Andrea Vance explodes and demands truth.

At last Andrea Vance speaks out…it’s about time!

Because she proves that Key is a coward, and a gutless backroom bully who hides behind others and makes others look stupid while he actually gives the orders.

He is so used to getting his own way via his cheque book and imposed threats that he just can’t understand what freedom means to real people.

Key we are presented with via the media is not a real person; he is a created public relations image, created by brought people to whom truth is alien.

He is a portrait painted using water colours, when you splash water on it, it melts and runs and reveals what’s behind the image…nothing but damp squid, smelly, fishy, unappetizing and of no value.

And the public now knows it.

What the wider public is at last comprehending is that all those who work around or are employed by Key get contaminated and they too then start to smell, John Banks, Peter Dunne, Steven Joyce, Sky City, Mediaworks,

Here is what Andrea Vance had to say: You decide if she has a case.

In other circumstances, I could probably find something to laugh about in revelations that the journalist who broke a story about illegal spying was snooped on by Parliament's bureaucrats.

Let alone the irony that the reporter previously worked for the News of the World, the tabloid at the centre of a privacy violation scandal.

But I am that journalist and I'm mad as hell.

Anyone who has had their confidential details hacked and shared around has the right to be angry.

My visit to Speaker David Carter's office on Tuesday left me reeling.

My jaw dropped when he sheepishly confessed that a log of all calls I placed to people around Parliament over three months was released to an inquiry focused on the leak of the Kitteridge report on the Government Communications Security Bureau.

After weeks of Parliamentary Service dodging Fairfax Media's questions about the phone records, I was finally assured on Thursday - thanks to questions lodged by Greens co-leader Russel Norman - that my calls hadn't been scrutinised.

It was a small comfort, after learning my movements around the building had been tracked using the security swipe card that hangs around my neck most days.

On Tuesday, an IT staffer showed me pages of "metadata" - a record of hundreds of calls I made between February and May.

The conversations, of course, aren't disclosed, but you can glean a lot from matching numbers, time and the dates of published stories.

After the news broke, I fully expected my phone to fall silent as sources shied away from being burned. Thankfully, it hasn't.

Now the Speaker and Prime Minister John Key claim a cock-up (by a low-level contractor) over conspiracy.

Forgive me if those assurances ring hollow.

Details of inquiry head David Henry's intrusive and outrageous behaviour have had to be dragged from all parties. (He, curiously, omitted any reference of the swipe card records from his report.)

Can I, and my sources, be confident the records weren't viewed? They were held on a Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet server up until Tuesday night.

Why - if they had acted so properly - did the Henry Inquiry not notify me of this intrusion? It rankles that Key was told days before I was.

I don't know who had access to my records, and I'm suspicious why, on June 5 - less than a week after the unauthorised release - NZ First leader Winston Peters was making some startling allegations in the House about phone records.

Ad Feedback The prime minister's office, the Speaker, and Parliamentary Service have been unable to offer a guarantee that there was no leak to Peters.

However, all this is not really what's got me fizzing.

What has got my goat is the casting aside of something we journalists hold very precious: press freedom.

I watched with horror at the news, in May, that the US Justice Department had quietly obtained records listing incoming and outgoing calls, and their duration, of Associated Press reporters.

It chilled me to the core that the identities of journalists’ sources were laid bare to investigators, with no opportunity for AP to put up a fight.

Rather naively, I assumed it could never happen here: Surely not in little old, top-of-the-transparency-index New Zealand?

What was I thinking?

Key insists that he "values the role of the fourth estate".

He might well cherish the opportunities it gives him to beam into our living rooms at teatime, but it has become rather obvious that this government has a casual disregard for media's true role as an independent watchdog.

Journalists were dismissed in a tantrum as "knuckleheads".

The teapot tapes fiasco - when Key laid a complaint about eavesdropping on a personal conversation - led to police raids on newsrooms.

This week, the Defence Force stood accused of monitoring the phone calls of war correspondent Jon Stephenson, a man whose credibility Key has previously impugned.

