV) …
        
        28 October 2013 at 11:01 pm
        
        – I expect him to be held to the same standards as those below him
        
        That’s really funny.
        
        felix …
        
        28 October 2013 at 11:01 pm
        
        That doesn’t address what I wrote at all.
        
        If you say it’s “how he conducted it” that counts, you need to describe how he could’ve conducted his sex life in a way that wouldn’t bother you.
        
        If you can’t, the obvious conclusion is that it’s the sex life that bothers you.
        
        I’m not talking about the motel stuff you made up/read on whaleoil. I’m talking about the “council hours” nonsense.
Ad 13

28 October 2013 at 2:01 pm

Good stuff mickey.

Still, polls are saying Labour needs to be more substantive to get public traction on a national level.

We are going into Conference week. No more sideshows.
Tracey 14

28 October 2013 at 2:04 pm

Well said felix
amirite 15

28 October 2013 at 2:27 pm

A bit rich from Hooters to tell Whaleoil off when he himself does not know when to shut the fuck up.
- Rhinocrates 15.1
  
  28 October 2013 at 2:32 pm
  
  They’re alike as two pees in a pot. One just likes to think that he’s subtle.
Tracey 16

28 October 2013 at 2:33 pm

Mr hooten

does Exeltium work for anyone associated with or a member of act party and/or colin craigs party?
- Matthew Hooton 16.1
  
  28 October 2013 at 3:01 pm
  
  No.
- Rhinocrates 16.2
  
  28 October 2013 at 3:18 pm
  
  There’s no point in asking questions of a liar, except to troll them. Nicky Hagar made it clear that even his own “friends” snigger at him behind his back and I think even now he doesn’t realise how many giggles he’s provoking
  
  … and I have to say, his avatar is perfect.
  
  Mister Hooton, are you in fact a reptoid from Zeta Reticuli?
  Are you a fan of Barry Manilow?
  What colour is a piece of string?
  What is the square root of zero?
  Crispy or crunchy?
  
  Hoots, we’re all playing with you. Haven’t you figured that out yet?
  - Rhinocrates 16.2.1
    
    28 October 2013 at 3:35 pm
    
    Redacted due to redundancy, some bugs in the system apparently.
- Rhinocrates 16.3
  
  28 October 2013 at 3:51 pm
  
  There’s no point in asking questions of a “person who is economical with the truth”, except to “noun for a creature that lives under a bridge used as a verb” them. Nicky Hagar made it clear that even his own “friends” snigger at him behind his back and I think even now he doesn’t realise how many giggles he’s provoking
  
  … and I have to say, his avatar is perfect.
  
  Mister Hooton, are you in fact a reptoid from Zeta Reticuli?
  Are you a fan of Barry Manilow?
  What colour is a piece of string?
  What is the square root of zero?
  Crispy or crunchy?
  
  Hoots, we’re all playing with you. Really, haven’t you figured that out yet?
  
  [Mickeysavage/lprent I previously sent this post with some key words, one starting with “l” and the other starting with “t” that triggered moderation – you can delete them obviously]
- felix 16.4
  
  28 October 2013 at 4:28 pm
  
  Tracey, you are never going to get a straight answer to a question with words like “associated with” and “work for”. What do they mean? What does Hooten think they mean?
  
  They’re innocuous enough phrases when dealing with an honest broker, but you’re not.
  - Rhinocrates 16.4.1
    
    28 October 2013 at 4:57 pm
    
    I think that Tracey just wants to see him, ah, um… “make statements that are not true” with a straight face just to confirm that he is someone incapable of telling the truth.
    
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8keZbZL2ero
    
    Hoots is actually quite funny – most of all because he takes himself so very seriously. There are few things funnier than him clinging to his “dignity”.
Tracey 17

28 October 2013 at 2:51 pm

First he was last to be rung about invading syria, now this….

http://m.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11147208
risildowgtn 18

28 October 2013 at 2:52 pm

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9295689/Labour-and-Greens-see-support-grow

Expect the infighting to spill over into the public arena with this

Happy Labour day everyone
BLiP 19

28 October 2013 at 2:55 pm

. . . This week things ~~went really strange~~ carried on as usual. Occasional commentator at the Standard Matthew Hooton ~~laid things out clearly for~~ helped out National Ltd™ by advertising Cameron Slater’s latest filth on NBR using the excuse that Slater should put up or shut up . . .

