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This is Key’s scandal

Written By: - Date published: 12:49 pm, July 31st, 2013 - 64 comments
Categories: accountability, dpf, john key, making shit up, Media, Parliament, spin, Spying - Tags: , , ,

Key’s loyal retainers are trying to keep him out of the Vance spying scandal. Naturally David Farrar is the most pathetic – Imperator Fish has the last word on that subject (a must read). Turning now to actual journalists, here’s Audrey Young:

Key stands clear of inquiry fallout

Prime Minister John Key is seeking to distance himself from damaging fallout from David Henry’s inquiry into the leak of the GCSB spy agency report, just as his controversial GCSB bill returns to Parliament.

Mr Key has written to the Speaker David Carter to put on the record his disappointment that phone records and swipe card records of the journalist who received the leaked report, Andrea Vance, were handed over to the inquiry that Mr Key’s department commissioned.

And Mr Henry himself weighed in last night to reinforce the statement that he neither requested nor sought the journalist’s phone records. …

Mr Key said in his letter to Mr Carter that on finding out that Parliamentary Service had voluntarily supplied the journalist’s phone records “I was deeply concerned and troubled by this news”.

Sorry Audrey – Key doesn’t get to “stand clear” this scandal, he created it. Remember this, from just 5 days ago?

No action over phone log access attempt

No action will be taken against David Henry for attempting to access phone records of a journalist as he tried to find out who leaked a sensitive report into Government spying, Prime Minister John Key says.

There we have John Key himself acknowledging that Henry requested the Vance phone records (contrary to what Henry is now claiming). This wasn’t a Parliamentary Services “stuff up”. You don’t pass over three months worth of phone records by accident. They were passed over because they were requested by John Key’s enquiry, as he acknowledged above.

However speaking in Korea today Key said he did not believe Henry, a former top public servant brought in to find the leaker, had impinged on any media freedoms and no action would be taken against him.

He said Henry also would be considered for doing future Government reports.

Henry had been asked to carry out an enquiry using terms of reference given to him by the prime minister’ office. Nobody complained about those terms, Key said.

Key set the terms, no one complained (this was all in Key’s office – who the Hell was in a position to “complain”?). Henry was following instructions, nothing to see here, move along.

“He then went out and did his own thing. I wasn’t involved in any of that,” Key said today, adding that he made it clear to Henry that he expected access records to be accessed.

If anyone can work out what that means do let us know.

While no action would be taken regarding Henry’s actions, a different approach might be taken next time.

“Maybe if we go away next time and write another enquiry we’ll be really, really specific in the terms” of reference.

Key said that when the report emerged while he was on a trip to China the media had been “screaming at me” to hold an enquiry because they believed the Government had leaked the report.

This was all done at the direction of Key’s office (Wayne Eagleson –“If you speak to him you speak to me”). They’re trying to throw Parliamentary Services under the bus, but this is Key’s scandal start to finish. Final word to Alistair Thompson in his must read piece today:

But the amount of damage that has been done here should not be underestimated and it will not go away quickly. The Press Gallery will remember this.

Coming on top of the months of obfuscation and outright lying and evasiveness over every aspect of this story from the Kim Dotcom raids and who knew about them when, to the illegal GCSB spying, to the appointment of a child-hood friend of the PM’s as GCSB Director and now the Andrea Vance and Peter Dunne affair – we will remember.

64 comments on “This is Key’s scandal ”

  1. infused 1

    Cool… watch Shearer mumble his way through it.

    • Te Reo Putake 1.1

      Whoop, whoop! Terrain warning, divert now. Whoop whoop!

      • infused 1.1.1

        not diverting shit. This is hardly going to go away quickly. Just pointing out the incompetence of Labour to smash National with this.

  2. yeshe 2

    Thx for your post Anthony ..undoubtedly just as it is. The Alistair Thompson link is a must-must-read for its clarity of summation.

    How does Dunne tolerate this ignominy ? Somehow I keep hoping he will have an epiphany and vote against the GCSB bill — this is his last chance to be remembered for anything decent.

    Also noticeable absence of anything to do with these issues on Stuff this morning — is this part of the secret rumblings maybe ?? Is an explosion coming ?

    • bad12 2.1

      What makes you think that Peter ‘the Hairdo’ Dunne will not be standing again at the 2014 election, everything i have read and seen of Him would suggest that He is going to…

      • Veutoviper 2.2.1

        Tracey Watkins also has another opinion piece on Stuff that I read early this morning on the situation re Press Gallery reporters – but it was not highlighted on the main Stuff page.

        http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/8984706/Truth-a-long-time-coming

        • Colonial Viper 2.2.1.1

          A deeply embarrassed Carter owned up to the breach and offered Vance an extraordinary apology.

