Written By:
- Date published:
5:53 am, July 7th, 2008 - 60 comments
Categories: national, slippery, spin -
Tags: crosby/textor
The information being leaked to Nicky Hager is obviously coming from well-placed sources inside National The idea of hacking is farcical (Lyndon Hood mocks it beautifully). In the Hollow Men, Hager refers to his sources as ‘six senior National figures’, in the SST article he talks of ‘staffers’ being concerned about the actions of Crosby/Textor. Who might they be?
Leader’s Office staff: Only a leader’s office staff member could have detailed knowledge of the Leader’s diary and access to faxes and emails, which form the basis of the Hollow Men and are also in evidence in the SST article. The motive of a staffer might be loyalty to the English camp and/or personal frustration at being overshadowed by arrogant outsiders from Crosby/Textor.
Information obtained by the SST shows the million dollars that has been spent on creating Brand Key has come from the Leader’s Budget. Someone who knows how much the C/T visits cost gave the information to Hager, so they are probably in the Leader’s Office. A million dollars is a lot of money to anyone – a principled conservative would be offended by this massive, egotistical expenditure on the deification of Key personally, not improving image for the party.
Bill English: Bill English has every motive Brash’s leadership coup was only successful because Key promised his vote to English but actually voted for Brash. Now, the incompetent glory-hound is leader, while English has to do the hard work of preparing to govern for no credit. English wants a National election win but a narrow one so he can roll Key quickly; Key himself expects to be rolled by English within 2 years of becoming PM. And English is willing to talk to his party’s opponents to undermine Key; he recently told a person he knew to be a Labour associate ‘I don’t know how long we can hold it together’ with reference to National’s internal strife. Even English’s reaction to the C/T affair strengthens this argument he was up the first National MP to front on the issue, a sign he is seen as the probable leaker. And his performance on Radio NZ on Wednesday, where he used a cartoonish misdirection* strikingly similar to the one we predicted was akin to Iago pledging fealty to Othello while winking to the crowd.
[* English said ‘Labour is obsessed with who gives advice to National. The public I would have to say is much more concerned with an economy that’s turning down interest rates that are still too high and law and order that’s out of control‘ Why is this misdirection? First, Labour is not spending heaps of time on this issue, the PM works 14 hours plus a day, in the more than 40 hours after the story broke, she had about 1.5 hours of media work with four interviews a press conference, and a scrum. In each, she was asked about the C/T affair and responded with her frank, clearly unscripted views. Total time: maybe 10 minutes. And remember – in misdirection the handkerchief is actually empty. Likewise, English and National have no answers on the economy or law and order in fact, National have not asked a single question in the House on the economy or the Budget since before the Budget.]
So let me get this straight. John Key is prepared to lie to his direct colleagues and is willing to promises loyalty to the one while giving it to the other. What’s more he can live with himself afterwards while having to work with this same person and if I’m correct he went onto discretely lobbying for himself as the leader the moment Don Brash stepped down.
In other words he’s a lying, sleazy, only loyal to his own interests (and those of his masters abroad of course. LOL) son of a bitch, and there are people who actually want to vote for him?
If the New Zealanders really are stupid enough to go for this sleaze bag they deserve everything they are going to get and then some.
While I’m certain that stuff happens and it is just politics, this little episode alone proves that John Key is not interested in consensus and democracy. Lying, political manoeuvring call it what you want I wouldn’t trust him as far as I can throw him. A smiling Assassin indeed. English learned the hard way.
What the leaks proof is that there are is still some decent people in the National party
There is a special editors note in bold in the SST (letters to editor) about Hager and his sources.
From memory it dispels the email myth by adding that Hager has received other information not held on Parliamentary Services computers.
Anyone with a copy that can confirm?
travellerev
I don’t think calling Key sleazy or SOB helps debate. I think he is being economical with the truth and possibly working in his own and certain peoples interests, but what politician doesn’t.
Anyone with a copy that can confirm?
My edition had:
Nicky Hager says his information was not gained by persons hacking into the parliamentary computer or by some other illegal means. The information leaked to him did not come from either the parliamentary computer system or from Parliamentary Services or its staff.
So, which is more likely: National ignored the disclaimer, or tried to smear Hager despite it in the hopes that nobody would notice or that the righties would play him off as untrustworthy for them?
Pb
Thats the one cheers! IMO this was quite an important disclaimer from the SST.
why don’t you just ask Hager?
Ah Andy,
As I said I’m sure stuff happens and it’s just politics.
