Some random impertinent questions about Todd Barclay’s problems

Written By: - Date published: 2:30 pm, June 20th, 2017 - 146 comments
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This story is unravelling really quickly.  After previously refusing to comment on the contents of his police statement Bill English has now said that Todd Barclay admitted to him that he (Barclay) had taped his staff.  Good luck to Barclay in resolving that clearly contradictory statement.

In fact it sounds like Barclay caused English to listen to it. From Newsroom:

Dickson’s un-redacted police statement obtained by Newsroom reveals English told her Barclay had “recorded conversations” of her discussing Barclay. “Bill apparently told Todd he didn’t want to listen to this rubbish.”

So:

  1. Did English listen to the tape?
  2. Why didn’t the police obtain a search warrant to get the tape?
  3. Why didn’t the police proceed with a prosecution using English as a witness?
  4. Who was the National Board member who told Mrs Dickson that if she didn’t withdraw the police complaint she could potentially take down the National Party?
  5. Has the police investigated the board member’s behaviour?  Andrew Geddis thinks there may be legal implications.

As I type this I am listening to Parliament.  English sounds sick.

Update:  Aaaannd here is a page of English’s statement.  It was apparently released by his office at 2 pm just as Question time started.

The full statement can be accessed here. So it appears that English did not listen to the tape. I have read longer statements in shoplifting cases. The briefness of the statement suggests a very underwhelming intent to get to the truth.

Update2:  Barclay has called a press conference at 5:50 pm.  He may be going …

Update3:  No he apologised for giving “misleading statements” and then left without answering any questions …

146 comments on “Some random impertinent questions about Todd Barclay’s problems ”

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  1. Kevin 1
    20 June 2017 at 2:53 pm

    Most likely a bus waiting with Todd Barclay’s name on it…

    • weka 1.1
      20 June 2017 at 3:15 pm

      Pretty much. In this piece this morning he looks like a possum in the headlights,

      https://t.co/DQJiye27Dg

      In that Barclay is basically saying the Prime Minister and leader of his party is a liar. He’s either really stupid, or at this point he’s conceding his political career and is just trying to save enough to have a job somewhere else later, or even just trying to stay out of jail.

    • Rae 1.2
      20 June 2017 at 10:57 pm

      Will the ticket be for under or on the bus?

  2. Andre 2
    20 June 2017 at 2:54 pm

    A standard tactic would be an assault on Dickson’s credibility so that English could maintain plausible deniability. Will he do that to his long-serving electorate employee?

    • dukeofurl 2.1
      20 June 2017 at 3:00 pm

      English has now admitted in the house that Barclay had told him he had recordings.

      There will be a quick change of Southland electorate selection coming up. Barclay will be gone by the end of the week I reckon.

      • marty mars 2.1.1
        20 June 2017 at 4:31 pm

        And English said earlier he couldn’t recall who told him? If so direct lie.

      • Anne 2.1.2
        20 June 2017 at 6:18 pm

        English has now admitted in the house that Barclay had told him he had recordings.

        That is the MO of a sociopath. Tell someone who may end up being affected what you have done and you instantly compromise them. They have to keep quiet for what is perceived to be “the greater good”. I’m not defending English as such, but he may turn out to be as much a victim as Glenys Dickson.

        Sociopaths are bullies and when finding themselves in a position of power, they will harass and intimidate people as much out of enjoyment as anything else.

        • Rae 2.1.2.1
          20 June 2017 at 10:58 pm

          I guess that is a better way to say he is an entitled, arrogant, baby faced PoS, but I think my description sounds better

        • RedLogix 2.1.2.2
          20 June 2017 at 11:08 pm

          @Anne

          The clue is possibly here:

          Barclay has remained magically calm throughout all of these dramas. He never lost his cool. Never seemed upset. Never angry, bitter or twisted. Always ready to share a beer, have a chat. Do a quick interview. Smile for the camera. I’m not sure if that is odd or to be admired.