          Only days ago, Carter gave Parliament an assurance that the phone records were not handed over.

          The admission raises more questions than it answers…

          Smells like a limited hangout to me.

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_hangout

          A limited hangout, or partial hangout, is a public relations or propaganda technique that involves the release of previously hidden information in order to prevent a greater exposure of more important details.

          It takes the form of deception, misdirection, or coverup often associated with intelligence agencies involving a release or “mea culpa” type of confession of only part of a set of previously hidden sensitive information, that establishes credibility for the one releasing the information who by the very act of confession appears to be “coming clean” and acting with integrity; but in actuality, by withholding key facts, is protecting a deeper operation and those who could be exposed if the whole truth came out. In effect, if an array of offenses or misdeeds is suspected, this confession admits to a lesser offense while covering up the greater ones.

      • bad12 2.2.2

        And the ‘snow flakes fall ever thicker’, i will assume at this early stage that the House speaker will now ‘protect’ the Slippery little Shyster from further probing during Parliaments Question Time by simply pointing at the Privileges Committee Inquiry being the place to ask such questions,

        Delay, Deny, Denigrate, and abuse, cover up the truth until such time as the heat of the matter dies down, then release a weak,insipid untrue account of events which exonerates the Prime Ministers Office….

  3. amirite 3

    I hope the media pounce and hold on this because the apathetic public needs a goddamn wake-up.

  4. bad12 4

    i have posted this comment elsewhere today but it is topical so i will repeat it at the risk of boring everybody,

    Here’s what i think happened, and to a certain extent the trail can be followed albeit it does get confusing,

    Slippery the PM set up the inquiry giving Henry his instructions and telling Him that if He needed any help to ask Eagleson,

    Henry went to Dunne and asked for His phone records which Dunne refused, it is Dunne’s contention that Henry then went to Parliamentary Services but i do not believe that to be the case,

    i believe that Henry went to Eaggleson with the request that He (Eagglson), get the phone records which Eagglson did which makes Henry’s claim of not having asked for the phone records about 1/2 true,

    Yesterday at question time in the Parliament Russell Norman directly asked the prime Minister whether or not His(Slippery’s), Chief of Staff had in fact asked parliamentary Services for the phone record,

    The Slippery little Shyster answered with words to this effect, ”i am not aware if my Chief of Staff asked Parliamentary Services for those phone records”, ”but i apologize if He did”, WTF,

    The WTF of course is mine, and, i wouldn’t expect the media, television or any other, to hold the Slippery little Shyster to account for what is becoming obvious as from television, to print, to radio, they are all, while issuing the odd ”hurrumph” as you have quoted in this post, to a man/woman running with the ‘Line’ naughty Parliamentary Services for having released the phone records,

    What i see is the usual ‘media snow flake shower’ accusing the wrong people of wrongdoing while allowing the Prime Minister complete exoneration when in actual fact it is becoming glaringly obvious that it was the Prime Ministers office that requested/demanded that Parliamentary Services release those phone records…

  5. quartz 5

    “Blame the help”, eh? Cowards.

  6. King Kong 6

    Have you thought that this might be deliberate.

    Feed Labour a superficial poll bounce on an issue that will be forgotten in a few months time in order to keep Labour liability #1 at the helm. This would ensure a National victory at the next election with the election campaign resembling a blood sport.

    Absolute genius.

    • amirite 6.1

      Turning the whole media community against you, that’s genius? Riiiiight….

    • tricledrown 6.2

      KK have a cup of tea and a sit down your redneck has veins ready to pop!

    • North 6.3

      Might be deliberate ? Which if it were would mean we live in a fascistic oligarchy.

      “Not boverred” KK ?

  7. tracey 7

    Lets not forget the press conference when key asked journalists if they really wanted their emails revealled???

    • Jackal 7.1

      Yep! The journalist’s must be wondering if this is the tip of the surveillance iceberg…an iceberg that will likely sink the bad ship National. Certainly their captain doesn’t have both oars in the water and is looking decidedly drunk at the helm.

  8. captain hook 8

    Its more than just a scandal.
    Kweewee has gathered around him a whole gang of hairy assed schoolboy familiars who cant read and dont give a stuff as long as they bask in the glow of the chosen one.
    Well its starting to smell like a dead mackerel in the moonlight.
    When there are fullscale nincompoops like David Carter giving out carte blance to any dweeb in a suit then the parliament and our democracy is in real trouble.

