National’s unfortunate misstatement about its migrant petition

Written By: - Date published: 10:51 am, March 19th, 2019 - 76 comments
Categories: making shit up, Media, national, same old national, Simon Bridges, spin, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

Twitter is ablaze.  And it is events like this that make you think that National cannot buy a trick right now. Because it appears to have been caught out in what is euphemistically called a misspeak about when it took its odious anti UN Migration pact petition down from its website.

Duncan Grieve at the Spinoff reported this statement from National:

Another example of deletion widely supposed to be related to Friday’s attacks was the disappearance of the National Party page linking to a petition to stop the UN migration pact. A spokesperson for the National Party told The Spinoff that in fact those reports were incorrect. “As part of our normal web maintenance, pages on our website are routinely archived after the completion of a petition,” said the spokesperson. “This petition was started in December 2018 and was archived some weeks ago, well before any of the recent tragic events in Christchurch.”

The problem is that thanks to Google archives it has been shown that the petition was still live hours before the mass murder event and people saw it after the event occurred.

https://twitter.com/bentorkington/status/1107740206063603712
https://twitter.com/Publicwrongs/status/1107743288327495680

And now National is flailing around blaming a junior staffer.

Messy, messy, messy.  Serves them right for pandering such right wing nonsense about the petition in the first place.

Update:  things are getting worse …

76 comments on “National’s unfortunate misstatement about its migrant petition ”

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  1. Muttonbird 1
    19 March 2019 at 11:03 am

    Incredible. Every time Bridges opens his mouth an untruth comes out.

  2. Sacha 2
    19 March 2019 at 11:08 am

    We are not MPs in the house.
    Can call a lie a lie.

  3. marty mars 3
    19 March 2019 at 11:29 am

    The right wing running for cover but not because of shame or any responsibility – just hollow people scared of being caught out by their own bigotry.

  4. Wensleydale 4
    19 March 2019 at 11:31 am

    It’s nice to see that even in the face of overwhelming horror… National are still National. You have to admire their consistency.

  5. WILD KATIPO 5
    19 March 2019 at 11:49 am

    The party concerned has amnesia and deletion problems…

    Someone accusing you of knowing someone ?, deny then delete…

    Be it cellphone or govt computer…

    Got a problem of unwise policy petitions? …. deny then delete.

    Got a problem with important dates or knowing someone ?…develop instant amnesia.

    Then magically remember when the press or Police have left.

  6. Stuart Munro. 6
    19 March 2019 at 11:58 am

    National did nothing but lie for nine interminable years. The difference is that now they’re being shamed for it.

  7. Sanctuary 7
    19 March 2019 at 12:12 pm

    Gah. The bullshit that is “it was an error”. The worst of this is just how reflexive the lying is. How about being honest. How about saying “we deleted it immediately because we felt that now is no longer an appropriate time to be discussing this issue.”

    I mean, how hard is it to be at least a little self aware?

    • Liberal Realist 7.1
      19 March 2019 at 6:29 pm

      I mean, how hard is it to be at least a little self aware?

      When deceit is at the core of the party’s political identity I can imagine cognizance is quite a struggle.

  8. Brett 8
    19 March 2019 at 12:14 pm

    The google date and time of deletion is time based on GMT so the 15th march would be the 16th in NZ so it was removed after they shooting.

  9. ianmac 9
    19 March 2019 at 12:16 pm

    “Asked if that was the right decision (to delete), Bridges said: “Honestly, I don’t know”.

    About the usual level of decisive for dear old Simon?

  10. marty mars 10
    19 March 2019 at 12:31 pm

    I dont get this is bridges saying the petition shouldn’t have been deleted by the emotional junior staffer?

    • ianmac 10.1
      19 March 2019 at 2:09 pm

      I wonder too. Why an “emotional Staffer?” A sort of unbelievable distancing of a brave Leader?

      • Dukeofurl 10.1.1
        19 March 2019 at 6:00 pm

        perhaps a junior staffer became ’emotional ‘- upon finding the name of a ‘visitor from Australia’ on the names on the petition.

