I started to reply to a comment by Craig, who suggested that if Bradley Ambrose is successful in his call for the High Court to declare the ‘cup of tea’ conversation “not a private communication” that that (in Craig’s view) would be “a sad day for privacy in this country”
Oh yes? I thought. What about Democracy in this country, Craig? Or Law? … as noted yesterday in Bradley Ambrose takes the initiative:
I welcome the involvement of the courts in this fiasco
I personally think the country’s international reputation has been damaged by actions involving the police in media suppression just before a general election.
Following his complaint, apparently laid when he summoned police officers to his Beehive office (does that make it at his orders?) the police at first took the extremely unusual step (*never* in my experience) of ringing around news media organizations and overtly ‘warning’ them of the consequences of letting details of the conversation slip out — specifically pointing to big fines and jail time.
Threats? That kinda sounds like something more at home in post-coup Fiji. Or the Kingdom of Tonga.
You think I’m kidding?…
Shame. We’re used to seeing media-suppression stories like that about, well, about other countries.
Now, in what risks being seen as police-acting-as-proxy-for-the-PMO’s efforts to suppress the recording (as the BBC story demonstrates), police investigators are literally serving search warrants on news media offices … in the lead-up to an election!
Shades of Mugabe? Or am I drawing too long a bow? Really?
At least the High Court will consider the law, and (who knows?) perhaps at another time, the police actions, as they did with the Urewera 18 — gee, how did that end up again?
– P
I could draw parallels with Gaddafi and Assad of Syria … or indeed Mugabe. Whats happened is the barbeque lid got accidentally lifted – and everyone saw the feasting cockroaches that has been living below the radar – some of those “cockies” are the real attitudes of Key and his band of Merry men and women.
I am all for individual responsibility and small government says the Key Government and ACT – but when you piss me off you slimy ordinary people and the media you trust for truth … i will use the police against you you dirty peasant swine.
Thats how it looks … if it looks like poo – and smells like poo – you probably dont need to do a taste test to deduce that it is indeed …. poo
I have finally made you out Ivantheterrible. You don’t like Key or the horses he rode in on. And you like the looks of Peters. bahaha Fair enough.
Don’t you think the BBC have exaggerated the comment on ‘getting Police involved has caused a storm’? I have seen nothing regarding this. Of course we will now that a overseas publication has used journalistic license to warp reality.
In regards to my ‘it will a sad day’ comment.
This is how I see it.
Put yourself in a Cafe the next table records your own conversation on Cellphone and publish’s it somehow to cause you grievence, you would feel your privacy has been breached.
Now before you say this was different, sure I will give you that.
But they did not usher media away to talk about the weather. Also if they thought they were being recorded would they even consider talking boarder line topics. No.
ITS THE PRINCIPLE you know the things Key wants to uphold.
Also must give TV3 some cred they have gone back to Goof and asked about policy. Well done TV3.
Also in fear of sounding like John Keys son. I have been very impressed with Russell Norman. I think as a leader alone he would be pretty good.
From NZ Herald editorial today:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/election-2011/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503012&objectid=10767137
[…] media organizations in the lead-up to the general election (and creating headlines around the world thereby) did the police perhaps think better of inviting the qualified witnesses available in for a quiet […]
[…] I’m glad Ms Vance refers to the Prime Minister instigating Police raids on news media offices over the teapot tapes. I was aghast at the police’s actions on Mr Key’s behalf, acting as they did to suppress the news media on the eve of a general election. (see: A shot across the news media’s bows re cup of tea tape and Is NZ’s international reputation as a democracy taking a pasting?) […]