  9. burt 9

    David Henry – The guy who wrote to Labour before the 2005 election and was ignored… He made a bad call… he changed the rules… Now … It’s all different.

    He has a long history of being a highly principled player – pity self serving defenders of corruption only listen to him when it suites their self serving corrupt agenda.

    • ak 9.1

      Ahhh….wee burt reminds us that nine years ago Labour did something that he considered wrong. How suite.

    • tricledrown 9.2

      Keys promise of higher standards just another lie Burt!

  10. Veutoviper 10

    I posted this on the Media Honeymoon thread, but it is also very relevant here – and a Must Listen IMO.

    Sir Geoffrey Palmer’s excellent interview on Nine to Noon this morning, in which he considered that the checking of phone records etc of MPs/Ministers by the Henry Inquiry was in itself a breach of Parliamentary Privilege.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2563981/phone-records-handed-over-during-gcsb-investigation

    He covers this in the first two minutes or so of the interview, but the whole interview is well worth listening to as he gives an excellent overview of the history of the Parliamentary Services, their role, their culture; and of particular relevance here – his views (not particularly complimentary) on how the Henry Inquiry was set up and its wide TORs, and Henry’s lack of legal qualifications; and the wider ramifications of the whole fiasco vis a vis democracy.

    If Palmer’s points are picked up (as they should be IMO) this can of worms gets bigger and bigger.

  11. Te Reo Putake 11

    An excellent statement from the journos’ union:

    Journalists’ union condemns release of phone records:

    The Parliamentary Service’s decision to hand over a reporter’s telephone records to the Henry Inquiry strikes at the core of journalistic freedom, says the union that represents journalists, the EPMU.

    Although Mr Henry has stated he did not request the information and returned it immediately, the fact it was made available is deeply concerning.

    Protection of sources is a key ethical consideration for journalists. When sources know they can provide information to journalists without fear of retribution, they are able to hold authorities to account.

    If government agencies are able to delve into journalists’ communications, it will seriously impede the flow of information to journalists and have a chilling effect on media freedom.

    The revelations are particularly concerning in the context of allegations that the New Zealand Defence Force monitored journalist Jon Stephenson’s communications in Afghanistan, and at a time when the Government intends to pass a contentious law which will allow the GCSB to legally spy on New Zealanders.

    The EPMU welcomes the strong statements made by the Speaker and the Prime Minister criticising the release of Andrea Vance’s telephone records.

    However, this release occurred because of an investigation initiated by the Prime Minister, whose office was active in advising the Parliamentary Service to supply Peter Dunne’s phone records. It is likely the Parliamentary Service would have felt under pressure to be as helpful to the inquiry as possible.

    The public and the news media need reassurance that the Government is committed to the highest ideals of democracy. There must be a full and open inquiry into both the release of Andrea Vance’s telephone records and the alleged monitoring of Jon Stephenson.

    It is clear we cannot trust Government agencies to look into their own activities. In the interests of openness and rebuilding public trust, the Government must also review the operations of its intelligence agencies before giving the GCSB further powers.

  12. tracey 12

    Who in parliamentary services authorised the handing over and/or handed them over. There must be a who or whos

  13. Treetop 13

    Dunne is such a coward, he spills the beans to Vance and Dunne probably feels betrayed by Vance for doing her job. The PM goes tut tut and Dunne cannot pretend that he did not open his gob. The PM is not interested enough in getting to the bottom of the contents of Dunne’s emails to do with the Kitteridge report because Key would then be a vote short.

    Does Key think that the GCSB legislation is going to be a fix all for any incident which threatens his government?

    The biggest attack in this country is occurring in the Beehive by the government.

  14. aerobubble 14

    Oh the irony. A contractor arguably reading the request provide logs and other data he should not of.
    Ironic as the PM considers that arguable legality to be the new low standard necessary for all government. Yes, you guess it, if you can find an opinion that argues that something that is obviously illegal, isn’t then you can whitewash it. Now the PM is now having to defend just that, that he is not responsible because a contractor arguably acted lawfully when providing his inquiry with logs about a journalist. Arguable there now is no press freedom, welcome to dictatorship Aotearea.

  15. Dv 15

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8986200/Keys-office-ordered-records-released

    Prime Minister John Key has confirmed his chief of staff told Parliamentary Service staff to supply records to a ministerial inquiry after the department initially refused to cooperate.