      • Stuart Munro. 10.1.2
        19 March 2019 at 7:10 pm

        Oh – that’ll be Natspeek for “a woman” mate.

    • Incognito 10.2
      19 March 2019 at 9:31 pm

      Indeed, it would take less than a minute to restore from a back-up if an emotional junior staffer had accidentally deleted it. If he had just said staffer instead of emotional junior staffer it would have come across more believable. Isn’t it a common mistake that liars make: to give way more detail than necessary?

  11. Anne 11
    19 March 2019 at 12:42 pm

    Chickens coming home to roost eh. Cynical, political posturing never pays off in the end.

    • Stuart Munro. 11.1
      19 March 2019 at 7:11 pm

      The National party “It’s like Nazi Germany with Chickens!” ~ First Dog on the Moon.

  12. Cinny 12
    19 March 2019 at 12:45 pm

    Let me get this correct… simon says…

    “an “emotional junior staffer” deleted a UN migration pact petition”

    I call bullshit, no way on earth would a ‘junior staffer’ have webmaster access to the national party website, no way.

    Does anyone work in a company that allows a junior staffer editing/deleting access to their website?

    I know both outfits that I work for wouldn’t.

    • SpaceMonkey 12.1
      19 March 2019 at 4:50 pm

      I call bullshit too but it’s not uncommon to allow individuals some admin access to upload and delete content. Much more practical than always having to have a webmaster do it.

      • Cinny 12.1.1
        19 March 2019 at 5:06 pm

        Absolutely agree with you Space Monkey, but a junior staffer… you and I both know that has to be bullshit.

  13. Sam 13
    19 March 2019 at 12:55 pm

    Just the motley crew doing as the motley crew has always done. Lie through there teeth.

  14. Peter 14
    19 March 2019 at 1:11 pm

    Is ‘unfortunate statement’ a euphemism for ‘bullshit?’

  15. Enough is Enough 15
    19 March 2019 at 2:25 pm

    “Serves them right for pandering such right wing nonsense…”

    That is 100% correct. But at this point in time, everyone who supports this government is pandering to a man who has made a career out of demonising Muslims and scare mongering about Isalmic terrorism.

    I feel very uncomfortable this coalition in light of traumatic week we have had. Jacinda is doing a fantastic job, but when the dust settles some serious conversation will need to be had with the Deputy Prime Minister,

    • left_forward 15.1
      20 March 2019 at 6:48 am

      When has Winston demonised Muslims?
      I didn’t see NZ First campaigning against the United Nations Migration Pact.

      You are drawing a long bow ‘snuff.

      • Enough is Enough 15.1.1
        20 March 2019 at 11:01 am

        Are you fucking serious?

        Winston Peters – Our Deputy Prime Minister:

        “In New Zealand the Muslim community have been quick to show us their more moderate face, but as some media reports have shown, there is a militant underbelly here as well.

        These two groups, the moderate and militant, fit hand and glove everywhere they exist.

        Underneath it all the agenda is to promote fundamentalist Islam.

        Indeed these groups are like the mythical Hydra – a serpent underbelly with multiple heads capable of striking at any time and in any direction.”

        http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0507/S00649.htm

      • Enough is Enough 15.1.2
        20 March 2019 at 11:05 am

        Are you fucking serious?

        Winston Peters – Our Deputy Prime Minister:

        Peters told Parliament there was a tendency to minimise terror attacks as the act of self-radicalised, lone wolves.

        “That needs to be completely re-thought in the West…we must ask, ‘how could people plan such terrible deeds but leave their friends, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and spouses completely in the dark?’ Inevitably we will be told that the wider community knew nothing, and neither did friends or family,” Peters said.

        “What is happening is that family, friends and confidants are choosing to turn the other cheek, are choosing silence, rather than to turn these monsters in. That may be the culture of Damascus, but it is not ours. It may be acceptable in Tripoli, but it most certainly is not acceptable in New Zealand.”

