Nats default to bully mode over Barclay scandal

Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, July 17th, 2017 - 26 comments
Categories: Abuse of power, accountability, bill english, Dirty Politics, journalism, national, useless - Tags: , , , , , ,

National has a long history, of bullying, intimidation and dirty politics. And they’re at it again:

What’s behind the strange goings on in Southland?

There is a sinister side to the fake news phenomenon. And it was never going to be long before those in power exploited it.

Shooting the messenger has become a means to an end in itself – when trust in the media is at an all-time low, anything goes.

And anything goes is certainly how you would describe the extraordinary goings on in Southland this week after a local reporter, Rachael Kelly, tried to find out what local MP Todd Barclay had been up to since disappearing from public life last month.

Kelly and a local cameraman have been accused of intimidating and threatening behaviour, even of being physically aggressive.

And the allegations were made at the highest levels, from the Prime Minister’s office and Parliamentary Service.

Problem is, it’s not true. A video shows what actually happened. … Kelly and her cameraman were in Barclay’s office barely more than a minute. After being told Barclay was not at work, and checking he hadn’t been there that week, the reporter said thank you and she and the cameraman left. Watch it for yourself, at the top of this story, if you like. …

Not the first time that Nat allegations have been proved to be lies by video evidence.

https://twitter.com/mcquillanator/status/885977705614909444

Meanwhile the chorus of protest over Todd Barclay’s taxpayer funded disappearing act keeps growing louder and louder. No doubt Bill English will show firm and decisive leadership on the matter soon. Any day now. When you’re ready Bill…

Heat on missing-in-action National MP Todd Barclay to quit and front up to police inquiry
National’s handling of Todd Barclay matter ‘rotten’ says Winston Peters
Call for Barclay to return to Parliament
Why the Prime Minister is caught in a bind over missing MP Todd Barclay


https://twitter.com/echelontrigger/status/886339280062132224

26 comments on “Nats default to bully mode over Barclay scandal ”

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  1. dukeofurl 1
    17 July 2017 at 7:22 am

    Its obvious from the whips going down there, they are to try and talk him back to Wellington.
    Lost cause !

    Remember how Shipley and Co used to hide Alamein Kopu in the cupboards of the Beehive so she didnt have to meet the press in the normal offices of parliament.

  2. gsays 2
    17 July 2017 at 8:15 am

    To call it a gift that goes on giving ain’t right.
    We are paying for it.

    There are so many aspects to this that stinks.
    A stuff report that says honest Bill was in phone and text contact up to 10 times a day with his good friend Glenys leading up to the proverbial hitting the fan.
    What is still unknown is why all this effort for a dweeb like debarclay?

    As has been pointed out elsewhere, a fish rots from the head first.

  3. Irascible 3
    17 July 2017 at 8:16 am

    I doubt the whips are trying to urge young Todd to return to work. They’re probably there to discover more excuses and how and where to disguise his absence. The Whips are running scared of further revelations that will undermine the National party’s quest to hold on to power.

  4. ianmac 4
    17 July 2017 at 8:53 am

    The Whip says with great confidence, that dear old Todd is continuing with his electorate work. He is helping heaps of people we hear. So it must be true.
    Prove that he is not working? Can’t really any more than we can any MP.

    • dukeofurl 4.1
      17 July 2017 at 9:11 am

      Yes its a total fabrication. Electorate work means going to one of his 3 electorate office, including the one not to far from his home in Arrowtown-
      he seems to have been seen in the pub at Queenstown but not his office around the corner

  5. peterh 5
    17 July 2017 at 8:56 am

    This is not about Barclay, it is all about honest Bill he is in it donkey deep and they all know any more heat and Bill will stuff up again

    • tc 5.1
      17 July 2017 at 9:42 am

      Of which there should be a withering level of heat.

      This is classic national party hypocrisy. An issue shonky swept under a taxpayer funded carpet when toddy broke the same law he used to get police to raid media outlets for teapot tapes.

