Today’s Daily Blog Watch Round-Up of matters that have attracted the attention, assessments, and articulations of this country’s leading bloggers and on-line satirists…
NZ Left Blogosphere
The Jackal blogs on John Key vs Anonymous NZ and points out an inccuracy in TV3′s reporting – and quite a serious one at that. Someone in that News department is not doing their job properly.
Jackal also commented on Anonymous NZ, which today attacked several National Partyt websites. Evidently, Dear Leader Key was miffed; threw his toys out of the cot; and threatened Auckland with nuclear annihilation if this happened again. (Len Brown replied that he thought he and Key could work together to decide how many megatonnes of thermo-nuclear death should reign down on Aukkers.)
Jackal also wonders What is the Act party on about? and looks at a Chinese-language page on the Act website. Translated, it seems that Banks (or whoever authored that trash) has been telling lies about Labour’s new housing policy…
More on Government spies on journalist by The Jackal, who asks several important questions – questions that have not, to date, been asked by the MSM.
On Open Parachute, find out The limits of science and a world record…
On The Pundit, Andrew Geddis points out Key’s attitude to Those stupid knuckleheads, whom I respect enormously. Find out who, why, what, where – it’s a short but oh-so pithy post.
Frankly Speaking blogs When governments go bad, and details the growing arrogance of a government that professes to know better than the public. Frank sez,
When governments go bad, they should expect resistance, not respect.
No Right Turn’s Savant exposes another lie from Key in his analysis of The spy bill and metadata. It seems that Dear Leader has MISLED Parliament over a matter of warrants.
A point that needs making – Savant writes,
Today, we learned that the NZDF had been spying on a kiwi journalist in Afghanistan in an effort to prevent political embarrassment. But John Key’s spy bill would let them do the same thing right here in New Zealand. Don’t believe me? Let’s look at the law…
And as usual, Savant has done his homework.
Oh FFS – Savant pans the Labour Opposition for not exploiting Question Time to ram home the Nat’s vulnerabilities on current GCSB and spying-related issues. Instead, Labour are of on a tangeant – and not doing so well in the process. Thank god for the Greens!
Something doesn’t add up here – Savant spots an inconsistancy in Defence Minister Coleman’s finger pointing at the previous Labour government…
A dumb idea that was suggested at the weekend’s anti-GCSB Bill rally,
At the anti-GCSB protest on Sunday, one of the speakers suggested that we use the Official Information Act to effectively conduct a DDOS attack on them by asking trivial questions about toothpaste and toilet paper. This is a dumb idea…
Find out what Savant suggests instead. And it makes sense.
There is an alternative to Key’s mass Surveillance State legislation – and it’s pretty damn simple.
Find out why No-one likes a snoop II - andf how it could affect our exports to Europe!! It seems that the NSA’s illegal activities in Europe have already affected US businesses – could we be next if that fool of a PM passes the GCSB Bill??
Meanwhile…,
“Meanwhile, on the same day we learn that the government did spy on a political journalist, we also learn that the army threatened to murder a war correspondent…”
Spying on journalists III – Savant covers the shock news that,
“…Henry inquiry had asked Parliamentary Services for Andrea Vance’s private phone records, we were told that they had not been handed over. It was a lie…”
Keep track of Savant’s posts on this issue – his coverage is far superior to that of the msm. This is what the media should be reporting, but are not.
Morgan Godfery on Mauri Street writes an excellent piece on homophobia vs free speech. He discusses The ethics of a walk out and makes this salient point,
However – and this is the second point – odious views don’t have an absolute right to be heard and taken seriously. MPs and Youth MPs aren’t entitled to a captive audience. The walk out represented a powerful condemnation of homophobia. Too often homophobia is minimised as ‘an opinion’. Cloaking the offensive behaviour as ‘an opinion’ compounds the hurt. Homophobia is homophobia, racism is racism, sexism is sexism, ableism is ableism and so on.*
Indeed. This is something that homophobes, racists, misogynists, and other bigots who use free speech to spread their repugnant views forget – others can also use free speech to condemn them.