        Peters said the “Islamic community” needed to “clean house” by “turning these monsters in”.

        https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/winston-peters-islamic-communities-must-clean-house/

      • Enough is Enough 15.1.3
        20 March 2019 at 11:09 am

        Are you fucking serious?

        Winston Peters – Our Deputy Prime Minister:

        Katie Bradford: That sounds like you are targeting certain religions anyway. I mean, what are you saying there?

        Winston Peters: With the greatest respect, I have been to a lot of Muslim countries. I’ve been to Turkey. You couldn’t have the same view about how the Turkish think, whereas other countries, there are some serious reasons why we wouldn’t take those people. And the number-one one is their attitude towards women as just property, as cattle. Now, if we want that sort of society, then I think we’d be mad.

        https://yournz.org/2016/06/06/winston-peters-dirty-on-immigration/

        • left_forward 15.1.3.1
          20 March 2019 at 4:10 pm

          Sheesh – a little over the top – It seems that you have misunderstood my questions for a statement.

          I asked to try to understand how you came to this view. Whether I am ‘fuckin’ serious or not is irrelevant.

          Thanks for somewhat answering my first question – The 2005 comment is close to demonising I guess, but it is now 2019.

          …did you find out whether NZF opposes the UN migration PACT?

          • Enough is Enough 15.1.3.1.1
            20 March 2019 at 4:53 pm

            The UN Migration pact?

            How is that in anyway connected with the racist rants of Winston Peters?

            Winston Peters 25 years on expressly and implicitly claiming that all Muslims are responsible for the actions of Islamic Extremists is outrageous and at no time has he ever retracted those statements. It would be disingenuous if he did try to back peddle as a result of last week’s tragedy.

            The opposition to the UN Migration pact was based on the belief that migration policy should not be governed through a United Nations framework.

            • left_forward 15.1.3.1.1.1
              21 March 2019 at 8:01 am

              That is for you to explain – it was you who changed the subject by ranting about Winston. That’s why I am pressing you – to tell us why you did that.

          • Enough is Enough 15.1.3.1.2
            20 March 2019 at 6:34 pm

            Over the top?

            I am not sure how anyone who has observed New Zealand politics over 25 years can conclude that Winston is anything other than protagonist of hate against Muslims. That is my firm opinion. The quotes above were the first three that came up on google. I could add more.

            You are trying to compare Winston’s decades long campaign against the Muslims, to the opposition to the UN Migration pact. That opposition is based on the belief that migration policy should be set by the New Zealand Parliament and not governed through a United Nations framework.

            How you can compare the two and claim I am bit over the top is baffling.

            • left_forward 15.1.3.1.2.1
              20 March 2019 at 7:02 pm

              Do you support the belief that migration policy should be set by the New Zealand Parliament and not governed through a United Nations framework?

            • left_forward 15.1.3.1.2.2
              21 March 2019 at 8:07 am

              Are you trying to defend the Gnats petition?

  16. marty mars 16
    19 March 2019 at 2:34 pm

    “And when confronted with the idea that the National Party hadn’t been honest about why the petition was removed, Bridges said: “I don’t consider that a lie at all – I think if you say that, that’s very wrong.” ”

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/03/simon-bridges-backtracks-on-why-un-migration-pact-petition-removed-from-national-s-website.amp.html

    No Simon it is very right in all connotations of right.

  17. Michael who failed Civics 17
    19 March 2019 at 3:49 pm

    The Nats are a bunch of alt-right arseholes who facilitated last Friday’s atrocity by spewing out their particular brand of hate and poison over the years. So are the NZ First lot and some of the Labour lot. Clean them out of our public life.

    • Liberal Realist 17.1
      19 March 2019 at 6:54 pm

      I wouldn’t classify National as ‘alt-right’, more as a gaggle of arrogant and infantile tories binded loosely by their own selfish interests and a whiff of power.

