Posts Tagged ‘John Key’
Because I like and respect John Armstrong
I’ve learned that in the ongoing parasitic relationship between politicians and the news media (some call it symbiotic, but meh) certain actors on both sides overestimate their importance. But not John Armstrong. Read John’s column from the Weekend Herald: Government betrayal on a monumental scale. What he says about ‘the democratic fabric being ripped asunder’ […]
Claims of ‘terrorist plots’ debunked in US — ‘not buying it’
From June … Ron Paul on NSA: They Have To Justify Their Existence, Otherwise They’re Out Of Work Relevant, huh? Especially the comment ‘Give them an inch and they’ll take a mile’. Where are New Zealand’s right wing libertarians on this surveillance issue? (Serious question.) – P
John Key’s changing narrative on al-Qaeda threat in NZ
PM justifies spy bill: Kiwis trained by al-Qaeda NZ Herald 1 August 2013 Kiwi with al Qaeda links ‘no threat’ NZ Herald 31 August 2011 Yeah, this can pretty much be seen in the context we discussed on Saturday: Justifying mass surveillance with ‘terror threat’ is a right wing talking point. Also interesting: SIS spying […]
An important article by Andrea Vance & some thoughts about democracy in NZ
Seriously, read this: Spy scandal journalist speaks out Maybe I’m ‘conflicted’, since I’ve worked in the press gallery — back when it was where it should be: in the corridor on the 2nd floor of Parliament Buildings, a short stroll from the actual Parliamentary Press Gallery. I’ve used the swipe-cards, used the Parliamentary Service-provided phone […]
With respect, Mr Key, you misjudge me.
In an interview broadcast on state broadcaster (well, for now) TVNZ’s Q&A current affairs programme this morning, John Key characterised New Zealanders who’ve expressed dissent about his GCSB Bill, and specifically the thousands of us who took part in protest rallies throughout the country yesterday, as “either politically aligned or misinformed“. Listen to this 20 […]
Justifying mass surveillance with ‘terror threat’ is a right wing talking point
All over the world right wing politicians are justifying encroachments on their citizens’ civil liberties with references to the 9-11 terrorist attack or the spectre of a similar outrage. In the US, Republican presidential-possible Governor Chris Christie has just had a crack at it, whacking ‘libertarian’ concerns about privacy and civil liberties as ‘esoteric’ or […]
‘…the classic kind of despotic manoeuvre Muldoon would have tried to pull off at his most power-drunk.’
NZ Herald columnist Deborah Hill Cone lets John Key and Steven Joyce have it with both barrels in her piece today: Govt’s event-veto powers in SkyCity deal bizarre relating to a ‘bizarre‘ clause in the just-inked SkyCity convention-centre-for-casino-licence-extension-and-hundreds-of-extra-poker-machines deal with the National-led government. I’m a fan of Hill Cone’s writing, as we have discussed before. […]
Winston Peters — no stars in his eyes about John Key’s GCSB Bill
New Zealand First Party leader Winston Peters is one of the current NZ Parliament’s most experienced MPs, a lawyer, and someone who (whether you agree with him or not) has thought and spoken about NZ’s constitutional issues for decades. Here’s his interview on TVNZ’s Q&A programme this morning about John Key’s controversial proposed expansion of […]
Astonishing use of Photoshop to bend reality (John Key edition – episode 2)
Remember this?: …well I thought that was amazing use of Photoshop. But look at THIS: Astonishing! The image appeared in my Twitter stream. I don’t know who the artist is. (If you do, drop me a line in comments below or at this address, and I’ll update it.) In an effort to locate its provenance, […]
Must-read essay on John Key’s proposed spying laws
New Zealander of the Year Dame Anne Salmond has used Prime Minister John Key’s own warnings while Leader of the Opposition about ‘threats to democracy’ to condemn his planned law changes empowering the country’s spy agencies. In an essay published by the NZ Herald today, the highly respected author accuses the National Party-led government of […]
Do you find John Key’s case for expanding the powers of the GCSB convincing?
Courtesy of the NZ Herald, Key: Cyber attacks, espionage targeting NZ Do you find that clearly-scripted (by whom?) statement convincing? Because it seems the New Zealand Law Society (hardly a bunch of far-left conspiracy theorists) doesn’t appear to: Here’s the New Zealand Law Society’s view: Summary 3 The Bill changes the Government Communications Security Bureau […]
Plain sailing?
Pretty sharp cartoon from Emmerson in today’s NZ Herald: But last night’s Campbell Live report on the GCSB bill featuring an international observer* expressing astonishment at the Key Administration ‘kissing the feet’ of Washington DC, tells a different story. Watch it: Dissecting the GCSB bill The team Campbell Live is doing a sterling job … […]
John Key’s resignation? Pretty bold prediction, John.
In violation of the inverted pyramid model of news writing (most important factoids & points at the top) NZ Herald political writer John Armstrong buried his strongest line in the third-to-last paragraph of his narrative of Kim Dotcom’s appearance at the NZ Parliament’s Intelligence and Security committee last night: Outside the hearing, Dotcom accused Key […]
What is this @3NewsEditor? Pravda?
I was surprised to see 3News ‘back-announce’ a report from the first day of The Greens annual conference last night with a pure propaganda statement from the Prime Minister. Whoever was running the newsroom at the weekend made a really odd decision. Reading Mr Key’s statement — which had nothing whatsoever to do with Russel […]
Busted
During his final speech/personal explanation on resigning from Parliament yesterday disgraced National MP Aaron Gilmore paid tribute to his leader in these terms: I wish to thank the prime minister and the National Party as a whole for providing such strong leadership in challenging times. I was first elected to parliament almost five years ago, […]