That contempt for the press continued yesterday with the obfuscation around what Henry had actually requested.

He might not have asked for details of all the phone calls I made, but he certainly asked what calls I placed to ministers and their staff.

It amounts to the same thing.

Crucially, Key ordered that inquiry and he can no more shrug off responsibility for how it was conducted than Henry can.

I don't want an apology.

But I wish both men would do New Zealand's media the courtesy of taking responsibility for the unreasonable activities undertaken by that inquiry, which undermined the freedoms I and my colleagues hold so dear.



Eavesdropper reveals GCSB PN plot.

Who sent the email?

TV 3 and Media Works have some questions to answer

Was this person so trustworthy that you never doubted his/her word?

What information have they passed on to you in the past?

Are they military, GCSB, ex newspaper employees, politicians or want-to-be politicians?

Wheeler’s Corner inside the GCSB, Eavesdropper may help provide the answer; he was doing security duty in the PM’s Office on Monday when he overheard a conversation between the PM and his best mate. Since this is a hot topic at the moment I felt compelled to report this very revealing conversation:

“Have you got a spare few minutes John”, asked Ian, as he poked his head into John’s rather large and palatial office. Eavesdropper knew Ian because Ian happened to be his Top-Boss at the GCSB.

“Absolutely I’m comfortable with that”, answered John as he removed his feet from his desk and put the file marked Top Secret US FBI report on [Too secret to reveal] in his desk draw. “Pull up a chair and remove your dark shades”, he added.

“We’ve got a problem”, said Ian in a very secretive tone.

“Not another one…they haven’t found the emails about that investigative fellow Stevenson have they?

“Not yet, but we think we have destroyed all the copies but you can never tell with the Defence Department they’ve got so many whistle blowers”, said Ian, rather sadly.

“Well what is it this time”, it can’t get much worse nobody trusts the bloody GCSB now days anyway”, said the PM.

“Yes I know, especially after the weekend with protests in Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland and even in Palmerston North”, whispered Buddy Ian.

“Palmerston North! Gee where next God-damn Taihape”, interrupted Key in a rather whining voice with a sort of a high pitch itch to it.

“Oh stop acting like you use to in our school days, especially when you were caught charging interest on pocket money loans”, said Ian.

“Oh right Ian, I’ll admit you’ve got a good memory, any way what’s the problem? Cried Key, as his face turned a brighter shade of pink.

“Well our GCSB under-cover man in Palmerston North sent a email to TV3 telling them that there was bottle and rock throwing during the protest and TV3 ran that on their six o’clock news without checking out the facts”, said Ian, with head lowered.

“Christ Ian, who was he Ian”, yelled John Key.

“Can’t tell you than John, its secret”, muttered Ian

“Don’t be stupid, I’m your boss when I ask a question, you answer, I hired you for just that purpose”, screamed John.

“I know and I’m grateful for your charity, but now that I’m in the job, I’ve found out who my real boss is and it isn’t you…” said Ian before John Key cut him off…

“Who the hell is your boss”, uttered Key stunned and shocked.

“Lets just say they don’t live in New Zealand”, said Ian

‘Oh, them, right I understand, well what’s happening to this idiot in Palmerston North Ian, we’ll have to put a lid on this stuff up, said John Key now even pinker.

“We are trying to blackout his email and he’ll be posted back to his Air Force base which isn’t far from Palmerston North”, we’ve removed his name from the books”, said Ian after gaining some confidence and sounding more grown up than before.

The conversation ended there because Mr. David Henry the PM’s head of department came into the office unannounced and said, “Sorry PM but question time practice is about to start” and the speaker wants you there.

Wheelers Corner Eavesdropper switched off his recorder and rushed the tape to me, I have transcribed the conversation.

Here is the earlier item from Lucy Townsend of the Manawatu Standard on the 29th of July 2013

  

GCSB protesters have laid formal complaints with the Broadcasting Standards Authority after an inaccurate television report said rocks and bottles were thrown during a Palmerston North rally.