That’s free speech.
Are you one of the 70,000 who just got un-enrolled? asks Holly Walker on Frogblog. Holly tells us that 70,000 people have been removed from the electoral roll, and that people have till 16 August to re-enroll in time for the local body elections.
Share a Coke with Stalin on Bat, Bean, Beam, who looks at Coca Cola’s rat-cunning marketing strategies – including teaming up with other big corporates like Google Maps to push their product. Coke’s marketing agenda verges on the Evil World Domination variety – but without a James Bond-like hero to thwart their nefarious plans.
Check out Matt L’s The Congestion Free Network on the Auckland Transport Blog. Matt L also writes about All that wasted space – the vast spaces designated for car-parking in urban areas. Matt highlights the problem with easy-to-understand schematics.
Fightback outlines how the Government shifts responsibility for enforcing welfare reforms, and how it constitutes little more than bene-bashing,
In challenging these changes, we need to be demanding both jobs for unemployed job-seekers, and for the right of people not performing paid work to receive adequate financial support in a way that respects their wellbeing and dignity.
Overall, an excellent analysis.
Meanwhile, Gareth on Hot Topic, writes on NZ PM BP: John Key and the Fellowship of the Drill – beyond parody,
The growing disconnect between the NZ government’s promotion of New Zealand as a 100% Pure tourist destination, and its desire to see more offshore oil and gas exploration and increased mining for coal and minerals is certainly attracting attention around the world. Graham Readfearn’s article New Zealand pushing plans to drill Middle-earth as Hobbit filming ends is top environment story on the Guardian web site today. Readfearn riffs on the completion of filming for the last part of the Hobbit trilogy, set against a frankly astonishing promotional video by PM John Key, in which he waxes lyrical about our beautiful country, and then describes how he’s committed to ruining it. Have a look: it is — as Greenpeace NZ noted — beyond parody.
Read the whole piece and check out the video.
If only all New Zealanders saw this…
And if only all New Zealanders read The Civilian,
‘Everything is fixed,’ says Key
Responding to the newly-announced housing policy of his rival David Shearer, Prime Minister John Key told media this morning that there was no need for a policy like that, because everything in New Zealand is “fixed,” and now that his Government has passed a bill restructuring the powers of the GCSB, there is nothing more left to do.
“Our work here is done,” declared Key at a scheduled press conference this morning. “After five years of a strong, focused National Government, we are proud to announce that we have finally fixed New Zealand.
“Crime is down. A bit. Unemployment is down. A bit. Growth is up. Somewhat. Poverty is about where it used to be. These are all things that we can be proud of, or not worry about because it’s Tuesday, and to be honest, we all have day jobs.”
Stuff.co.nz to introduce Stuff+1 with hour delay
Popular New Zealand news website Stuff.co.nz has announced plans to unveil a new version of its webpage that will feature news one hour later than it appears on the regular site.
Stuff+1, modeled after the recent phenomenon of television channels TV One plus 1, TV3+1 and the upcoming TV2+1, will allow readers to get their news at least one hour after it is initially reported, so that they can absorb the day’s events “at their own pace.”
Read the entire satirical posts. Ben has his finger on the pulse of things…
On Robert Guyton, New Zealand’s clean & green reputation is under threat as Key is set to start Drilling Middle-earth. This, my fellow New Zealanders, is true economic vandalism.
Today on The Standard,
John Banks and racism – Anthony R0bins writes on John Banks’ racism,
At the moment there are plenty of racists trying to accuse Labour of racism. I might put together a post on the Iwi/Kwi Orewa Nats later on, but in the mean time I give you – John Banks…
Questions for Key – Zetetic – asks,
Why is it acceptable to his government that, under the current law, Kiwi families can be outbid for Kiwi houses by overseas speculators who have no intention of living here?
This gives me heart - IrishBill writes,
The Herald is reporting that more that 51% of Kiwis are in favour of giving beneficiaries with kid the Working for Families tax credit.
That’s right, just over half of New Zealanders polled wanted to give beneficiaries more money despite twenty years of active demonisation of beneficiaries by the right.