    • SHG 17.2
      19 March 2019 at 7:11 pm

      One of the biggest problems the Left has, IMHO, is its instinctive desire to demonise all who aren’t part of it. If you aren’t fully behind the leftie position in question, whatever it is at that moment, you are an evil person literally worse than Hitler and you should be unpersoned immediately. No nuance, no shades of grey, just with-us-or-against-us.

      • WeTheBleeple 17.2.1
        19 March 2019 at 7:31 pm

        “you are an evil person literally worse than Hitler”

        Sorry to hear that. Have you considered therapy?

        Have you been following the narrative you came to find here that matches the narrative in your head?

        • SHG 17.2.1.1
          19 March 2019 at 7:43 pm

          I’m sorry if my opinion does violence to you, do you need a safe space?

          • Muttonbird 17.2.1.1.1
            19 March 2019 at 7:47 pm

            I remember Jonkey claiming that Labour was on the side of murderers and rapists. That’s about as black and white as is possible.

            Is that the kind of behaviour you are talking about?

            • Skunk Weed 17.2.1.1.1.1
              19 March 2019 at 9:44 pm

              Key was not particuliary smart but 54% of New Zealanders loved him, especially the rags to riches story.

          • SPC 17.2.1.1.2
            20 March 2019 at 12:00 am

            Too soon for the pitiless mockery of the other (whether by race, class, residential status, or rival political creed … lack of greed… ).

            But it does speak to the way, the right wing media audience has been trained like parrots to utter such put downs of those on the left for standing by those who are hated.

            And no one on the left conflates speech with violence, it is a connection of incitement to hate with the subsequent violence.

            I’ll leave analysis of why you have turned up today to provoke those on the left to another time.

            • SHG 17.2.1.1.2.1
              20 March 2019 at 12:26 am

              And no one on the left conflates speech with violence

              Pssst you’re giving away your rightist tendencies

      • Upapua 17.2.2
        19 March 2019 at 9:25 pm

        Against the commons, you mean?

      • Sabine 17.2.3
        19 March 2019 at 9:47 pm

        you should add some citations to support your argument.

        really. you should.

        • SHG 17.2.3.1
          19 March 2019 at 11:16 pm

          you should add some citations to support your argument.

          really. you should.

          “Is that really your opinion?”

          me: “yes”

          “QED”

      • lprent 17.2.4
        19 March 2019 at 10:22 pm

        It is what I refer to as the silo mentality. It is a noisy minority on the left and their equivalents on the right.

        Personally, I regard as being a religious faith based mentality, and often wish that they would just learn to do their self-flagellation in private.

        But I also like mixing those on the left up together. Thye act like goats with horns and an attitude that makes them butt heads over things that few others can comprehend or want to.

        While the lefties ones often act as small herds, they always fail to baa in unison like much large flocks of sheep as their equivalents on the right always do. Of course those on the right mostly baa in unison talking loudly of their hearty individualism while denigrating anyone who is different in behaviour to their testosterone laden herd.

        Frankly the ones of left are far more interesting as they do tend produce some interesting ideas whilst squabbling.

        I like trying (vainly) to provide them with some protective fencing and an even chance to produce new ideas from their head butting.

        • SHG 17.2.4.1
          19 March 2019 at 11:18 pm

          Generalisation: the Right is better at demonstrating unity even when its chosen position is wrong. The Left is better at internal conflict, even when one of the positions being attacked is correct.

          • WILD KATIPO 17.2.4.1.1
            20 March 2019 at 8:31 am

            One could say that without hearty debate there are no checks and balances.No questioning.

            Inasmuch as though it may seem to be the height of pandemonium and bitchiness, – it is also vaguely reminiscent of the Grecian forums and their philosophers.And that is the true democratic forum.

            When debate is censored or curtailed through overbearing and excessive monitoring [ despite their being no infringements of the basic core values of decency] , that is when autocratic and even fascist values succeed.

            None of us want that.

            I’ll leave you with a song and video that really struck some peculiar inner chord with me as a child.

            Demis Roussos (Aphrodite’s Child) – My Friend The Wind 1973 Video …

          • lprent 17.2.4.1.2
            20 March 2019 at 4:14 pm

            Generalization yes. One earned through a lot of skeptical observation..