          Is being so calm, cool and collected in the middle of such massive trauma the sign of a good, natural, tough politician? Or the sign of someone who has a constitution that somehow can handle things that would keep most us awake, in a cold sweat, all night, all week?

          https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/20-06-2017/who-the-hell-is-todd-barclay/

          http://quantum-healing-hypnosis.com/understanding-the-psychopathic-personality/

          • Anne 2.1.2.2.1
            21 June 2017 at 9:03 am

            In other words he is a sociopath. 😉

            A few signs of sociopathy that seem to fit the Todd Barclay profile:

            #1) Sociopaths are charming. Sociopaths have high charisma and tend to attract a following just because people want to be around them. They have a “glow” about them that attracts people…

            #2) Sociopaths are more spontaneous and intense than other people. They tend to do bizarre, sometimes erratic things that most regular people wouldn’t do.

            #3) Sociopaths are incapable of feeling shame, guilt or remorse. Their brains simply lack the circuitry to process such emotions. This allows them to betray people, threaten people or harm people without giving it a second thought. They pursue any action that serves their own self interest even if it seriously harms others.

            http://www.naturalnews.com/036112_sociopaths_cults_influence.html

            Perhaps that’s why Todd Barclay has remained so calm, cool and collected. He feels nothing – no pain, no remorse and above all no empathy for his victims.

            • RedLogix 2.1.2.2.1.1
              21 June 2017 at 9:16 am

              #4) Creates a trail of emotional and professional devastation where ever they go.

              Gwyn Dickson may well be add to that proposition.

  3. dukeofurl 3
    20 June 2017 at 2:58 pm

    my my , how standards have dropped.
    When Richard Prebble, leader of ACT at the time found out that Donna Awatere wasnt cooperating with Police, she was booted from caucus right away.

    And she took them to court – famously ACT used the waka jumping legislation they had voted against to get her seat declared vacant

    http://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/cases/richard-prebble-and-ken-shirley-v-donna-awatere-huata-1/@@images/fileDecision

    • Psycho Milt 3.1
      20 June 2017 at 3:04 pm

      For all Rodney Hyde’s many and varied faults, the hubris of imagining himself a born-to-rule Tory isn’t one of them. Which is of course one reason National wasn’t the party for him.

  4. dukeofurl 4
    20 June 2017 at 3:13 pm

    Compelling point raised by Audrey Young in Herald

    “What we now also know about the OIA papers released by the police was that they were missing two vital pieces of information: a statement made to them by Bill English about the recording and the text messages between English and Davie.

    Quite why those pieces of information were missing is yet to be explained by the police.

    If the police want to avoid assumptions that they have withheld information that would be damaging to their political masters, they should release English’s statement forthwith.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11879518

    The mess has widened, to include the police handling the OIA release- likely this went through the Minister of Polices’ office- Paula are you free for an interview ?

    • the pigman 4.1
      20 June 2017 at 11:41 pm

      I hope there is a complaint to the Ombudsman about the redactions to the OIA request.

      Peter Boshier is currently kicking ass and taking names in that role.

  5. Keith 5
    20 June 2017 at 3:15 pm

    Why did the tax payer have to pay off the staff/victims of Barclays illegal recordings to save the National Party from this scandal?

    Yet another abuse of taxpayers money by the National Party.

    And is it not awfully revealing how these crooks quietly make things go away?

    • gsays 5.1
      20 June 2017 at 4:31 pm

      “Why did the tax payer have to pay off the staff/victims of Barclays illegal recordings to save the National Party from this scandal?”

      ironically, being the great deal makers they are, they paid and haven’t been saved from a scandal.

    • Draco T Bastard 5.2
      20 June 2017 at 4:40 pm

      Why did the tax payer have to pay off the staff/victims of Barclays illegal recordings to save the National Party from this scandal?

      Now that is damned good question.

  6. One Anonymous Bloke 6
    20 June 2017 at 3:18 pm

    We know why English obstructed justice:

    there was an [implication] that if National didn’t have Barclay in Parliament they were one short to pass legislation…

    The timing is interesting. The feeding frenzy will happen in time for the election, but not before National has done its masters’ bidding in the House.

  7. weka 7
    20 June 2017 at 3:21 pm

    Anyone done the numbers on what will happen to the govt if Barclay resigns as an MP?

    edit, snap OAB above.

    • Andre 7.1
      20 June 2017 at 3:25 pm

      The Nats will need the Maori Party plus either Rimmer or the hair to pass legislation. Or any of Labour, NZ1st or Greens. So they would still have confidence and supply to be able to limp through to the election.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 7.2
      20 June 2017 at 3:28 pm

      I think we should get behind poor Toddy: he’s been royally shafted by the National Party. He confessed his crimes to English who then involved him in a sleazy cover-up lasting almost three years.