    OOPS

    • Poission 15.1

      Wayne Eagleson is the culprit.he needs to be questioned at the select committee.looks like Farrar got it wrong again.

      • Treetop 15.1.1

        Eagleson and Dunne have had a close working relationship, Dunne as revenue minister and Eagleson at the IRD.

        • aerobubble 15.1.1.1

          Exactly. By muddling the investigation, Eagleson has put the content of the documents out of the picture. In US cop show parlance, he allegedly imposed himself on a ongoing investigation into a national security leak – the kitteridge report. His motives? friendship, loyalty to Key? and even keeping his job should Dunne be forced to walk? Key should excise the cancer sooner than later.

    • Treetop 15.2

      Up set the PM and you (chief of staff) could be looking for a new job, this is why I think that the person was following instructions from the top. Sometimes there is no pleasing your boss.

    • calltoaccount 15.3

      Uh oh, Key’s rebuttal, from the link…

      But Key said it was clear to everyone that the request was in relation to ministers, and not journalists.

      “He was clear that was for minsters and staff, not journalists. Everyone understood that was outside the terms of reference.”

      • r0b 15.3.1

        Apparently “everyone” did not…

        Another flimsy cover-up lie.

      • BLiP 15.3.2

        Ooooh, and another one for the list. Thank’s John, I’m lovin’ it . . .

        the terms of the enquiry made it clear to everyone that it was only the phone records of parliamentary staff and ministers that were to be provided

        . . . if it was “clear to everyone” then why did his own Chief of Staff put the pressure on Parliamentary Services and, speaking of Wayne “If you speak to him you speak to me” Eagleson, what’s his role in all this? Didn’t our infrequent but entirely welcome contributor “CrosbyTextor” mention something about a stitch-up to knobble Dunne . . . amusing at the time, perhaps prescient also, even if it was Kevin Taylor who was identified as being part of that “while he’s overseas” covert PR operation.

        Good to see the media get its act together over this. Oddly enough, it can’t usually be bothered bestirring itself since abandoning its Fourth Estate principles in some corporate profit-driven chase for eyeballs, but when the government’s actions impact directly on that pursuit, watch out. Perhaps now the spotlight will turn on our Prime Minister, John Key, and his performance across all his portfolios. Is there one he hasn’t mangled? So far as his handling of the GCSB/SIS portfolio is concerned, he has, in effect, been so incompetent as to be commit treason. What scant confidence the public may have had in its guardians, including even, to some extent, the armed forces, has been trashed thanks to his clumsy mendacity and bumbling, mumbling obfuscation.

        I think its becoming increasingly apparent across wider sections of the public, as Alistair Thompson points out, that we are dealing with a “rogue government”. Now that its true nature has finally been exposed directly to the typically indolently cooperative media, attention might also turn to how John Key’s tenure has impacted upon those National Ltd™ has already victimised.

    • Colonial Viper 15.4

      Since when do PS staff follow instructions from the Prime Minister’s office around other MP’s metadata?

      • calltoaccount 15.4.1

        Rob/CV: The “everyone” being the staff being set up for blame for a ‘mistake’. The PS would have been correct to pass on Dunne’s data, but went too far with Vance’s, in this version.

        I thought we had JK when I saw the headline; just needs all the ends tied up to rule out the obvious rebuttals. These liars are expert liars after all. 😉

  16. tracey 16

    Yup self interest rules. It was ways going to the the p gallery feeling threatened to start looking deeper

  17. tracey 17

    Yup self interest rules. It was ways going to the the p gallery feeling threatened to start looking deeper

  18. bad12 18

    From today’s question time in the Parliament, the smoke clears a little as both Russell Norman and David Shearer take turns at making the Slippery little Shyster ‘spin’,

    And, doesn’t He do it well our Prime Minister, ‘spin’ that is, changing direction at will all the while declaring ‘i have no responsibility’,

    The gist of the Prime Ministers replies, His chief of Staff, Eaggleson told all Ministers who had access to the report, the contents of which where leaked to Vance the Dominion Post reporter, to allow the Henry inquiry to access their phone records,

    His Chief of Staff who emailed Parliamentary Services with a request that they provide to the Henry inquiry phone records between all Ministers who had access to the leaked report and the DomPost reporter Vance,

    This the Prime Minister now claims absolves Him from responsibility as what the Eaggleson email really ‘Meant’ was that they only wanted the Ministers in questions side of the phone record TO the DomPost reporter Vance, and that the email didn’t ‘Mean’ that the inquiry wanted the DomPost reporter Vance’s phone records TO the Ministers in question,

    That absolves the Prime Minister of nothing, and my view is that Parliamentary Services should withhold all service to the Prime Ministers Office until such time as He makes a full apology to Parliamentary Services for having released the phone records of Vance to the Henry inquiry…

    • marty mars 18.1

      I agree that key doesn’t do spin well – he’s a liar and an ‘off the cuff’er and those two attributes always end up in trouble. He’ll keep telling more and more lies to cover up the original lies and the story or spin will get more nonsensical and stupid. Time to bring the hammer down on this turd and squash him politically – not even the mythical middlenz like shitspinning liars.