Ahh . . . that’s better. It was bugging me.
- mickysavage 19.1
  
  28 October 2013 at 5:56 pm
  
  Thanks BLiP. You don’t see the distancing exercise as significant? I agree that every time something happens from CT land we need to recheck it for level three and level four significance to try and work out what they are hoping to achieve but the distancing exercise appears to be significant.
Rich 20

28 October 2013 at 4:45 pm

I imagine that Slater’s Dad and his mates were not willing to fork out for the libel damages, which would probably be a great deal more than the $6k they had to find for his fines for breach of name suppression.
pollywog 21

28 October 2013 at 5:03 pm

Mr Hooton

Have you ever cracked on off in your office ?
Tracey 22

28 October 2013 at 7:39 pm

Rhinocrates

exactly.

that obfuscating the truth comes so easily to him reinforces the pity I feel for how he chooses to make his way in life. I read hollowmen.

I wonder what values he has imparted to his children?

Cos the right are adamant that parents are responsible for how their children turn out.

daddy I didnt lie, I was practising doing your job when I grow up.
- Rhinocrates 22.1
  
  28 October 2013 at 8:24 pm
  
  Yes, there is ultimately something rather sad about Hoots for all his appearance of smugness, since he’s so obviously defensive. Has that Audi/BMW/Generic Bourgemobile and Plasma TV really been worth it?
  
  Best wishes,
  
  –R
Intrinsicvalue 23

28 October 2013 at 9:05 pm

Here’s the thing. This is about Len Brown, not who blew the whistle. Our mayor has been cheating on his wife for two years. He proffered a reference to his lover without disclosing his conflict of interest. He has conducted his affair both within council buildings, and at hotels. He has brought the office of the mayor into disrepute, and has shown an appalling lack of judgement. To cap it all off, he is now AWOL. This is nothing to do with a right wing conspiracy, no matter how hard the left want it to be so. This is about a dishonest, philandering mayor, who should resign for the sake of his family and his city.
- Tat Loo 23.1
  
  28 October 2013 at 9:09 pm
  
  That ship sailed dude. Like 48 hours after the news came out. Where have you been?
- JLLJames 23.2
  
  28 October 2013 at 9:15 pm
  
  Too correct. But that wouldn’t make good reading for the great unwashed would it 😉
- McFlock 23.3
  
  28 October 2013 at 9:32 pm
  
  Just to clarify – you think that adultery and a possible conflict of interest (being investigated by the appropriate authorities) is a highly important issue for public consideration, but a national-aligned candidate with possible knowledge about what might actually be a criminal case of blackmail as part of an election campaign is totes “nothing to see here”, let alone seriously more important than an affair?
  
  fascinating.
  - JLLJames 23.3.1
    
    28 October 2013 at 9:35 pm
    
    actually she had a legal opinion which cleared her on that front.
    
    It reflects on ones judgement and integrity. If you lie to your family for two years, you probably don’t have any issues with lying on other things. Only a very ignorant person would believe that this is an isolated incident of his ethics being breached. Also lets not forget about the inappropriate expenses he claimed when he was mayor of Manukau city.
    - Tat Loo 23.3.1.1
      
      28 October 2013 at 9:41 pm
      
      So you want all public office holders who have had affairs to be hounded out of their jobs, right? Judges, CEOs, doctors, accountants, lawyers, police officers and engineers too, right?
      
      Because if they’ve had an affair, they simply cannot be trusted to tell the truth in their professional duties, right?
      - JLLJames 23.3.1.1.1
        
        28 October 2013 at 9:57 pm
        
        Pretty much. Your personal dealings are a reflection of your professional ones. Ethics, integrity, morals are characteristics lost in New Zealand these days.
        
        So i’m guessing you are comfortable with all members of the right wing having affairs, giving jobs to their friends, etc? And of course you won’t complain about it or demand their head?
        