      Had Double Dipton acted with integrity from the start, there would have been a by-election two years ago. Barclay would by now be on parole and rebuilding his life.

      Yay for personal responsibility 🙄

    • RedLogix 7.3
      20 June 2017 at 3:37 pm

      First up English categorically denies knowing about the tapes, then cannot remember who told him, now when faced with incontrovertible evidence admits he knew. All within the space of hours.

      This was a straightforward matter in which English had every reason to be upfront and honest right from the outset. Barclay’s issues are a simple case of fucked up; the correct response was to acknowledge the problem and cauterise it.

      But English openly lied. Why? He’s a very experienced politician and not an especially venal one either, so either there is more dirt underlying this story yet to come out, or English reflexively tried to cover up because he though the could get away with it.

      Either way it’s credibility shot; game over. What does it take to get a PM to resign these days?

      • Carolyn_nth 7.3.1
        20 June 2017 at 3:40 pm

        This was a straightforward matter in which English had every reason to be upfront and honest right from the outset.

        Bling wasn’t PM at the outset.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 7.3.1.1
          20 June 2017 at 3:46 pm

          Integrity. The only times it gets tested is when it’s difficult.

        • Draco T Bastard 7.3.1.2
          20 June 2017 at 4:44 pm

          So?

          he still had a duty as a part of this society to bring the correct charges to bear – not hide them. As he was also a member of the ruling government he had an even greater duty to do so.

          The fact that he didn’t should have him in jail.

      • weka 7.3.2
        20 June 2017 at 3:40 pm

        Newsroom said there was more coming out this afternoon. Has that happened yet? (I’ve lost track of the timeline).

        • Carolyn_nth 7.3.2.1
          20 June 2017 at 3:55 pm

          From RNZ in the last 10 minutes – don’t know if it’s been reported anywhere earlier.

          Earlier today, Mr English told reporters that conversation was based on second-hand information and said he would not release his statement to the police who investigated Mr Barclay last year.

          But this afternoon he has released that statement and told reporters it was up to Mr Barclay to account for his statement.

          “I’m telling you what my statement was, and the statement I made was to the police, who then had the opportunity to investigate all aspects of the allegations.”

          In his statement to police in April 2016, Mr English said he had spoken to Mr Barclay about the recording.

          “I had a conversation with him regarding Glenys Dickson leaving his office and he said to me that he had recordings of her criticising him.

          “He said he had just left the dictaphone on.”

          Mr English told the police he never heard the recordings and did not know whether Mr Barclay was present when they were made.

          It is illegal for anybody to intentionally record private communications which they are not a part of.

          Mr Barclay said earlier this year he had declined to be interviewed by police over the claims.

          Police said they closed the case as they had insufficient evidence to prosecute Mr Barclay.”

          • weka 7.3.2.1.1
            20 June 2017 at 4:37 pm

            Ok that’s not looking good for Barclay

            • One Anonymous Bloke 7.3.2.1.1.1
              20 June 2017 at 5:00 pm

              It’s a slow-moving bus.

              Sure, Barclay has to go under it, but he has had the best part of three years to plan for his post-Parliamentary future.

              Can you think of something about Barclay that’s ever looked “good”? His hair?

              • McFlock …
                20 June 2017 at 5:06 pm

                Well, he did look like the going was going to be good, thirty-odd years in a nat sinecure followed by a knighthood and some not-very-onerous corporate directorships.

                But now his paranoia seems to have jeapordised that little plan.

                • One Anonymous Bloke …
                  20 June 2017 at 5:19 pm

                  His paranoia, his criminal behaviour, and the National Party’s approach to personal responsibility.

                  Let’s be charitable, and imagine that Barclay is an honourable man. Realising his gross error, he confides in English, and here we are.

                  Yeah nah: they’re both unethical trash.

                  • weka …
                    20 June 2017 at 5:47 pm

                    I’m not in any way thinking Barclay is honourable. Everything he’s done that’s been made visible speaks to him being a FJK jnr.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      20 June 2017 at 6:02 pm

                      Barclay is the product/victim of his environment, one of centrist privilege: reckless criminal behaviour is hardly unexpected given the circumstances.