  19. Tigger 19

    Imp Fish nails Farrar’s hypocrisy in such an elegant way that it is a masterpiece. Praise Jebus for blogs like that, and this, for keeping me sane.

  20. tsmithfield 20

    There is to be a public enquiry into the whole affair.

    So, if Key is lying, it should come out.

    • yeshe 20.1

      interesting that Dunne’s name is not on the list .. ??

    • lprent 20.2

      Perhaps they should get someone independent to set the terms of the enquiry this time. Somehow letting John Key and his staff do that last time has just looked extremely shifty to ANY outside observation – wouldn’t you agree?

      You realise that this will be the third (oops fourth) enquiry into this pile of crap. The first being the whitewash from our ancient Inspector General of using the GCSB to bug DotCom

  21. Adrian 21

    Ever hear of a Chief of Staff doing something without making sure it is what his immediate senior actually wants. Nothing in writing of course. This is the most corrupt government in our history.

  22. bad12 22

    From the mouth of Peter ‘the Hairdo’ Dunne via RadioNZ National while i was getting tonight’s dinner in the oven,

    ”Henry came to Me asking for My phone records so that they could be compared with Vance’s phone records”, unquote,

    Is Dunne creating mischief by telling porkies or is Dunne telling the truth???, if that was the truth from Dunne then it becomes obvious that the Prime Ministers claim made in the Parliament today that Eaggleson’s email was intended to solicit from Parliamentary Services only Ministers phone records is an utter and total piece of bulls**t,

    If what Dunne is publicly saying is true then it becomes obvious that my previous assertion that it was Henry who approached Eaggleson for help as the Prime Minister had told him to do and Eagglson sent the email to Parliamentary Services acting on the instruction of the Prime Minister which he had previously given to Eagglson,

  23. bad12 23

    As we all have come to expect, John Armstrong but BrainsWeak, the titular head of the Fifth Column of New Zealand Jonolism and Herald political commentator made a brief appearance on RadioNZ’s afternoons with Jim Mora and stuck strictly to the Slippery little Shysters ‘spin’ that the release of Vance’s phone records was the fault of Parliamentary Services,

    It appears also that it wasn’t only the Parliamentary phone systems records that they went after, there appears to have been at least an attempt to get at Her cell phone data as well…

  24. Jane 24

    I do care quite a bit about what is going on in the country and the direction, but I don’t think I care much about this issue and haven’t found many outside of the politically interested group that do either.

    Politicians and Journolists all swim in the same shallow mud filled pond and there is only a marginal difference as to which I trust less, the polictical jounolists churn out an endless supply of dross and are happy to cut stories so as to make them fit their narrative and love being part of the story. Vance allegedly published a leaked copy of an unreleased report so her paper could get the ‘scoop’, everyone screamed for an enquiry and now are crying that they might have been enquired into.

    The more I think about it I’m starting to wonder how healthy this secret relationship between politicians and jouronolists really is, all the nudge nudge wink wink, leak this, cosy that, how does anyone know what sort of influence the press gallery hold over MP’s? It could well be an environment riddled with corruption, is it time that all correspondence between jounolists and MP’s to be published? Everyone is vigilant to the influence of business, foreign powers, unions, donors etc but how about some sunlight on what goes on here. Jounolists are always telling us that we must trust them, they know what the real story is, they are so important, time for them to be honest themselves!

    • bad12 24.1

      i am amused, ”but you don’t care”…

      • Jane 24.1.1

        Ha ha, by the end I was thinking that to! I suppose I care less about what may or may not have been leaked, released, requested because it’s politians and journalists and cared more about the secrecy going on and why shouldn’t we get to see all records.