        And the examples you gave are not people in elected positions, so it’s hardly an appropriate comparison. I bet if you found out John Banks had cheated on his wife you would demand his head without hesitation. Call me wrong.
        
        Tat Loo (CV) 23.3.1.1.1.1
        
        28 October 2013 at 10:00 pm
        
        I didn’t give a shit that Brash or Smith or any other right wing pollie had affairs (and there are many). Why should I, it’s their private lives.
        
        Pretty much. Your personal dealings are a reflection of your professional ones. Ethics, integrity, morals are characteristics lost in New Zealand these days.
        
        OK so how do you propose to enforce this throughout society, for both the public sector and the private sector?
        
        fender …
        
        29 October 2013 at 9:37 am
        
        Oh I know….
        
        Lie detector tests at every job interview or hey what shonKey likes….spy on everyone…yeah that’ll fix it…
        
        Watching …
        
        29 October 2013 at 11:41 am
        
        Tat Loo (CV)
        
        In a previous role I had two people working for me that had sex onsite at at city office building . As this was in in the context of consulting on a project at the client premises the outcome wasn’t that hard to enforce.
        
        It easy to comment on what is right/wrong regarding a person private live but when it comes into the professional work environment everything can & does change. The difference from writing about it is that in my case I had to make a set of decision – have you.
        
        McFlock 23.3.1.1.1.2
        
        28 October 2013 at 10:03 pm
        
        Who demanded rodney hide’s resignation? Other than his ex-wife, of course.
        
        You’re wrong.
        
        gobsmacked 23.3.1.1.1.3
        
        28 October 2013 at 10:31 pm
        
        I bet if you found out John Banks had cheated on his wife you would demand his head without hesitation. Call me wrong.
        
        Wrong, and easy to prove.
        
        Numerous elected reps of the Right have done this. Find posts calling for their heads. Here, or any source you you wish. Go on.
        
        You can’t, so yes, you’re wrong. And a fucking hypocrite. Unless YOU have called for their resignations. Have you?
        
        gobsmacked …
        
        28 October 2013 at 10:42 pm
        
        Come on Tartuffe, answer the question.
        
        Frank …
        
        28 October 2013 at 10:47 pm
        
        Banks has had to go and adopt kids.I would suggest he couldn’t get it up, let alone sustain a hard on or even know how to go about having an affair. he just ain’t that sort of fellow.
        
        vto …
        
        29 October 2013 at 10:12 am
        
        Banks is strange and getting stranger
    - gobsmacked 23.3.1.2
      
      28 October 2013 at 9:43 pm
      
      That’s why I asked you the question on the other thread (which you haven’t answered).
      
      Again …
      
      Do you believe that members of the government who have been unfaithful to their partners, should resign?
      
      If not, why not?
    - McFlock 23.3.1.3
      
      28 October 2013 at 9:46 pm
      
      Who the fuck is “her”? I’m talking about palino, who at best was completely ignorant of the absolute sleaze-merchants he had helping him on his campaign, and at worst (as a micromanager) knew about everything that was going on.
      
      But maybe I just prefer FDR to nixon on more than purely policy grounds.
Kevin 24

28 October 2013 at 9:08 pm

The inaugural meeting of Auckland Council’s governing body will take place at 6pm on Tuesday 29 October at the Auckland Town Hall.

The mayor and governing body members will be sworn into office at this time.

Tomorrow Len takes the oath of office for the Auckland Mayoralty, an open public event.

http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/newseventsculture/OurAuckland/News/Pages/inauguralmeetings.aspx

No doubt the media will be there in force as well as some of Len’s friends and supporters as well as his family. Let’s hope that the event will not be turned into a fiasco.
It will be interesting to observe Len’s enemies in the public gallery, they will be the one’s who look nauseated to the point of throwing up. Mathew will probably be one of them putting on a brave face and Cam will be to sick to attend. Luigi is incognito and John will be still hiding in his bolthole. Bevan will be busy getting treatment for carpet burns on her knees.
King Kong 25

29 October 2013 at 9:06 am

I enjoyed the irony when, Micky, who is well known to be intimately connected to the office of the leader of the Labour party, writes a blog post asking to have another blog investigated for connections to Parliamentary services and their resources.

Top stuff.