A 3 News report on Saturday claimed Palmerston North people clashed with police, throwing bottles and rocks, during the city's protest.

Police have refuted these claims and 3 News has accepted it was an error, and will issue an apology in tonight's news bulletin.

Palmerston North people were among the thousands nationwide making a public stand to oppose the Government's Communications Security Bureau Amendment Bill - which will expand the legal power of the GCSB to spy on New Zealanders.

About 150 people gathered in the city centre to march around The Square and voice their opinions on the controversial topic of covert surveillance.

Protest organiser Teanau Tuiono said the event was a family-friendly, peaceful protest that allowed people to be informed on the proposed law change.

The organisers invited protesters to the pub afterward to continue talks.

Mr Tuiono said he was disappointed when he saw the opening segment of TV3's 6pm news bulletin stating Palmerston North protesters had been causing havoc, but with no footage of them doing so.

''It inferred we were violent towards police and there were no such incidents.

''The reporting of these fictitious actions are inaccurate and denigrates the support in the provinces ... and it begs the question, why would they do it?''

Protesters said they had laid complaints with 3 News, MediaWorks, which owns TV3, and the Broadcasting Standards Authority.

''It casts Palmerston North in a bad light, and it was untrue and inaccurate,'' Mr Tuiono said.

''A significant portion of the population is going to tune into TV3 news and say 'Hey, look they're up to trouble in Palmerston North' and they'll believe it.

''The intention was to support what was happening around the country in a display of solidarity.''

TV3's Auckland bureau chief Keith Slater said an email from a person within the Palmerston North area provided the tip.

He would not comment on why it wasn't verified.

''3 News acted on information provided that was incorrect and we will rectify that error,'' he said before the apology went to air.

Palmerston North Sergeant Gina Atkinson, who attended the protest, said it was peaceful and no objects were thrown.

Police weren't asked to attend but because it was in her patrol area, Ms Atkinson went along.

She said organisers did everything correctly by contacting the police and the council beforehand.

No complaints were received afterwards.



GCSB Spy on our journalists.

Am I glad that I am no longer a full time soldier!

I don’t what the hell our country is coming to, have we lost all resemblance of an honest society or am I just having a frightening nightmare?

When I awake will it all have gone away? I think not.

US spies on behalf of our Defence Forces monitored the phone calls of Kiwi journalist Jon Stephenson and his associates while he was in Afghanistan reporting on the war.

Now that behavior is straight out of the US handbook on how to destroy freedom by those who think we have no right to know.

Stephenson has described the revelation as a serious violation of his privacy and the intrusion into New Zealand media freedom has been slammed as an abuse of human rights.

How can any thinking New Zealander disagree with that statement, you’d have to be a US psychopathic fan club member of McCarthy or GW Bush or even Obama, to accept that behaviour without question. This from the Sunday Star Times [not exactly a leftwing journal, but not yet a member of the Fox news stable]

"The spying came at a time when the New Zealand Defence Force was unhappy at Stephenson's reporting of its handling of Afghan prisoners and was trying to find out who was giving him confidential information.

The Sunday Star-Times has learned that New Zealand Defence Force personnel had copies of intercepted phone "metadata" for Stephenson, the type of intelligence publicised by US intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden. The intelligence reports showed who Stephenson had phoned and then who those people had phoned, creating what the sources called a “tree” of the journalist’s associate [s].

This is yet another case of spying on NZ citizens to go with Key’s Kim Dotcom illegal phone tapping.

New Zealand SAS troops in Kabul had access to the reports and were using them in active investigations into Stephenson.

The sources believed the phone monitoring was being done to try to identify Stephenson's journalistic contacts and sources. They drew a picture of a metadata tree the Defence Force had obtained, which included Stephenson and named contacts in the Afghan government and military.

The sources who described the monitoring of Stephenson's phone calls in Afghanistan said that the NZSIS has an officer based in Kabul who was known to be involved in the Stephenson investigations.