        • Cinny 7.3.2.2
          20 June 2017 at 4:10 pm

          I did hear that Gower will be on Radio Live after 5pm talking about it.

          “It is illegal for anybody to intentionally record private communications which they are not a part of.” no doubt Barclay will be saying he did it unintentionally, after all he is ex big tobacco and would have learned all about loop holes, wording and weaseling

          • mpledger 7.3.2.2.1
            21 June 2017 at 10:56 am

            It’s pretty hard to believe it’s unintentional when he was in a dispute with the women he was recording.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 7.3.3
        20 June 2017 at 3:42 pm

        Charge the lot of them with obstruction of justice. Let the courts sort them out.

      • Draco T Bastard 7.3.4
        20 June 2017 at 4:43 pm

        Either way it’s credibility shot; game over. What does it take to get a PM to resign these days?

        Yep, was just thinking that it shouldn’t be just Barclay going to the docks.

      • Bearded Git 7.3.5
        20 June 2017 at 6:05 pm

        agreed Red…this is not about Barclay any more….it is all about English and the cover up…he should follow Todd (dead man walking) Barclay out of the door.

  8. weka 8
    20 June 2017 at 3:24 pm

    Police statement from an hour ago,

    A redacted file on the matter was released to requesters under the Official Information Act. In considering the privacy interests in this case, as the matter never proceeded to prosecution, Police consulted those individuals who provided statements as part of the investigation. The redacted file that was released took into account the views of the individuals consulted.

    Police have received further requests today for the un-redacted file. These requests will now be considered in line with our Official Information Act obligations.

    http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release/statement-regarding-todd-barclay-mp-investigation

  9. tomorrow&tomorrow 9
    20 June 2017 at 3:25 pm

    Just imagine if this had been the Labour party.
    And how will Mike Hosking explain it away – he’ll probably say it was just 2 mis-steps by English and Barclay – a kind of toxic tango.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 9.1
      20 June 2017 at 3:37 pm

      Joking aside (see 7.2), English is open to major criticism here.

      Barclay appointed him as his confessor – the young parrot under the wing of the elder, and what does the elder do?

      Help Barclay accept responsibility and “do the right thing”, eh. Surely that’s the best advice – to front foot mistakes and take your lumps.

      Nope. Not even. Double Dipton has played this situation to his best advantage. Bad taste, meet mouth.

      Edit: *snap* RL @ 7.3

      • Adrian Thornton 9.1.1
        20 June 2017 at 4:09 pm

        @One Anonymous Bloke
        I think you make a very good point, English as the silent witness and Key as giving official National Party sanction to this crime are two who should also be held accountable by the country (along with Barclay of course).

        • One Anonymous Bloke 9.1.1.1
          20 June 2017 at 5:12 pm

          Dickson’s statement to the police is quite explicit: it was necessary to obstruct justice in order to preserve National’s majority.

    • dukeofurl 9.2
      20 June 2017 at 3:46 pm

      Hosking will be saying …Look over here, we are celebrating success not minor pecksniffian matters.

      • the pigman 9.2.1
        20 June 2017 at 11:47 pm

        LOOK OVER THERE EVERYBODY IT’S AN AMERICA’S CUP!
        #goyougoodthing #wearethechampionz #NZInc.(in liq.)

  10. ianmac 10
    20 June 2017 at 4:02 pm

    They can’t sack Barclay can they? They can exclude him from Caucus but without a conviction they cannot take his MP status. The selection Committee would probably re-select him out of National Party loyalty. The end justifies the…..

    • Andre 10.1
      20 June 2017 at 4:06 pm

      They can suggest he doesn’t have a future in parliament, and look…there’s this attractive alternative opportunity outside Parliament…

    • weka 10.2
      20 June 2017 at 4:34 pm

      They can kick him out of the party. I can’t imagine he would get reselected after basically calls the PM a liar. National’s problem is what to do with him if he doesn’t resign. Carolyn just posted that RNZ piece above which looks like English throwing Barclay under the bus. Makes me wonder if Barclay has already refused to resign.

      • Andre 10.2.1
        20 June 2017 at 4:58 pm

        The deadline for candidate nominations is noon 29th August. So they’ve got just over two months to give him the heave and anoint someone else.