[lprent: I should point out that KK was almost certainly referring to a electorate office. However since he (I assume deliberately) didn’t make this clear. Micky might treat it with good humour, however I don’t. To me it is just another attack.

I am deliberately being ambiguous in not giving KK an duration for the ban he just collected for ambiguously attacking an author.

Try again later, to find out when the ban expires. ]
- vto 25.1
  
  29 October 2013 at 9:08 am
  
  weak kong.
  
  can you not see the glaring differences in the situations?
  
  you never say anything of substance
- mickysavage 25.2
  
  29 October 2013 at 9:11 am
  
  Kong I can put my hand on my heart and say that no parliamentary resources whatsoever were used in the creation of this post.
  
  I thought you would approve of this …
  - King Kong 25.2.1
    
    29 October 2013 at 9:22 am
    
    Micky, If you weren’t doing lord Dave’s bidding for for free, I would be disappointed.
    - mickysavage 25.2.1.1
      
      29 October 2013 at 9:56 am
      
      So let’s see if I understand this. You say that it is ironical that I say that the resourcing of a right wing blog should be investigated yet you accept that I do not receive parliamentary resources to blog …
      
      Talk about ironical …
      - King Kong 25.2.1.1.1
        
        29 October 2013 at 10:09 am
        
        I was talking about money. Information, predetermined attack lines and spin I am not so sure about. Maybe you should organise an enquiry.
Watching 26

29 October 2013 at 11:20 am

The links between the National Party and Slater’s site need further investigation and if rumours about direct involvement with the writing of posts are true then this would create a major risk for the party.

Slater site is a political base blog. I always assume that he has close links with the National staffers including MP’s, MP’s staff & National party people – so I not sure what the issue is.

I also suspect that certain political identities from the other side (Labour) have his telephone number. To run your political agenda you often get the negative stuff out via the other side.

I take this all into account when reading a political blog – don’t you.

Successful political blogs throughout the world have connections. Its the source of information otherwise the blog becomes nothing more than writing in a silo by looking at your naval.

On this site I assume that there are:
1. Authors and comment writers who are paid staff of political parties
2. Authors and comment writers who are members of a political parties
3. Authors and comment writers who don’t belong to a political party
4. Comment writers who are acting a part
5. Watchers from any of the above plus the media.

I read this blog but understand the currency of the views.

Whenever I read a piece on here, or in a another blog or in my own work on consulting documents I do have a couple of questions I ask myself (1) why are they saying that and (2) why are they positioning the answer/solution – often to their own question.
Former Red Man 27

29 October 2013 at 7:56 pm

I’m sorry…who had the affair again?

I’m sorry…was it WITH someone associated directly with the ACC or NOT with some directly associated with the ACC?

I’m sorry…was a big chunk of this affair conducted IN the council offices, or NOT in the council offices?

I’m sorry…did this come out to the voters BEFORE the elections, or AFTER the elections?

I’m sorry…has Len Brown EVER used a moral platform for his campaigning, or NEVER used a moral platform for his campaigning?

I’m sorry…why are we so keen to give this man a pass…??? Why were we so in rapture to see Nick Smith resign, but so keen to see Len Brown not?

No wonder the Right look at us with disdain. I feel disgust that we have not led the charge for proper accountability here.

And no, I’m not with the “Right”. The only party I have ever been a member of is Labour. Not anymore though.

This and the farce with the “Artwork” censorship shows how little we understand the majority of the people who live in this country. And I’m not talking about poll results.
- framu 27.1
  
  30 October 2013 at 9:30 am
  
  heres a fucking crazy idea
  
  one act doesnt excuse the other
  
  the affair is out in the open and possible abuses are being investigated – OK good, lets move on to the next issue
  
  one political team then manipulated the situation, coerced, blackmailed and threatened people in order to try and turn the result in their favour, have now been exposed and all the players have known ties to the party running the country
  
  one issue is between a man, his wife and a mistress. the other contains acts of criminality that could potentially affect roughly 1mil people, if not the entire country
  
  can you tell me which is more important?
  
  Can you separate the issues?
  - Rogue Trooper 27.1.1
    
    30 October 2013 at 2:59 pm
    
    😉