And since early in the Afghanistan war, the GCSB has secretly posted staff to the main US intelligence centre at Bagram, north of Kabul. They work in a special "signals intelligence" unit that co-ordinates electronic surveillance to assist military targeting. It is likely to be this organisation that monitored Stephenson.

The Human Rights Foundation says Defence Force involvement in monitoring a journalist is an abuse of fundamental human rights.

The news has emerged as the Government prepares to pass legislation which will allow the Defence Force to use the GCSB to spy on New Zealanders.

The Stephenson surveillance suggests the Defence Force may be seeking the GCSB assistance, in part, for investigating leaks and whistleblowers.

He said there was "a world of difference between investigating a genuine security threat and monitoring a journalist because his reporting is inconvenient or embarrassing to politicians and defence officials".



Rhys Jones illegally used GCSB to spy. 

 The Star-Times asked Chief of Defence Force Rhys Jones and Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman if they were aware of the surveillance of Stephenson, if they approved of it and whether they authorised the investigation of Stephenson (including the phone monitoring). They were also asked if they thought journalists should be classified as threats. Neither answered the questions.

Defence Force spokesman Geoff Davies said: "As your request relates to a legal matter involving Jon Stephenson which is still before the court, it would not be appropriate for the Chief of Defence Force to comment."

In fact, none of the issues before that court relate to the surveillance or security manual.

Coleman's press secretary said the minister was not available for comment and to try again next week.

Green Party co-leader Russel Norman said the monitoring of Stephenson demonstrates that the security services see the media and journalists as a legitimate target.

"Democracy totally relies on a free and independent press," he said. "Current attempts to strengthen the security apparatus for monitoring New Zealanders is deeply disturbing and menacing for democracy."

The manual says Chief of Defence Force approval is required before any NZDF participation in "counter intelligence activity" is undertaken. (See separate story)

Victoria University lecturer in media studies Peter Thompson said the Afghanistan monitoring and the security manual's view of investigative journalists confirmed the concerns raised in the High Court case. There was "a concerted and deliberate effort to denigrate that journalist's reputation for political ends".

There is currently controversy in the United States over government monitoring of journalists. In May the Associated Press reported that the Justice Department had secretly obtained two months' worth of phone records of its reporters and editors.

The media organisation said it was a "massive and unprecedented intrusion" into its news gathering process.

In the minds of the defence chiefs, probing journalists apparently belong on the same list as the KGB and al Qaeda.

The manual, which was issued as an order by the Chief of Defence Force, places journalists among the hostile individuals. It defines "The Threat" as espionage, sabotage, subversion and terrorism, and includes investigative journalists under the heading "subversion".

Subversion, it says, is action designed to "weaken the military, economic or political strength of a nation by undermining the morale, loyalty or reliability of its citizens."

It highlights people acquiring classified information to "bring the Government into disrepute".

This threat came from hostile intelligence services and extreme organisations, and "there is also a threat from certain investigative journalists who may seek to acquire and exploit official information for similar reasons", it says.

  

It notes: "The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service is the only organisation sanctioned to conduct Counter Intelligence activities in New Zealand. [Chief of Defence Force] approval is required before any NZDF participation in any CI activity is undertaken."

Under the NZSIS Act, subversion is a legal justification for surveillance of an individual.

The sources who described the monitoring of Stephenson's phone calls in Afghanistan said the NZSIS has an officer based in Kabul who was known to be involved in the Stephenson investigations.

To reinforce its concern, the defence security manual raises investigative journalists a second time under a category called "non-traditional threats". The threat of investigative journalists, it says, is that they may attempt to obtain "politically sensitive information".

Politically sensitive information, such as the kind of stories that Stephenson was writing, is however about politics and political accountability, not security. Metro magazine editor Simon Wilson, who has published a number of Jon Stephenson's prisoner stories, said the Defence Force seemed to see Stephenson as the "enemy", as a threat to the Defence Force.

"But that's not how Jon works and how journalism works," he said. "Jon is just going about his business as a journalist."