        • bad12 24.1.1.1

          Lolz, i am amused that you don’t care and then go on to a list of Government corruption that has never been exposed in this country, except where that corruption is carried out openly such as in the Sky city casino deal between that organization and the present Government,

          i am sure others could add a fair few more instances to the above as well,

          Of course the fact that this Government’s accessing of a member of the media’s phone records by accident or design whether legal or illegal will soon be possible for any Prime Minister to order once the GCSB Legislation is passed in the House has not it would seem entered your calculation of what is or isn’t of interest,

          Once such Legislation is passed the uncovering of any of the corruption that would catch your interest will become just that much more unlikely because any Government will know who each journalist has spoken to at any given time, thus have every opportunity to catch and punish those who would expose such corruption befor that exposure became public…

    • karol 24.2

      Yes, but up til recently, the press gallery have sucked up the the NAct government. A rift between them and mutual suspicions could have a lasting impact on how the government is reported.

  25. I read Imperator Fish’s post that Anthony referred to in his opening post. It is Must Read stuff.

    If I were Farrar, I would’ve cringed at Scott’s razor sharp observations.

    http://www.imperatorfish.com/2013/07/he-delivers-and-how.html

  26. TruthSeeker 26

    The most intriguing aspect of the email that Key tabled in the House today is the date on it: 30 May.

    The inquiry was announced on 15 April and completed on 5 June.

    So the inquiry was in its sixth week when Henry finally requested the phone records on 30 May; the very same day referred to phone records in the House. Intriguing.

  27. bad12 27

    Listening to RadioNZ National this morning it appears that i have missed AN EMAIL, i describe the contents of what i though was THE email from the Prime Ministers Chief of staff Eaggleson to Parliamentary Services,

    The Email i describe above and how i describe it is pretty much correct, but there appears now to be a second Email from Eaggleson to the Parliamentary Service of an entirely different nature,

    The second Email from Eaggleson to the Parliamentary Service is said to contain such niceties as a demand to Parliamentary Services from the Office of the Prime Minister that they accord the Henry inquiry access to any information He requests and hand over ‘any relevant data’,

    So the plot thickens, i better track down the actual words of this Email…

  28. bad12 28

    At some point in the examination of Slippery the Prime Minister’s entrails surrounding the Vance phone records scandal Russell or Dave should ask Him this question,

    Did anyone from the Prime Ministers Office or the Henry inquiry itself at any time ask the cell phone providers of both Dunne and Vance for access to the records of their cell phones,

    Now that should get the Slippery one ‘spinning’ at full speed…

  29. tracey 29

    This what separates farrar from whaleoil. Ironic that he posted it from usa.

  30. bad12 30

    Now that is sad, the head of Parliamentary Services has resigned, as we learn today from questioning of the Prime Minister by Russell Norman today, there are 2 emails from the Prime Ministers Chief of Staff to Parliamentary Services which using different language ask/demand that Parliamentary Services hand over data to the Henry inquiry,there are also 22 unreleased emails from the Henry inquiry to [public services,

    Possibly buried in the 22 emails that the Henry inquiry sent to Parliamentary Services is the real truth of what the Henry inquiry was trying to elicit from Parliamentary Services,

    Steven Joyce, speaking on behalf of the absent Prime Minister at question time today refused Russell Norman’s request that the 22 Henry emails be released and tabled in the Parliament,

    How toxic these 22 Henry emails are to the Prime Ministers reputation,(haha yes joke),will probably decide whether or not these emails are released…

  31. bad12 31

    Peter Dunne on Prime News just now has just confirmed what i was alluding to in a couple of comments about Dunne and Vance’s personal mobile phone data being sought by the Henry inquiry,

    Dunne says that Henry came to Him during the inquiry with questions about specific conversations made between Dunne and Vance on their mobile phones…

    • bad12 31.1

      PS, these may have been specific text conversations as opposed to voice ones, Dunne on Prime-News tonight did not differentiate…