However politicians who are not willing to risk rejection by the electorate of their policies and are willing to stick a knifes in their colleagues backs, politicians who use sleazy PR companies who are known for scaremongering and manipulation techniques are sleaze bags in my opinion. Oh and let’s not forget the “it’s just banking” strip club visits he made while being an investment banker to get guys to cough up loads of money. For one of the sleaziest, most sexist banks; Merrill Lynch. Rising all the way to top advising the most corrupt organisation in the world the Federal Reserve of New York.
This is what you have to be in order to get anywhere at Merrill Lynch:
A Merrill Lynch training tape for rookie brokers maps out the road to success on Wall Street: ‘ the tenacity of a rattlesnake, the heart of a black widow spider and the hide of an alligator.’
Judging by his nickname, the Smiling Assassin, he must have been bloody good at rattle snaking, black widowing and alligatoring.
Sorry mate, in that world only scum rises to the top.
You might want to read this about the work ethics at the Bankers trust another bank John Key thrived in:
http://aotearoaawiderperspective.wordpress.com/2008/02/19/the-bankers-trust-tapes-2/
Watch this documentary to learn more about the federal reserve:
http://aotearoaawiderperspective.wordpress.com/2008/06/02/g-edward-griffin-on-the-federal-reserve-of-new-york/
As far as I’m concerned John Key is as Hollow as they come and as far as I’m concerned there is no debate.
Monkey-boy. he has been asked and like any responsible journalist he doesn’t devulge confidential sources. but he does say they are National members, not parliamentary staff.
While I’m not a big fan of Key and think of him as at best a conveniently populist figurehead, there is something inherently wrong with seeing a sentence starting with “judging by his nickname” attempt to be taken seriously.
why don’t you just ask Hager?
I have seen Hager asked in person. He is very discrete. Whomever is leaking to Hager can continue to do so in confidence.
What the leaks proof is that there are is still some decent people in the National party
Hear hear!
sp
revulge – now that is a brilliant non-word I’ll add it to the list.
http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Made_up_Words
I still can’t see why it’s such great investigative journalism to discover that the Nats are using these PR consultants after all they have been doing so for over a decade.
rOb
Indeed the Prime Minister was fulsome in her praise for past National PMs over the weekend apparently.
I wonder what would happen if a right wing Journo had a mole in the Labour party. The left wing media would be up in arms, calling for the guy to be arrested, and you guys have the nerve to complain about Fox news.
[lprent: I don’t complain about fox news – I’m appalled that it is allowed to call itself ‘news’]
Nixon’s mole: Deep Throat
National’s mole: Deep South
Sorry for the off topic, but I want to note that 08wire is off to a flying start today:
http://08wire.org/index.php
Exploding videos, and serious analysis too!
http://08wire.org/2008/07/07/the-50-year-economic-report-card/
(Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with 08wire and I have no idea who they are)
Cheap Stoat
Tory Channel
Robbers’ Dobbers
Nats Rats
Interesting theory, but neither the National Leader’s Office nor the Parliamentary Service is subject to the Official Information Act.
[Tane: Nice try mate, but you were banned months ago and you know we don’t allow unsubstantiated smears.]
Oh you’re an angry wee man aren’t you – you’re not Bill English by any chance?
Actually no – you’re insolent prick. I can smell you bro. Still f*cking pigs I see…
Was it really? I don’t know the history, but it seemed like a good analogy – claiming that this information is from the OIA is equivelent to claiming something else via the OIA.
If anything, the subsequent statement (which I won’t repeat – this is your site after all) was designed to be false: this statement about having evidence under the OIA is false, just like my claiming [false statement X] can be proved under the OIA is false.
Graeme, that particular commenter was previously banned for repeated personal attacks against the authors of this site and for breach of policy. He’s also recently been posting names of left-wing activists he thinks might be involved with this site, using a range of IPs and pseudonyms to get around the ban.
Obviously I have no objection to arguments or criticisms made in good faith – they’re what makes a site like this worth reading. But we’re not going to put up with disruptive trolls.
Graeme. That’s what the SST story said, and are you sure on that because an OIA request got the footage of Clark talkng to the jounro conference, and that came from parliamentary service.
Ari
Yes, but it’s worth noting it’s not a nickname applied by the media or his political enemies, it’s the nickname given to him by his close colleagues and admirers in the finance world – his biggest fans.
It serves to highlight the value system of Johnny’s environment – the one he did so well in.
travellerev
And therein lies the rub. If the “Keymasters” want to debate issues, bring it on.
Yep. It’s going to funny if he does win – to watch the creeping agony as the horrible reality dawns on middle NZ that they’ve elected David Brent.