The New Zealand Defence Force "seems to be confusing national security with its own desire not to be embarrassed by disclosures that reveal it has broken the rules", he said.

Now if that's not enough to get you thinking about bugs then nothing will...After this weekends protests over the GCSB bill we should all be scared...very scared some would say. If you'd like to read the whole item go to:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8972743/US-spy-agencies-eavesdrop-on-Kiwi

Have you got a backbone.

Curtain-raiser to the GCSB protests on Saturday 27 July 2013;

They turned up in their hundreds [500] and listened to a high grade series of speakers headed by Dame Anne Salmond NZ’s person of the year, Dr Rodney Harrison QC, Thomas Beagle and Kim Dotcom. It was chaired by retired Supreme Court Judge Sir Ted Thomas. Now that list is not exactly a list of radical leftwing protesters. Which goes to prove that the bulk of thinking and caring New Zealanders across the board are opposed to John Keys make-over of the GCSB?

Now while the NZ Herald is no true friend of thinking and caring New Zealanders, with reporter like John Armstrong on its payroll, it had little choice but to cover this huge event. It proves that sometimes, just sometimes you can shift main stream media out of their one eyed, ‘protect Key from public scrutiny’, at all costs mode and into a slight resemblance of professional journalism. Here is their report:    

Kim Dotcom urged New Zealanders last night to oppose the GCSB spying bill - but predicted it would take a change of government next year to protect their privacy.

The comments came during a public meeting where 500 people heard Mr Dotcom join academics, civil libertarians and lawyers in opposing the legislation.

Mr Dotcom had the most personal story to tell - part of the current debate is the fallout following the discovery of illegal spying on him by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB).

Poll: More people believe Dotcom

He was joined on stage by New Zealander of the Year Dame Anne Salmond, Law Society representative Dr Rodney Harrison, QC, and Tech Liberty online rights advocate Thomas Beagle.

The meeting was chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Sir Ted Thomas, who tongue-in-cheek pledged neutrality on the "iniquitous, scurrilous and foul bill".

Mr Dotcom said he expected a change of government would be needed to reverse the law, which is likely to pass with a one-vote majority now United Future leader Peter Dunne has pledged his support.

Labour MP David Cunliffe sat in the front row last night. His party leader, David Shearer, watched unnoticed from the rear of the hall with Labour's finance spokesman, David Parker.

"I am a living and breathing example of why the GCSB must not be given greater powers and limited accountability," Mr Dotcom said.

Referring to the special warrant signed to keep secret the illegal spying against him, he said government actions had been telling.

"[Their] first response was dishonesty, followed by an attempted cover-up.

"The new GCSB bill is like raising the speed limit after getting a speeding ticket. And it doesn't mean the GCSB won't be speeding again."

Dame Anne Salmond said the proposed spy law was one of a series - the others were passed recently - which threatened the rights of New Zealanders. She said Kiwis shouldn't suffer an "electronic McCarthyism" and called on politicians to show "backbone".

"At times like this they need to show some backbone and prove they are worthy of the trust we place in them."

Now to do just that just turn up at one of these meetings and show our politicians that at least we have backbones…

 

Auckland- Aotea Square - 2pm-4pm

Hamilton - Garden Place - 2pm-4pm

Napier - Memorial Square - 2pm-4pm
Wellington - Cuba St Bucket Fountain (2pm) then march to The Beehive
(3pm) for speakers - 2pm-4pm

Nelson - iSite, Halifax St - 2pm-4pm

Christchurch - Bridge of Remembrance - 2pm-4pm

Dunedin - The Octagon - 2pm-4pm

Palmerston North – The Square 2pm -4pm

Dictatorship is the default mode

Creepy dictatorship is the default mode:

Tom Scott hits the nail on the head, and shows via his cartoon, just how rotten and creepy politics has become.

Dunne was created by the Roger Douglas era; he was and still is a politician without principle, which makes him a perfect partner for John Key.