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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao – new Chair and member
    Minister of Education, Hon Jan Tinetti, has announced appointments to the Board of Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao. Tracey Bridges is joining the Board as the new Chair and Dr Therese Arseneau will be a new member. Current members Dr Linda Sissons CNZM and Daniel Wilson have ...
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    4 days ago
  • Scholarships honouring Ngarimu VC and the 28th (Māori) Battalion announced
    Fifteen ākonga Māori from across Aotearoa have been awarded the prestigious Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships and Awards for 2023, Associate Education Minister and Ngarimu Board Chair, Kelvin Davis announced today.  The recipients include doctoral, masters’ and undergraduate students. Three vocational training students and five wharekura students, ...
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    4 days ago
  • Appointment of Judge of the Court of Appeal and Judge of the High Court
    High Court Judge Jillian Maree Mallon has been appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal, and District Court Judge Andrew John Becroft QSO has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Mallon graduated from Otago University in 1988 with an LLB (Hons), and with ...
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    4 days ago
  • NZ still well placed to meet global challenges
    The economy has continued to show its resilience despite today’s GDP figures showing a modest decline in the December quarter, leaving the Government well positioned to help New Zealanders face cost of living pressures in a challenging global environment. “The economy had grown strongly in the two quarters before this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Western Ring Route Complete
    Aucklanders now have more ways to get around as Transport Minister Michael Wood opened the direct State Highway 1 (SH1) to State Highway 18 (SH18) underpass today, marking the completion of the 48-kilometre Western Ring Route (WRR). “The Government is upgrading New Zealand’s transport system to make it safer, more ...
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    4 days ago
  • Briefings to Incoming Ministers
    This section contains briefings received by incoming ministers following changes to Cabinet in January. Some information may have been withheld in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982. Where information has been withheld that is indicated within the document. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Teaming up for a stronger, more resilient Fiji
    Aotearoa New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta reaffirmed her commitment to working together with the new Government of Fiji on issues of shared importance, including on the prioritisation of climate change and sustainability, at a meeting today, in Nadi. Fiji and Aotearoa New Zealand’s close relationship is underpinned by the Duavata ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Investment in blue highway a lifeline for regional economies and cyclone recovery
    The Government is delivering a coastal shipping lifeline for businesses, residents and the primary sector in the cyclone-stricken regions of Hawkes Bay and Tairāwhiti, Regional Development Minister Kiri Allan announced today. The Rangitata vessel has been chartered for an emergency coastal shipping route between Gisborne and Napier, with potential for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Next steps developing clean energy for NZ
    The Government will progress to the next stage of the NZ Battery Project, looking at the viability of pumped hydro as well as an alternative, multi-technology approach as part of the Government’s long term-plan to build a resilient, affordable, secure and decarbonised energy system in New Zealand, Energy and Resources ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Statement from the Prime Minister on Stuart Nash
    This morning I was made aware of a media interview in which Minister Stuart Nash criticised a decision of the Court and said he had contacted the Police Commissioner to suggest the Police appeal the decision. The phone call took place in 2021 when he was not the Police Minister. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • CPTPP Trade Ministers coming to Auckland
    The Government’s sharp focus on trade continues with Aotearoa New Zealand set to host Trade Ministers and delegations from 10 Asia Pacific economies at a meeting of Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Commission members in July, Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor announced today. “New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt approves $25 million extension for cyclone-affected businesses
    $25 million boost to support more businesses with clean-up in cyclone affected regions, taking total business support to more than $50 million Demand for grants has been strong, with estimates showing applications will exceed the initial $25 million business support package Grants of up to a maximum of $40,000 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • More than 160,000 new Kiwis to call NZ home
    80 per cent of 2021 Resident Visas applications have been processed – three months ahead of schedule Residence granted to 160,000 people 84,000 of 85,000 applications have been approved Over 160,000 people have become New Zealand residents now that 80 per cent of 2021 Resident Visa (2021RV) applications have been ...
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    6 days ago
  • New Zealand to attend regional security meeting in Australia
    The Lead Coordination Minister for the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission’s Report into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques travels to Melbourne, Australia today to represent New Zealand at the fourth Sub-Regional Meeting on Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Security. “The Government is committed to reducing the threat of terrorism ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Health and safety action plan for ports
    The health and safety practices at our nation’s ports will be improved as part of a new industry-wide action plan, Workplace Relations and Safety, and Transport Minister Michael Wood has announced. “Following the tragic death of two port workers in Auckland and Lyttelton last year, I asked the Port Health ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Bikes and scooters to be exempt from FBT
    Bikes, electric bikes and scooters will be added to the types of transport exempted from fringe benefit tax under changes proposed today. Revenue Minister David Parker said the change would allow bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, electric scooters, and micro-mobility share services to be exempt from fringe benefit tax where they ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Foreign Affairs Minister to reaffirm our close relationship with Fiji
    Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta will hold bilateral meetings with Fiji this week. The visit will be her first to the country since the election of the new coalition Government led by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sitiveni Rabuka. The visit will be an opportunity to meet kanohi ki ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • New legislation to streamline Cyclone recovery