  11. simbit 11
    20 June 2017 at 4:12 pm

    He’s so Catholic. Could easily ship pedophile priests from one slaughterhouse to another. And he knows he’s going straight to hell…

  12. marty mars 12
    20 June 2017 at 4:44 pm

    English is toast imo. He is gone. Bennett will be PM going into the election. I have mentioned bennett and the PM role before. Time to smarten up lefties – Bennett makes English look like a two year old compared to her cunning.

    • WILD KATIPO 12.1
      20 June 2017 at 5:05 pm

      She is also an arrogant dimwitted oaf who was outed for having abused her position on a number of times in humiliating members of the public who were beneficiaries by making public private information and who she knew could not defend themselves .

      And lets not forget her classic idiot move of overriding Bill English regarding housing beneficiaries when English was in the middle of writing up his budget…

      Is that the sort of blundering gallivanting fool we can seriously see as being the PM of this country?

      She would be an unmitigated gift for the current opposition.

      We may be looking at the Dildo Man or even ‘ Barge through the security door Minister of Defence, Gerry Browlee’….

      Whichever way you cut it….

      There aint anyone left when English is sacked…

      How ironic… the last time English was the PM … he led National to one their greatest electoral defeats ever….

      History repeats… as Split ENZ once famously sang…

      • marty mars 12.1.1
        20 June 2017 at 5:24 pm

        She is deputy.

        Remember trump? Idiots get in.

        • WILD KATIPO 12.1.1.1
          20 June 2017 at 5:51 pm

          Yeah sure… but it still would be a gift to the opposition if that change occurred before the election. The only saving grace for National would be… a panic vote by the voters for ‘ stability’. But that would only be a temporary salve . And a ‘stability’ based on corruption and stupidity would not be very long lasting.

          Both the ongoing corruption of certain National party M.P’s and P.Bennetts lunacy would ensure it went down in flames . And when that happens… National will not see office again for a very long time.

          As for Trump, better him than the Clinton murderess. And Trump isn’t the danger per se’… its his son in law Jared Kushner. He is the weak link in the chain in Trumps administration as Kushner was paid $250,000,000.00 by none other than the globalist World Government advocate…. George Soros.

    • Tamati Tautuhi 12.2
      20 June 2017 at 9:06 pm

      PB is as cunning as a Maori Kiorere.

  13. weka 13
    20 June 2017 at 4:48 pm

    David Farrar’s postion today is to smear Glenys Dickson and others who have spoken up. Go figure.

    • mickysavage 13.2
      20 June 2017 at 4:54 pm

      And ignore completely questions about whether Barclay broke the law or if English lied.

    • Cinny 13.3
      20 June 2017 at 6:28 pm

      Wow, nasty. Fact’s do not appear to matter to Kiwibloggers when their favoured party is in the shite.

      That poor lady has suffered enough, has been threatened as have her family, was paid to keep quiet, and still the deniers are heaping the blame on her.

      Barclay comes across to me as paranoid to be taping conversations. I’ve heard P makes people paranoid.

      • weka 13.3.1
        20 June 2017 at 7:11 pm

        Lefties should be grateful for people like Dickson. I have no idea what her politics are, nor what she is like as a person, but she just demonstrated a degree of integrity and commitment to ethics that gives me hope. It’s people like her that stand between where we are now, and RW politics being wholly in the hands of evil bastards.

        • Ethica 13.3.1.1
          20 June 2017 at 8:48 pm

          They are the staunch old fashioned Nats. They dislike this bullying dishonest behaviour so much they are prepared to speak out and risk damaging their beloved party.

          • weka 13.3.1.1.1
            20 June 2017 at 9:14 pm

            That’s how I read it. It would have to be pretty bad for them to take action that could damage National.

    • Tamati Tautuhi 13.4
      20 June 2017 at 9:06 pm

      Dirty Politics out already ?

  14. WILD KATIPO 14
    20 June 2017 at 4:55 pm

    Come gather round National throughout the land
    And don’t criticize
    What you cant understand…
    The law and the voters
    Are beyond your command
    Your lies and your party
    Rapidly agin’
    Please vote out the old one
    If they cant lend a hand ,…
    National better start swimming or sink like a stone !

    Cos the times , they are a-changin…’

  15. Carolyn_nth 15
    20 June 2017 at 4:56 pm

    And the bad news just keeps coming for Todd – his own team out to get him.