The non-resident property speculators are….? – Karol writes,
An NZ Herald (anonymous) editorial, spells out the problem for Shearer in the way opponents of his policy will attempt to brand it as racist. For once the usually Nat leaning Herald exposes some of the Nat spin, albeit with some backhanders and hits against the left. The article begins by saying that any government proposing restrictions on “foreign investment in residential property” would be accused of racism. Then it focuses on Shearer’s announcement of such a policy…
Idiot tweet of the day – Collins
Perhaps someone with a lot of patience and a big blue crayon would like to take Collins aside and explain to her that the difference in security measures for a nothing website versus a bank…
Andrea Vance’s phone records were handed to Henry by Parliamentary Services - mickysavage writes,
So let’s get this straight. Henry asked for the phone records, the information was collated and handed to him “inadvertently”, he then returned them without viewing them and he is now saying that he never asked for them, and Carter says that Parliamentary Services didn’t but did hand the information over to Henry. Talk about Kafkaesque.
Speculation – Bill writes,
I know many of the liberal left don’t like or can’t accept the thought that banning non-residents from speculating on residential property in NZ is in any way xenophobic. Thankfully, from my perspective at least, the liberal left doesn’t speak for the whole of the left. Thing is, this banning of foreign investment is similar to the proposed Crafar Farms deal with China’s Shanghai Pengxin. And just as many of the liberal left exhibited large dollops of xenophobia over that little affair but just couldn’t bring themselves to recognise that fact, well…it’s déjà vu – with the caveat that all foreigners, bar Australians, are the bad guys this time.
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Cunning Public Relations of The Day
On Red Alert, the Labour Party pledges that their Housing policy backs all New Zealanders. The blogpost outlines the policy to some details and rejects any suggestion that it is racist and anti-Chinese.
The blogpost was written by Labour MP, Raymond Huo, who writes,
As the first Chinese New Zealand Labour Party Member of Parliament, I am very proud to be part of the policy team behind this initiative.
Very cunning, these Pakeha. Excellent strategy.
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From the Daily Blog
John Key describes those protesting GCSB spy laws as ‘misinformed’ – Martyn Bradbury writes,
Key is either lying or he is totally ignorant of how far reaching these changes really are. 10 years after building the Waihopai spy base, David Lange admitted in the forward to Nicky Hager’s book on the Echelon programme that he had no idea the scope of what he had agreed to. These laws will allow domestic spying for corporate interests and Key is either being deceptive about that or he is being totally incompetent in his role as our democratic oversight.
The Erosion Of Our Civil Liberties – I Think We’ve All Had Enough – John Minto writes,
This year’s GCSB (Government Communications Security Bureau) Bill and TICS (Telecommunications Interception Capability and Security) Bill come after: 2002 Terrorism Suppression Act, 2003 Government Communications Security Bureau Act, Telecommunications (Interception Capability) Act, Crimes Amendment Act, Counter-Terrorism Bill, Border Security Bill…
No Friend of Democracy: To Whom is the NZDF Answerable? – Chris Trotter writes,
Over the next few days we can expect to see the civil power make a fine show of reasserting its democratic oversight and control over a wayward military. It should not be taken seriously. Because, at the same time… the head of New Zealand’s intelligence community, PM John Key, will be shepherding through Parliament a bill which enables Her Majesty’s armed forces to maintain a watching brief over every subversive – or merely conscientious – journalist in the entire country.
How Art Can Be The Antidote To Downtown Doledrums – Aaron Hawkins writes,
When times are tight, it always seems to be tempting for those in charge of the public purse to relegate art, culture and heritage to Luxury Status. It is a Nice To Have, but doesn’t quite cut it for those lobbying for a focus on Core Business or a Back To Basics Approach.
Why the shit are so many otherwise-reasonable people against unions? – Burnt Out Teacher writes,
Unions in 2013 have become this weird swearword-type thing. Normal people – the ones who would benefit the most from unions in their own workplaces – have come to believe the hype that unions are troublemakers.