Well sorry to point out the obvious, but how can you trust Hager? After all he wrote ‘Seeds of distrust’ which cost Labour some of their vote in 2005. So by trusting him now, aren’t you having your cake and eating it too?
Steve – I am sure that that OIA does not apply to the Parliamentary Service.
As I understood it, the OIA over the tape of the speech would have been to Ministerial Services (Helen Clark being the Prime Minister). I suppose its possible that that was the basis upon which the PM was refusing its release – you requested a copy of the tape from Ministerial Services, Ministerial Services does not have a copy of the tape, the tape is held by the Parliamentary Office, to whom I have directed your request (and when it arrived, they’d have said they weren’t subject to the OIA). The argument would then have been over whether this was a ruse – was the speech given by the PM or by the Leader of the Labour Party etc. and did it really matter?
In any event, the Parliamentary Service is not subject to the OIA – or we’d have heard exactly how much Labour spent on its parliamentary-funded post-budget advertising etc.
Well sorry to point out the obvious, but how can you trust Hager? After all he wrote ‘Seeds of distrust’ which cost Labour some of their vote in 2005. So by trusting him now, aren’t you having your cake and eating it too?
Ahhh – what? And after reading it again – what?
If anything the fact that Hager has attacked both left (Labour) and right (National) should make a neutral observer rather more inclined to trust him don’t you think?
Hager speaks what he believes to be the truth, and no one should rule out what he says because they don’t want to hear his message.
Espiner on Hager:
http://stuff.co.nz/blogs/politics/2008/06/30/hagers-return-should-make-national-very-afraid/
Because he publishes well researched information. The thing about facts is that you only have to accept them – you don’t have to like them.
Get no argument from me there.
Oh, & I meant 2002 in my previous comment.
r0b, NX seems find the following questions most important when working out the value of evidence:
Who is saying it?
How loyal have they been to my position the past?
Which is perhaps worth bearing in mind should s/he stick around.
PB, sadly, that seems a fair summary.
Graeme. Ah, true. I thought that was odd about the PM tape coming from parliamentary services.
Anyway, the SST articel did say info obtained under the OIA has revelaed the moeny is coing from the Leader’s Budget, and I don’t have grounds to doubt that.
Have you read ‘seeds of mistrust’? Was it a fair assessment of the Labour government?
Follow-up to Matthew Hooten’s comments about Nicky Hager on “Nine to Noon” last week: this morning Hager received an apology from Radio New Zealand.
Those who want to continue with the “theft” smear, without any evidence, should perhaps consult with their lawyers first.
From the Herald:
^ see I’m not making up sh1t. Clark has/had a major problem with Hager’s interpretation.
So to give credence to Hager is at the expense of your own Dear Leader.
No they do not Mr Pierson. The sunday star times article does not mention official information act request or document in either Nicky Hagar article or Ruth Laugeson article. There is no OIA document from national party showing how much National spent on crosby textor or use of public money for it. You say there is SST reference to it but there is not. You made that up.
Dilip, I read the article amongst a bunch of other stuff yesterday and updated this post (which I wrote last week) later. Thought I read stuff about OIA, maybe I’ve got it wrong but the substance is correct… the money is coming out of the taxpayer-funded leader’s fund (previously, I believed it would be from the HQ funds).
Dilip. As you have the article in front of you, perhaps you could give us the words around the mention of use of the Leader’s Fund.
meanwhile at o8 wire John the Chameleon
No Mr Pierson the substance is not correct. You had no evidence that crosby textor is paid from leader’s fund, no OIA request, no OIA document, no evidence for amount spend on crosby textor, and although you say SST say there is this connection there is not. If you have people tell you you are wrong and you continue to make up new reason for why you are right which prove wrong then you lie again. That is just smear you make up with no evidence. You hope smear stick but you should try come up with credible evidence because you have no evidence but make smear anyway.
Dilip. I’m happy to amend that minor section of the post if I’ve remembered the article incorrectly. I can’t find it online, but if you want to supply the relevant parts of the text, I seem to remember the opening couple of paragraphs were the ones. maybe, you could give us your thoughts on who the mole is at the same time.
To assert I would lie about the contents of a publicly available newspaper article is absurd.
Parliamentary Services are exempt from the OIA. The definition of departments specifically excludes Parliamentary Services as can be seen under Clause 2(1): Department means a Government Department named in Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Ombudsmen Act 1975 (other than the Parliamentary Counsel Office)
Department: this definition was amended, as from 1 October 1985, by section 71(1) Parliamentary Service Act 1985 (1985 No 128) by omitting the words “the Legislative Department and’.
They are also exempted from the Ombudsmen Act(1975).