    On Newsroom: Nats investigate bad candidate selection process and vote stacking:

    The National Party is reviewing the selection of Todd Barclay as its Clutha-Southland candidate following allegations of a rushed process, improper votes and “delegate stacking” with his family members and supporters.

    National’s rules committee, tasked with providing legal advice and support to the party board, is understood to be investigating nearly half of the 18 electorate branches in the Southland seat and could yet call for Barclay’s selection to be revoked.

    • Andre 16.1
      20 June 2017 at 5:01 pm

      Ah, the effort to quarantine the damage to just Barclay and away from other complicit Nats.

    • McFlock 16.2
      20 June 2017 at 5:17 pm

      Contacted by Newsroom for comment about a potential Clutha-Southland investigation, National’s rules committee chairman Peter Kiely said: “I haven’t been involved in that, that is Kate Wilkinson who has done that.

      “I’m not saying that at all [that an investigation is underway], I’m just saying that’s a question that Kate Wilkinson may or may not be able to help you.”

      lol [headdesk]

      Implausible deniability 🙂

  17. Stuart Munro 17
    20 June 2017 at 5:07 pm

    So, if Toddy’s gone, we’re just a surfeit of lampreys away from a vast improvement in governance.

    Keep his brain fuming. Epicurean cooks,
    Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite,
    That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honor
    Even till a Lethe’d dulness …

  18. Paul Campbell 18
    20 June 2017 at 5:26 pm

    Our usual national party trolls are strangely quiet today …. Word must have come down from on high that today is a good day to go back and hide under the bridge

    • weka 18.1
      20 June 2017 at 5:49 pm

      I’d noticed that too. Gosman’s around but not even he can muster a defence.

    • mauī 18.2
      20 June 2017 at 5:59 pm

      That’s the problem with groundhogs they disappear for a bit then all of a sudden you realise half of your house piles have been gnawed through. Obviously catch and release 5-10km away and the Ropel mothball product are the only applicable methods. Jim Harmon has some good tips on groundhog control if people are interested 😉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voNNYHUq3-U

    • WILD KATIPO 18.3
      20 June 2017 at 6:07 pm

      I think they will all be having a enforced paid holiday knees up at former Prime Minister John Keys Hawaii residence until this blows over…

    • mac1 18.4
      20 June 2017 at 6:33 pm

      Today is World Refugee Day and all our compassionately conservative trolls are down at Parliament supporting an increase in our annual intake of refugees.

      Either that, or they’ve become refugees themselves- refugees from having to support this mendacious, uncaring, selfish and incompassionate government.

  19. Carolyn_nth 19
    20 June 2017 at 5:48 pm

    Barclay about to do media stand up (5.50pm. Checkpoint will broadcast it live.

    • weka 19.1
      20 June 2017 at 5:56 pm

      Looks like National’s afternoon strategy session decided on the ‘let’s lie our way out of it’ option.

      • ScottGN 19.1.1
        20 June 2017 at 5:59 pm

        Looks like they’ve abandoned him.

        • weka 19.1.1.1
          20 June 2017 at 6:11 pm

          Yep, priority will be holding onto govt until the election.

          • ScottGN 19.1.1.1.1
            20 June 2017 at 6:57 pm

            I don’t think they’re even thinking that far ahead tonight Weka. I reckon the 9th Floor’s primary concern right now is how to get the PM out of the firing range.

            • weka 19.1.1.1.1.1
              20 June 2017 at 9:15 pm

              So are they hedging their bets? It’s hard to understand why Barclay wasn’t required to resign today.

    • Brendon Harre 19.2
      20 June 2017 at 5:56 pm

      Just heard it -WTF…..

    • Ovid 19.3
      20 June 2017 at 5:59 pm

      “Sorry, not sorry”

    • mauī 19.4
      20 June 2017 at 7:23 pm

      “Like any break down in a relationship I accept there is fault on both sides…”

      Gobsmacking. The victim is also at fault apparently..

      • mickysavage 19.4.1
        20 June 2017 at 8:15 pm

        Its her fault for letting herself be taped even though she did not know it was going to happen or consented to it …

        • Anne 19.4.1.1
          20 June 2017 at 8:50 pm

          Glenys Dickson’s crime was: she had been around a long time and knew lots of stuff. Toddy boy wanted a compliant bimbo to run his office. Someone he could manipulate and push around. The recording of Dickson’s office phone conversations was to gather information which he hoped would turn up something he could use to make things untenable for her. He succeeded.