Documentary’s Key Spy Witness Reveals How SIS Failed New Zealand - Selwyn Manning writes,
Behind The Shroud will broadcast for the first time in New Zealand on FaceTV & Sky Ch 83 On Monday, 8pm – In preparing this documentary for broadcast, I kept asking myself: have our intelligence agencies learnt from their mistakes? Considering the Kim Dotcom case it appears not… Specifically, Behind The Shroud reveals information that has been cloaked in official secrecy. It takes the viewer on a journey into that shadowy world of spies and espionage through interviews with key players in the great game.
NZDF are liars and media manipulators – Martyn Bradbury writes,
I have zero problem in concluding that the NZDF did in fact spy on Jon Stephenson and that they are still spying on him.
Let’s Talk Therapy - Coley Tangerina writes,
Your friendly Prime Minister John Key just loves the youf. He has a Youth Mental Health Project which consist of fucking truancy officers, the funding equivalent of NGO cage-fighting, fluffy school programmes and E-therapy. I wish I was fucking joking.
Those who love Big Brother – Frank Macskasy writes,
It seems fairly clear that supporters of the GCSB Bill are not so keen to abandon their privacy after all. Or, perhaps, being National Party supporters, they believe that Dear Leader Key will be Prime Minister forever, and “their man” would never spy on his loyal supporters.
The Earth is Moving! - Simon Prast writes,
When it comes down to it, I suspect the threat that he’s so concerned about is economic. I doubt he’s even considered your physical well-being. Kim Dotcom’s ‘crime’, whatever it is, is economic. He didn’t kill anyone or rape them or fly anything into anything else. Ostensibly (and deportably: remember I’m talking about FBI-armed-raid-on-you-house-ably), he breached someone’s copywright.
It’s time to ditch TVNZ – Morgan Godfery writes,
With the death of TVNZ 7, Maori TV (MTS) is the only non-commercial public broadcaster. TVNZ is the public broadcaster – technically at least – while MTS is the Maori broadcaster. That should change.
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Blogpost of the Day
On Bowalley Road, Chris Trotter describes The Contagion Of Evil that is New Zealand’s involvement in Afghanistan and a US prison at Bagram Airbase. Chris describes how the NZ Defence Force has been corrupted to such a degree that it now spies on – and apparently threatens – New Zealand journalists.
Jon Stephenson has reported the truth about our involvement in Afghanistan – and for his pains has been declared an Enemy of the State.
Read Chris’s full blogpost.
Don’t get frightened.
Get angry.
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Direct Actions
By 16 August
Are you one of the 70,000 who just got un-enrolled?
The Electoral Commission have just had to remove 70,000 New Zealanders from the electoral roll, after the election packs they sent out for the local body elections later in the year were returned, saying ‘gone – no forwarding address’. This was part of the checks to make sure that everyone who’s eligible is correctly enrolled to vote.
This means that there’s 70,000 people out there who have moved house but may not know even realise that they won’t be able to vote at the election.
If you think you might be included in this number, don’t despair! You’ve still got time to re-enrol in time to vote at the local body elections this year. Just head to www.elections.org.nz, freetext your name to 3676, call 0800 36 76 56 or go to any PostShop by August 16th.
Hat-tip: Frogblog
By 22 August
Submit!
The Commerce Committee has called for submissions on the New Zealand International Convention Centre Bill (AKA the crony convention-centre bill). You can submit directly via the link above, or by sending two copies to
Commerce Committee Secretariat
Parliament Buildings
Wellington
Submissions are due by Thursday, 22 August 2013. Topics to raise: the unconstitutionality of the bill purporting to bind future Parliaments to compensate SkyCity of there is a change of government (and of policy); the anti-freedom of speech clause in the deal and its incompatibility with the Bill of Rights Act. While the latter isn’t actually in the bill, criticism by the committee could see it removed from the deal, or make a future BORA case against its exercise substantially easier.
Hat-tip: No Right Turn
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Thought for the Day
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~ Joe Blogger,
“The Daily Blog Watch” Editor, Imbiber of Fine Sugary Drinks, & moa-whisperer
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~oo~