Both he and Key were molded in the same cast. Key made his money by selling off New Zealand dollars on credit and taking a bonus for doing so. He was a middle man, rake-off artist and manipulator, most of his clients went broke with his assistance.

Dunne was like wise a money chaser and changed his colours accordingly so as to gain the biggest salary packet, his spineless behaviour has been practiced with great skill, but like all bluffers he finally got caught out, because of his own stupidity in the use of emails to Andrea Vance with whom he developed are rather strange relationship.

Others found out about the emails, but only one other had all copies and they just happened to be dropped into his briefcase one Monday morning by a good friend named Ian Somebody Or Other.

He read them with a smirk and thought to himself, ‘how can I use this information to my best advantage. What do I need from this funny wee chap Peter Somebody, who forever likes to please those in power and I’m certainly the power these days. I’mmm oh yes I need just one more vote to give me a hell of a lot more power to spy on my enemies and my friends. Enemies like Kim Dot-What’s-his-name and friends like John B who I’ve got wrapped up tight.

But what I want more than anything is absolute obedience, I’ve got that with National, look at how they voted for my Sky City casino deal…I told the Sky City CEO I’d deliver and I did…a deal is a deal…none of this conscience vote grap…only fools have a conscience! And now that Peter Somebody has caved in I’ve got the GCSB changes in the bag…and then I’ll be able to have absolute obedience from the great unwashed.

I’ll really be able to expand my holy vision and pull the puppet strings of Paula, Judith, Hekia,  Steven, Jerry and that loser Bill will all be dead and powerless ducks. All my Christmases will come at once…the US will be so proud of me that they will offer me full citizenship when I move to Hawaii…which means I won't have to pay any God-damn tax.

In his dream world he forgot to consider one word, ‘Disobedience’ and that disobedience starts this Saturday at 2pm in all the major cities… He has united the nation against his egotistical madness. You can’t appoint your best friend to the top job in the GCSB, pretend not to have known about the illegal raid on Kim Dotcom, follow orders from the US Attorney General against the interests of NZ citizens by changing the law to justify illegal behaviour by our stupid overseas controlled spies.

Do you want to be a part of the Disobedience Movement rather than the National obedience team…if so join in while disobedience [protest is still legal]

Auckland - Aotea Square - 2pm-4pm

Hamilton - Garden Place - 2pm-4pm

Napier - Memorial Square - 2pm-4pm

Wellington - Cuba St Bucket Fountain (2pm) then march to The Beehive
(3pm) for speakers - 2pm-4pm

Nelson - iSite, Halifax St - 2pm-4pm

Christchurch - Bridge of Remembrance - 2pm-4pm

Dunedin - The Octagon - 2pm-4pm

Palmerston North – The Square 2pm – 4pm

     

Peter Dunne Caves In as expected.

The Prime Minister John Key wanted to buy one vote:

He ignored other parties, because he had the Act Party tucked up tight via John Banks who is still at risk because of his pending court hearing regarding his proven misuse of election donations from Kim Dotcom and Sky City.

Peter Dunne was a willing seller [of his vote], so in his own words on TV 3 News [Monday 22^nd July 2013] “Key was a willing buyer and I was a willing seller, hence the deal” [quote ends]

But the real question is what did Key use as currency to seal the deal? Was it money, or was it knowledge that could be with-held from public view. If this was the case what information could damage Peter Dunne to such an extent that he would have to resign before next years general election.

The strong rumour doing the rounds is: The string of emails between Peter Dunne and Fairfax reporter Andrea Vance was that currency. It is suggested that a copy of those illegally gained emails are now in the hands of the PM. It is suggested that the path to the PM was via the GCSB boss Ian Fletcher [appointed by Key].

Key flew back from his holiday in Singapore to the supposed news that he had persuaded his sacked minister and past leader of the United Future party which has been deregistered because of a lack of members.

It had been suggested by various sources that the emails contained information that could have caused great difficulties for both the PM and Peter Dunne, so it could be said that both individuals had much to gain by doing a deal and keep the emails from public view.