          A former Public Service boss did the same to me but it was more to do with who I knew rather than what I knew.

  20. WILD KATIPO 20
    20 June 2017 at 6:30 pm

    Well , Checkpoints now covering the Rugby in the Waikato.

    Isn’t it a shame our country has to be tarnished by all these officials who should know better all the time and we cant just be a prosperous carefree nation … instead we have this sort of example of the Barclay / English crap constantly being in the news – with the evidence always coming to light years after the fact.

    Pisses me right off.

  21. Graeme 21
    20 June 2017 at 7:07 pm

    When Winston announced Mark Patterson’s nomination as Clutha Southland candidate he confidently predicted that he’s be in parliament come September.

    I wonder what he knew….

  22. Pete 22
    20 June 2017 at 7:15 pm

    You know on the TV series Open All Hours when Arkwright goes outside and looks up and down the street?

    Imagine Barclay outside Parliament on Molesworth Street, taking a puff on a refreshing fag, “It’s been a funny old day.”

    • ianmac 22.1
      20 June 2017 at 7:30 pm

      And another funny thing Pete,
      ” Former press secretary Rachel MacGregor has filed a lawsuit against Colin Craig.

      The Herald can reveal that MacGregor is counter-suing Craig and filed papers in the High Court at Auckland today.”

  23. Dv 23
    20 June 2017 at 7:40 pm

    What happened in enimem case?
    Any one know?

    • Anne 23.1
      20 June 2017 at 7:53 pm

      Judge reserved his decision. Could be one, two, three months before we know the outcome. At least I think that’s what happened.

      • Halfcrown 23.1.1
        21 June 2017 at 9:22 am

        Anne @ 7.53 pm wrote

        “Judge reserved his decision. Could be one, two, three months before we know the outcome. At least I think that’s what happened.”

        That’s a very convenient result timed for after the election, the same as they cannot send in if ever another robot into the Pike mine much before Christmas. Again after the election.

        Another thing that I feel uneasy about is this.

        The police were as quick as rats up drainpipes to confiscate Nicky Hager’s computers when there were no charges against him. To be held as the police said nod nod wink wink as “evidence” for a case they were pursuing. Whereas this little snot was not charged as the police could not interview him and had no evidence. if that being the case why did the police not use the same amount of urgency and confiscated the recorder.

    • WILD KATIPO 23.2
      20 June 2017 at 7:58 pm

      Seems there was a song and dance about settling privately out of court…

  24. mauī 24
    20 June 2017 at 7:43 pm

    Do we have another Brendon Horan scenario? MP clings to power, refuses to resign and is kicked out of the party.

  25. Tanz 25
    20 June 2017 at 7:52 pm

    Nothing but a storm in a teacup…who cares. Also it won;t be a game-changer any time soon.

  26. mosa 26
    20 June 2017 at 7:56 pm

    “Cuff em and stuff em “

    • bwaghorn 27.1
      20 June 2017 at 10:04 pm

      one wonders if toddy isn’t being knifed by his own electorate for turning his back on the farmers for the high life in auckland’s southern suburb.

  28. Tanz 28
    20 June 2017 at 8:47 pm

    The general public won’t care, it’s no worse than the Aaron Gilmore incident. And that was forever ago. Once again, this will blow over in no time. Yawn already.

    • Robert Guyton 28.1
      20 June 2017 at 8:53 pm

      No need to comment again then, Tanz. Practically blown over, this. Causing a huge amount of comment out there in the non-Tanz world though! Bill’s aging by the second; fish, rotting, head etc.

    • Ed 28.2
      20 June 2017 at 9:19 pm

      You’ve said that twice.

    • Dv 28.3
      20 June 2017 at 9:19 pm

      So Barclays going as well then tanz

    • greg 28.4
      21 June 2017 at 5:51 am

      Arron Gilmore didn’t evolve the use of tax payer money ,Arron Gilmore did not break the law.

      • Ross 28.4.1
        21 June 2017 at 7:01 am

        Gilmore resigned fairly quickly, but was no doubt told that he had no choice. It seems that Bill English is actually entertaining the idea that Barclay might be able to remain in Parliament.