Mr Pierson you can read link at http://stuff.co.nz/4600847a20455.html . This is Nicky Hagar article. There is no talk of OIA request or one million spend on Crosby Textor or whether paid by leader’s fund or parliamentary fund. This is not minor part of your article. This is smear that you write without any evidence. You say there is reference in SST to back up your claim but there is not. You make up original claim and you make up SST evidence. You say you have done lots of reading and maybe you get it wrong. That is not excuse. You do not make smear like that without evidence which you do not have. You are caught out making up smear.
[Dilip. That’s the SST from two weeks ago, I’m talking about the SST article from yesterday. Perhaps you shouldn’t go spouting off when you haven’t seen the article. SP]
A few more juicy details about what John Key was up to as a banker.
When he just began at the Bakers trust he was a forex dealer. Now there is forex dealing and forex dealing. The first is legitimate dealing in foreign currencies and up to a point it may even be somewhat speculative but within morally defensible bounds.
But than you have a different kind of forex dealing which is dangerous and predatory causing entire economies to go into depression. Such as the Asian crisis in 1997-8.
Once upon a time Andrew Krieger worked for the Bankers trust in New York. Andy was one of the Bankers trust golden boys, a genius and able to command huge amounts of money. He is also the kind of guy that chops 400 trees of publicly owned forest next to his house because his 12 year old son needs a tennis court. A real friendly kind of a guy.
http://sierraactivist.org/article.php?sid=35831
Anyway in 1987 this Andrew decided that to gamble with the NZ dollar would be a good thing to do so he calls his account manager in new Zealand and together they mounted a brutal speculative attack on the Kiwi dollar. The attack, which has entered forex (foreign exchange) trading legend for its scale, audacity and profitability, prompted Reserve Bank alarm that the currency would collapse.
This account manager was John Key.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4385816a6160.html
Asked if he admired the man who almost destroyed the Kiwi dollar with his help he said: Asked if he admired Krieger at the time, Key says, “yes, I think at the time, yes, he was a very intelligent guy.
And goes on to say: “He was a pioneer, in the sense he was one of the few people in the world who understood the options market before it was really established. He blazed a trail and that gave him a strategic advantage early on.”
Key says he does not believe a moral issue arises for the traders who make these speculative attacks on currencies, or for the dealing rooms that carry out their orders. “I don’t really see it as a judgemental business. You’re simply executing orders for people.
It’s just business guys. It might be your livelihoods but hey it’s just following orders.
John Key ended up as the global head for forex for Merrill Lynch from 1999 until march 2001. Merrill Lynch was one of two banks involved in the Asian Financial crisis which also caused major problems for NZ. ML made huge amounts of money before the feeding bonanza collapsed after which the lost lots of money again.
What you reckon did John Key get the top job because he told people that it was not OK to play with entire economies and the lively hoods of millions of people or did he get there because he possessed the right Wall street mentality?
I would like to leave you with a nice sketch about what caused the sub prime market crash and what the function of Investment bankers was in this crisis. And yes, John Key traded in Bonds and Derivatives, in fact he was also the European head of Bonds and derivatives for Merrill Lynch. Were did he learn about this trade:
Oh oops, the Bankers trust bank was instrumental in developing these particular Bonds and Derivatives financial products.
The Bankers trust collapsed after the revelations about their nasty fraudulent trading in 1995 the very year was head hunted by Merrill Lynch. Yep, John Key is a real gem.
Sorry for the link whoring but here is the sketch in all it’s glory, enjoy: http://aotearoaawiderperspective.wordpress.com/2008/05/31/interview-with-an-investment-banker/
Dilip: What of this, from the NBR: http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/national-defends-use-parliamentary-services-funds-32794
The pertinent quote is “Today in the Sunday Star-Times Hager said Crosby-Textor invoices in 2007-08 were going to Key’s parliamentary office instead of the party.”
I think you owe Steve an apology. Or you need to start accusing the NBR of running an anti-National smear campaign.
Your call.
L
There was another article in the SST about this – it is not on line (I was trying to find it this morning)
So to give credence to Hager is at the expense of your own Dear Leader.
NX, I don’t have a Dear Leader, I have a PM. Human, fallible, hardworking and admirable.
You seem to be under the impression that I blindly support everything Labour does. No. I think they have got stuff wrong, been too timid, and made a bit of a mess of their third term. In terms of policy I am more Green than Labour. Like many on the left I’m interested in the facts, in constructive criticism, and how the left can always improve itself. (Lord knows if we want constructive criticism the left are going to have to generate it themselves, because the right can’t seem to manage it.)