      Cue the usual bullying as expected, go hard for a change media as youve let yourself down over the last few decades

  6. Gabby 6
    17 July 2017 at 9:07 am

    It’s puzzling that the individual in the pm’s office who alleged press misbehaviour has remained unnamed. I for one would like to know. I’m sure Weaselton would be frank and transparent, so it can’t be him.

  7. katipo 7
    17 July 2017 at 10:30 am

    The entire Barclay debacle is a sad example of Justice delayed being justice denied, not only for the complainant but also the NZ public. It’s sucking the oxygen out of the important issues the media should be focusing on pre-election.

    • JanM 7.1
      17 July 2017 at 11:37 am

      Actually, hidden workplace bullying, which is rife in this country, is an important issue, especially when you align it with mental health, security of job tenure and business ethics

      • Katipo 7.1.1
        17 July 2017 at 8:32 pm

        Agreed it’s an important issue just wish the investigation would get more of a wiggle on. It would suck if we are none the wiser and Barclay is still dominating the headlines all the way until the election.

  8. mary_a 8
    17 July 2017 at 10:55 am

    Perhaps deBarclay has set up an office at the pub he’s seen frequenting in Queenstown often and we have mistaken work for socialising!

  9. mary_a 9
    17 July 2017 at 2:55 pm

    How’s the police investigation coming along here? Has the boy wonder himself been interviewed yet?

    Just asking …

    • tc 9.1
      17 July 2017 at 3:36 pm

      This is nationals police force your talking about here.

      Par for the course will be nothing till after the election when it’ll be harsh words, wet bus tickets and diversion at most.

      Refer treatment the oily orca and other enablers receive as a guide.

  10. adam 10
    17 July 2017 at 3:33 pm

    Funny the right get worked up into a lather over a few hundred dollars that Turei may have cost.

    BUT – if it’s almost a $100,000 or more. Not a bloody peep.

    The hypocrisy would be sickening, except it business as usual for the right in this country. And quite frankly it’s the new normal. If some right-winger isn’t ripping off the tax payers for hundreds of thousands of dollars, then ranting like the sky has fallen over a few hundred if a left winger did it.

    Then I’d be totally confused.

    Oh the deathly quite from our resident trolls.

  11. Cinny 11
    17 July 2017 at 4:01 pm

    Maybe the National Party Thesaurus of Propaganda has been consulted…there might be a ‘tips’ section at the back of the book… let’s have a look…

    Media finding out and disclosing the truth about something you want buried…

    Do a Muldoon… hic.. hic, exercise media control by being a bully, delude, distract and run the person asking the questions into the ground.

    Ban certain media from any press conferences or simply refuse to do interviews. Useful phrases include.. I’ve nothing more to add….I can’t quite recall….. no comment

    Make sure any interviewers supply a list of questions and stick to them, if they try to ask a question not on the list then either bully them into submission or start asking the interviewer questions rather than providing answers.

    *Don’t forget to release some kind of big announcement to distract from the issue that you are trying to bury.

    *Don’t forget to have a few brandies, but not too many, schnappe elections don’t always work out.

    For inspiration please click on the attached link, short of time… view from 11 mins in 😀
    https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/tonight-muldoon-interview-1976

    Lolololz (sarc as)

  12. weka 12
    17 July 2017 at 4:35 pm

    Come on people, give the poor lad a break, at least he’s been trying,

    David Slack‏ @DavidSlack 41m41 minutes ago

    People all over Clutha-Southland coming home to find their laundry washed and folded, and a carton of Rothmans on the kitchen table.

    • rhinocrates 12.1
      17 July 2017 at 6:10 pm

      Ah yes, just a reminder that as a tobacco company lobbyist, he thinks that not enough people have cancer.

  13. Cemetery Jones 13
    17 July 2017 at 6:07 pm

    I know it’s not a seat Labour could take, but stand a decent NZF candidate and let nature take its course…

  14. RedBaronCv 14
    17 July 2017 at 8:40 pm

    Bet he remains until parliament goes into recess & then I can imagine him being dumped.

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