    The Government is introducing the Severe Weather Emergency Legislation Bill to ensure the recovery and rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle is streamlined and efficient with unnecessary red tape removed. The legislation is similar to legislation passed following the Christchurch and Kaikōura earthquakes that modifies existing legislation in order to remove constraints ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Cost of living package: More bread and butter support for Kiwi families
    Approximately 1.4 million people will benefit from increases to rates and thresholds for social assistance to help with the cost of living Superannuation to increase by over $100 a pay for a couple Main benefits to increase by the rate of inflation, meaning a family on a benefit with children ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Freeing up more government bandwidth and money to focus on the cost of living
    $1 billion in savings which will be reallocated to support New Zealanders with the cost of living A range of transport programmes deferred so Waka Kotahi can focus on post Cyclone road recovery Speed limit reduction programme significantly narrowed to focus on the most dangerous one per cent of state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • State of National Emergency to end for Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay
    The remaining state of national emergency over the Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay regions will end on Tuesday 14 March, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced today. Minister McAnulty gave notice of a national transition period over these regions, which will come into effect immediately following the end of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government delivers on Dawn Raids commitment
    The Government is today delivering on one of its commitments as part of the New Zealand Government’s Dawn Raids apology, welcoming a cohort of emerging Pacific leaders to Aotearoa New Zealand participating in the He Manawa Tītī Scholarship Programme. This cohort will participate in a bespoke leadership training programme that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New plan to increase productivity and high wage jobs across advanced manufacturing sector
    Industry Transformation Plan to transform advanced manufacturing through increased productivity and higher-skilled, higher-wage jobs into a globally-competitive low-emissions sector. Co-created and co-owned by business, unions and workers, government, Māori, Pacific peoples and wider stakeholders. A plan to accelerate the growth and transformation of New Zealand’s advanced manufacturing sector was launched ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Aotearoa New Zealand supports Pacific countries to combat animal disease 
    New Zealand will provide support for Pacific countries to prevent the spread of harmful animal diseases, Associate Minister of Agriculture Meka Whaitiri said. The Associate Minister is attending a meeting of Pacific Ministers during the Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry in Nadi, Fiji. “Highly contagious diseases such as African ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Government delivers better public transport for Christchurch
    The Public Transport Futures project will deliver approximately: 100 more buses providing a greater number of seats to a greater number of locations at a higher frequency Over 470 more bus shelters to support a more enjoyable travel experience Almost 200 real time display units providing accurate information on bus ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Minister praises education heroes in cyclone damaged regions
    All but six schools and kura have reopened for onsite learning All students in the six closed schools or kura are being educated in other schools, online, or in alternative locations Over 4,300 education hardpacks distributed to support students Almost 38,000 community meals provided by suppliers of the Ka Ora ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Government investments drive health and business outcomes in the Bay of Plenty
    A new health centre has opened with financial support from the Government and further investment has been committed to projects that will accelerate Māori economic opportunities, Regional Development Minister Kiri Allan says. Community health provider QE Health will continue its long history in Rotorua with the official opening of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • UK NZ Working Holiday Scheme upgraded
    The new three year NZ UK Working Holiday Visas (WHV) will now be delivered earlier than expected, coming into force by July this year in time to support businesses through the global labour shortages Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says. The improved WHV, successfully negotiated alongside the NZ UK Free trade ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • 2023 Offshore Renewable Energy Forum, New Plymouth
    It seems like only yesterday that we launched the discussion document Enabling Investment in Offshore Renewable Energy, which is the key theme for this Forum. Everyone in this room understands the enormous potential of offshore wind in Aotearoa New Zealand – and particularly this region.  Establishing a regime to pave ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Milestone reached in crack down on gangs
    Police has reached a major milestone filing over 28,000 charges related to Operation Cobalt. “I’m extremely proud of the fantastic work that our Police has been doing to crack down on gangs, and keep our communities safe. The numbers speak for themselves – with over 28,000 charges, Police are getting ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New funding for Cyclone waste removal
    The Government will provide $15 million in the short term to local councils to remove rubbish, as a longer-term approach is developed, the Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced today. “Several regions are facing significant costs associated with residential waste removal, which has the potential to become a public ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Government working faster and smarter to support response and recovery
    $15 million of immediate reimbursement for marae, iwi, recognised rural and community groups $2 million for community food providers $0.5 million for additional translation services Increasing the caps of the Community and Provider funds The Government has announced $17.5 million to further support communities and community providers impacted by Cyclone ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • More Māori getting access to mental health and addiction services
    The Government’s approach of using frontline service providers to address inequities for Māori with mental health and addiction needs is making good progress in many communities, a new report says. An independent evaluation into the Māori Access and Choice programme, commissioned by Te Whatu Ora has highlighted the programme’s success ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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