So Seeds of Mistrust raised some issues with a Labour government. There was no smoking gun. To the extent that the criticisms were valid, Labour paid an electoral price. This is as it should be. Compare and contrast with The Hollow Men. The public outcry at the corrupt behaviour of the National Party front bench in the 2005 election campaign cost them their leader. This too is as it should be.
And now Hager is back in the game for 08. Who knows what he has this time. Looks like stuff on National. Maybe later it will be Labour again, or if not this time, in 2011, or 2014, or whatever. Point is, facts are facts. They can’t be ignored just because we don’t like them. If Hager has facts, you should listen.
From the SST on Sunday page 4, headline Key’s election-advice invoices undermine attacks on Labour
Does anyone know the current fair use rules? The article isn’t online so, while I’m happy to retype it so it’s available on-line, I’m not sure how The Standard would feel about it.
It’s interesting though and covers off the use of public money by the Nats and their campaign database.
Nah, let Dilip buy his own copy.
bb,
He can’t, yesterday’s SST is no longer on sale 🙂 Which is part of why I would feel very little guilt.
Anita: A complete reproduction would only be permissible under Fair Dealing provisions provided it (the complete reproduction) was necessary for `criticism, review or news reporting’:
(From the Copyright Act 1994):
42. Criticism, review, and news reporting—(1) Fair dealing
with a work for the purposes of criticism or review, of that or
another work or of a performance of a work, does not infringe
copyright in the work if such fair dealing is accompanied by a
sufficient acknowledgement.
As to whether it is, well, that depends on your eventual comment on the article 🙂
L
Lew,
Well it’s damned hard for anyone to criticise, review or discuss as news something which is unavailable… . Is that enough justification?
Would putting a PDF on the net and linking to it be better or worse than retyping? (Other than for me, obviously retyping is not better for me 🙂
Anita: Yes, my non-lawyer brain thinks it is – particularly when the point is in dispute.
I don’t see any reason why the format would make a difference as the medium remains the same.
L
Lew,
I’ve emailed it to the Standard in the hope they’ll put it somewhere handy. Otherwise I’ll think of something this evening.
But Don Brash isn’t the PM… 😉
I reckon the policy gap between Labour & the Greens is actually wider than between Labour & National. So in a sense I’m actually closer to Labour than you are.
I had a quick read of some the green policies the other day. The Greens advocate serious compulsion to achieve their policy objectives (honorable or not) – stuff the Labour party wouldn’t touch with a 20 foot barge poll.
I agree with many of Labour’s policies on social issues but not their implementation. E.g. Sue Bradford’s handling of the anti-smacking debate just rubbed people up the wrong way.
My main bear bug with Labour is their handling of the economy – too much tax churning and too much focus on growing the state.
Cullen has actually done some quite right-wing things…. he hasn’t fiddled with the reserve bank act or monetary fundamentals. Kiwisaver is pretty much private, and he’s finally offering $10 billion tax cuts. Labour also initiated some PPPs (public private partnerships).
NX, if you intend to continue with this line of reasoning you should probably state which National party policies you support.
I like National’s:
– broadband policy – which has the potential to significantly reduce the cost of telecommunications, free toll calls, faster downloads, video conferencing, productivity on a whole… etc.
– PPPs in health sector
– TVNZ policy – the charter sucks
– more aggressive tax cutting policy
– capping the number of bureaucrats at current levels
– holding back on the emissions trading bill! Let the Aussies fight it out, then copy them
^to a lesser of great extend Labour would eventually do most of these….. the main reason why I’m voting National is for a change of style @ the top.
NX: Congratulations, you’re the first National supporter on this site to actually be able to list more than one policy of National’s that they like.
I’ll be happy to buy you a beer for that alone!
L
Heh – Pint of Speight’s new Golden Summit please ;).
There’s also Nat’s policy on boot camps for young offenders.
And the 10% rebate if you make voluntarily payments towards your student loan. Not to mention they’re keeping the interest free student loans, MK I WFF and Kiwisaver.
^how it is all integrated with Tax cuts remains to be seen, so I didn’t list them.
^and that’s just off the top of my head – I read the news.
[Dave, you know better than to think you can come on here and behave like that. As someone who purports to be a journalist I’d have thought you would know better than to take Farrar/Whale’s ‘research’ at face value.]
[lprent: research? hmmmph… They’d have gotten laughed out of my uni science classes as idiots. I just had a look at it and it is pathetic. I suppose Whale has never bothered to look at our About.]
^why did you moderate Dave’s comment? Was he referring to DPF’s allegation that The Standard is stacked with Beehive staffers?
Colin Espiner from Stuff has also made a similar claim.