            The hard left is hilarious when they profess unity, while mostly exhibiting rampant individualism.

            The hard right are just dull as they profess individualism and free spirits, while mostly running around in a comforting herd.

        • patricia bremner 17.2.4.2
          20 March 2019 at 12:28 am

          I laughed out loud Iprent. I needed that. Witty and true .

  18. peterlepaysan 18
    19 March 2019 at 7:58 pm

    The natzis only represent big business, who have the dosh to fund the party (actually a lobby group) promoting wealth health and good times for the already well padded managers bonuses and the almighty shareholder’s returns.

    Power is the only thing that matters to them.

    Truth honesty and moral rectititude? Forget it!

    As Gordon Gecko said “greed is good”. He left out the bit about “and damn the consequences,”

    It is long overdue that our so called “business leaders” grew up and realised that they share a planet with finite resources.

    Where is truth in all of this? Raped and prostituted by assorte “spin doctors”.

    It will not happen in my life time but a revolution will happen

  19. outofbed 19
    19 March 2019 at 8:02 pm

    I would have thought the” junior staffer” would have taken the petition down after James was attacked.

  20. AHG 20
    19 March 2019 at 8:07 pm

    Think Hosking will interview Simple tomorrow

  21. Robert Guyton 21
    19 March 2019 at 9:37 pm

    * echo

  22. patricia bremner 22
    20 March 2019 at 12:33 am

    Robert, rather a case of “anybody home?”

  23. Kevin 23
    20 March 2019 at 9:08 am

    “Simon Bridges says a junior staffer who was emotional deleted the petition on Friday night but he only learnt this this morning. Earlier he had the understanding it was cleared weeks ago.

    —

    Is Bridges briefed every time a page is updated on their website?

  24. SPC 24
    20 March 2019 at 1:54 pm

    Elliot Ikilei deputy leader of the New Conservative Party (possibly someone who deserves David Moffat as his boss) is making the case that the (alleged) murderer is not really a white racist nationalist, but just some nihilist taking the piss. And the real threat is the left and the media …

    Its all on Whaleoil, on a You Tube video there.

    Discussing the UN migration Compact, he says it has a veneer of niceness but is ruthless imposition to replace sovereignty with a foreign ideology.

    I still hold that the best way to demonstrate that signing the Compact does not reduce our sovereignty is to deport David Moffet.

    Stephen Berry (ACT electorate candidate in the 2018 by election) also opposing the UN Compact

  25. JustMe 25
    21 March 2019 at 7:59 pm

    How many times have we heard of National MPs blaming everyone else but themselves for mistakes and incidents?

    Their(National’s)amazing ability to not take responsibility for THEIR actions is really incredible and at the same time disgusting.

    Instead one National MP blamed a painter for him(the painter)leaving paint thinner in a container in the bathroom for that particular MP(and remember this MP took a bunch of journalists to a traffic roundabout to show them a potential housing estate)to swill. And so a painter(a nameless person and NZ worker)got blamed by a National MP. Way to go National and Nick Smith.

    Gerry Brownlee resorted to workplace bullying when he charged his way through an airport security door and told the NZ worker that “Sorry but we are running late for a plane…” That when the truth came out was not true. Brownlee was just bullying his way because he thought he is more superior and ordinary New Zealand Workers.

    Aaron Gilmore in the short time he was a National MP bullied a restaurant worker with the words “Don’t you know who I am?” I think if anyone said that to me I would respond with saying to others “There is a guy here who doesn’t know who he is. If anyone can help him then please help him indeed”.

    And now we have yet more confirmation of the disdain National have to even their very office staff by laying a lie that a online petition was deleted by an emotional office junior due to the Mosque attacks when in fact the petition was deleted/archived weeks before.

    Come on National. If you resort to lies then you should know by now the truth will catch up with you in due course.

    So in order to retain some albeit remote sense of credibility please stop the lies because the blanket of lies will rest upon you more so than ever before.

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