There are a series of protests regarding the GCSB’s and the PM’s desire to spy on you and I.

On the 27th of July, 2013 at 2pm there will be a nation wide protest taking place against the GCSB and TICS bills. It’s in the Square if you can, gather your friends and family and attend.

This is bigger than simply an undercover deal between Key and Dunne.

A Coalition of Concerned Citizens will also be meeting here in Palmerston North (the Square) in solidarity with the rest of the country.

Spokesperson Laia Asieo Odo said "We the people need to stand up for our right to privacy. These rights should not be traded off to foreign governments at the whim of politicians"

The GCSB, an intelligence agency that was established to protect New Zealand citizens from external threats, is surrounded by scandal, including an improper process leading to the appointment of its director, an inglorious saga surrounding the arrest of Kim Dotcom and associates, and accusations that the agency has been illegally spying on New Zealanders.

"The track record of Spy agencies in this country is not good. Powers have been used often illegally. In the past the people who have been most brought under the gaze of the spying agencies have been Māori or other people involved in any sort of critical work, whether they are protesting against fracking and drilling for oil in conservation land or whatever"

"Under the proposed legislation the GCSB would be transformed from a foreign intelligence agency into one that spies on New Zealand citizens and residents."

"One must seriously question the embarrassing keenness John Key makes to open the private lives of New Zealanders to foreign governments, in particular the US and the other Five Eyes governments"

Laia Asieo Odo continued "Politicians court our votes but rely on our apathy and mute compliance to pursue their own agendas, invariably these days the agendas of the elites. - these things are not consistent with democracy"

Eavesdropper in Singapore

Wheeler’s Corner GCSB eavesdropper was selected to protect the PM on his school holiday trip to Singapore and rushed this report to me on the latest happenings…

I thought it important and that I should make it public knowledge.

“Oh it’s been a lovely week’s holiday dear”, she said as she viewed her I Pad.

“I agree Bronagh, Singapore has wonderful restaurants and so cheap compared with London, Paris and even Hawaii”, replied John as he opened the diplomatic bag that he’d just received from his GCSB security agent body-guard [Number Four].

“Yes dear I agree the food is simply wonderful and the help is cheap as well, I mean it’s more expensive than back in New Zealand, but the servants here are simply divine.

“Damn”, said John as he read a document marked ‘Top Secret’.

“What’s the problem dear, have the GCSB discovered a plot to overthrow your government, are terrorists about to blow up the Beehive”, said Bronagh sounding somewhat alarmed.

“Worse than that, there is a brand new political party starting up” screamed John.

“What to replace that hairy Peter Dunne’s United something party”, asked Bronagh.

“No it’s much bigger than that, it’s a one-law-for-all party and according to the GCSB they got enough members to form a political party in just thirty minutes”. Said John sounding just a little rattled.

“I thought the GCSB couldn’t spy on New Zealanders”, uttered Bronagh somewhat confused.

“Oh, don’t worry about that we’ve been spying on people for years and I’m backdating the law to make it legal…but this new party is more dangerous than the Keith Locke greenie communist types, this God damn party will steal votes from me, that’s the problem, they are really thick, I mean one law for all, means we would all be treated like beneficiaries”.

“Oh John, you are so wise, I always knew that your university education would stand you in good stead”, she muttered as she patted him on his arm.

“The voters that this stupid idiotic party will attract are the red-necks that are the backbone of the National Party, you know talk back listeners, anti-Maori fan club supporters, Face-book users and such like”, he said sounding really depressed.

“Don’t worry dear, it’ll all workout, it always does, just hand the problem over to the ‘Big Three’, those three will introduce some new test to prevent the new party from getting organised, like they did with the beneficiaries, you know drug testing and what not”, said Bronagh sounding rather pleased with herself.

“God, ‘B’ you can’t drug test politicians if you did half of my cabinet would be out of a job and I’d be back selling funny bonds for a living, and all these servants costs heaps”, yelled John.

“So what’s to be done dear”, said Bronagh sensing that their holiday would not included Hawaii these school holidays.