  29. Tamati Tautuhi 29
    20 June 2017 at 9:12 pm

    The fish does rot from the head and JK passed Bill the poisoned chalice, however Labour, Greens & NZF have one hell of a mess to tidy up after the 2017 Election ?

  30. Robert Guyton 30
    20 June 2017 at 9:28 pm

    Even this guy’s calling it straight!

    “David Garrett

    In and out: I’m afraid it’s pretty darn clear..both English and Barclay lied this morning, and it’s very clear that of the two of them, English is the more culpable…as I have said above, no-one – not even a PM – forgets what he said in a formal statement to the police…Barclay can at least try and run “I’m a newbie on a steep learning curve” but there is no way English can…it’s pretty much that simple in my view…”

  31. Red 31
    20 June 2017 at 9:39 pm

    Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz who cares, a bit of national internal dirty laundry, journalist foaming, lefties another game changer,the rest of Nz. Zzzzzzzzzzzz

  32. Drowsy M. Kram 32
    20 June 2017 at 10:19 pm

    This National dirty laundry is a laugh a minute – not nearly as heinous as dirty politics, but more entertaining.

    https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/dirty-laundry

    ‘National is a typical NZ political party. But its entire history is based on a very dirty secret… ‘

    Time to invest in Unilever shares?

  33. silvertuatara 33
    20 June 2017 at 11:02 pm

    What is it with National MP’s whom were or had been associated with senior positions within the the Law and Order Select Committee in Parliament;

    First Mike Sabin appointed chairman of the law and order select committee…..resigned from the National party for “personal reasons” whilst allegedly under police investigation.https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/sabin-resigns-parliament-jb-168018

    Now Todd Barclay (previous deputy chair of the Law and Order Select Committee when he entered parliament.) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11879754

    Somewhat ironic that the Law and Order Select Committee is tasked within Parliament to look into issues relating to corrections, courts, criminal law, police, and serious fraud.

    I hope that National Party’s Bakshi Kanwaljit Singh who now chairs Parliament’s Law and Order Select Committee along with National’s Maureen Pugh who is deputy chair, in a transparent manner look into the appropriateness of the use of the National “Leaders Budget” for the purposes of settlement of what appears to be akin to a punitive and exemplary damages type payment for Todd Barclay’s alleged breaches of another persons privacy.

    Perhaps they could also look into why police have closed the investigation into Todd Barclay’s actions and or inactions as reported to the police by the then Deputy Prime Minister, Bill English, in light of the further allegations that the complainant received a large settlement, part of it which was apparently sourced from the Prime Ministers “Leaders Budget” in acknowledgement of the Privacy Breach that Mr Barclay allegedly caused and which is no longer in dispute given Todd Barclay’s statement this afternoon/evening confirming Bill Englishs statement to the police regarding Todd Barclay’s actions in having supposedly taped covertly conversations to which he was not a party.

    English and Barclay should both resign IMHO……it is a matter of integrity.

    • Cinny 33.1
      21 June 2017 at 7:10 am

      Maureen Pugh ex mayor of Westland Council, transparent? Bahahahahahahaa

      Plenty of skeletons in her closet, negligence springs to mind when she was mayor, as well as the so called missing millions, lack of audits, helicopter scandal, cycle way over spend, steepest rate rises in the country and so on and so on. Really interesting timeline she has from mayor to list mp.

  34. Henry Filth 34
    21 June 2017 at 12:55 am

    So much fuss, so Public and so close to an election.

    The Donors will not be happy.

  35. Rae 35
    21 June 2017 at 6:08 am

    Remember when Key and Banks were recorded, how the cops were all over it?

    This would seem to be a police matter as well, and I would think that both English and Key could be considered to be accessories after the fact.

    • Tamati Tautuhi 35.1
      21 June 2017 at 6:23 am

      It would appear Key was Donkey Deep in this as well.

      JK certainly acted quickly when when the Mad Hatters Tea Party in Mt Eden with ACT and John Banks was accidently recorded by a journalist ?

      • Ross 35.1.1
        21 June 2017 at 7:25 am

        Many of us were probably wondering why Key bolted from his cushy job with unseemly haste…I can imagine he foresaw this mess blowing up prior to the election. Maybe he didn’t have the fight in him anymore.

        • Rae 35.1.1.1
          21 June 2017 at 8:41 am

          Many of us could see one reason or another, but it’s beginning to look there was a whole bunch of stuff that led to Key going.

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