“Get the divine servants to pack our bags we are heading home, I’ll just ring the Air Force and arrange a plane to fly us home”…Ok...every time we go on holiday something goes wrong that crew of mine simply can't manage without me. What would they do without me?

   

The Big Three find scapegoats.

 

The Big Three at the National Party Conference…underfed, they are not, underpaid they are not overworked they are not.

But according to them beneficiaries are! And they need to be stopped, punished, beneficiaries that is!

Together these three fine examples of Kiwi womanhood are creating the scapegoats of the future. Yes Paula Bennett, Hekia Parata and Judith [Crusher] Collins are all doing their bit to get those on benefits victimised and blamed for the diminishing sense of social justice in this the land of the Hobbits, Aotearoa, New Zealand.  

What has happened to our once proud and egalitarian country? For we have over the last ten years or so created a monster whipping horse that we can blame for all our woes, financial mis-management, rottenness and a undisguised hate that must send a shiver down the spine of those who believe in justice and fairness for all our citizens both rich and poor.

The present government just loves and needs this rottenness and universal corruption for it hides the absolutely inhuman and ignorant behaviour being carried in our names.

We are without doubt only one step away from creating eighteenth century Work Houses for the poor and jobless. We’ve filled our prisons to overflowing; we are chopping those who deserve help from benefit availability, and the public cheer loudly with each cut to benefit payments. Not realising that 'there but for the grace of God go I.

The media just love to highlight tales about beneficiaries who get caught ripping off the system, yet stay strangely silent about local businesses who daily rip-off their customers or clients and especially those loan sharks that abound in our and other cities. Jimmy Ellingham of the Manawatu Standard gets a great kick out of highlighting shoplifting thirty dollars worth of chocolate and other dramatic small events.  

Of course finding scapegoats is not new, Hitler and the Nazi party did it by blaming the Jews…America did by blaming the blacks and now days the Mexicans…New Zealand did by blaming the Unions…but now days the National Government does it by blaming the unemployed, the sickness beneficiaries, solo mums, even kindergarten aged kids and so they super enlarge the nations mini problems and allocate blame to those least able to fight back. This is a gutless government, as well as being sick to the core for it has lost its social heart and is fixated on the one percent.

We’ve even got a 'leading light' Doctor in the Social Welfare Department pushing the line that every time he signs a document allowing someone to receive a benefit he is turning that person in to a drug addict for life. Hence the new term benefit addiction…Is this highly paid government employee for real…what scientific evidence has he got to back-up that crap statement…he must be South African most likely was employed at one time by the ACC. This from the Daily Blog:

No Right Turn makes a devastating discovery that beneficiaries will be forced to pay for their own drug tests.

Let’s just consider that, forget about why the very same politicians passing these laws shouldn’t also be forced to be drug tested (what’s more damaging a drunk Politician passing laws or an unemployed stoner?), how malicious is policy that forces beneficiaries to take drug tests that will disqualify them from the benefit AND make them pay for that drug test as well.

These policies are not about helping get people into work, they are designed to purposely disqualify people from welfare and what happens to them once they have been thrown off welfare is no longer the Governments responsibility.

Add these new measures to disqualify with the desire to tag the children of beneficiaries as young as 3 at kindergartens so Paula can disqualify parents for not getting their children to day care on time shows these measures have nothing to do with the welfare of the child and everything to do with the cost cutting punishment of the parent.

National and Paula Bennet are creating ‘unpeople’, NZers invisible via disqualification to being recorded on welfare so that these gerrymandered stats can be paraded around as some sort of success.

All National are doing is hiding our poverty with no solution more nuanced than the stick.

This is economic Darwinism.

And I agree with every word, but it is sad to watch the official government strategy of blaming the unemployed, the sick and the needy, or solo-mums, the drug addicts, the dispossessed and homeless just so the rest of us can feel safe and secure in our own little boxes hoping like hell that it never happens to us. Let me assure you, it will unless you change direction.