Why Key must resign

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Remember when John Armstrong from the NZ Herald called for the resignation of David Cunliffe because Cunliffe couldn’t remember an 11 year old letter in reference to a $100 000 bottle of wine that never existed? Why isn’t the Herald now calling for the PM to resign after his office has been caught red handed using falsely edited information from the Secret Intelligence Service to smear Phil Goff?

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The denial and arrogance of Key in Parliament yesterday was breathtaking. Despite being called out by the Inspector General that his office directed and co-ordinated the use of falsely edited ‘evidence’ from the state spy agency to smear a political opponent, Key simply shrugged it off like a petulant child.

So immune is Key after the sleepy hobbits of muddle Nu Zilind handed him a historic victory, the Prime Minister feels that he can just state directly down the camera that black is white and white is black. Instead of admitting that there were mistakes and that he takes responsibility, he is in total denial. His stance proves my theory that NZers don’t respect intelligence, they respect confidence, because that’s all Key has left now. The tone in his voice that he’s right and everyone else is wrong is the magic dog whistle that appeals to the deep and dark anti-intellectualism of New Zealanders.

Key must resign, it’s as simple as that. Using the state spies to smear political opponents with falsely edited material  is as bad as it gets. If Labour or the Greens had been caught doing this, the media would be calling for open rebellion.

This Government is now a corrupt Government and if we accept this behaviour by the Prime Minister’s Office, then we stand for nothing as a democracy.

This same corrupt Government are about to ram through under urgency more surveillance powers by the very same spy agency that has been caught abusing the power they currently have.

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Meanwhile, Nicky Hager has his home raided for 10 hours by 5 Policemen and has all his equipment seized.

If you’re not angry yet, you’re not paying attention.

46 COMMENTS

  1. I feel a bizarre sense of powerlessness similar to the way one feels in a dream where it’s impossible to move out of the path of some imminent disaster…or the one where you are trying to scream and no sound comes out…. The sheer number of inconsistencies between what John Key says and what actually happens is enough to cause any halfway reasonable person to ask for some independent investigation. We’re too damned comfortable and it’s causing us to behave as if we’re mesmerised

  2. I think people are starting to wake up now. There is a point where you hope someone else will do something (generally this would be the opposition government), but at the end of the day if everyone dissatisfied
    does something, even if it is small then it can ripple through and amplify.

  3. This is what happens when we have a ‘bought and paid for’ Lame Street Media. Where even supposed neutral political commentators can OPENLY be biased and have no repercussions, then we get to where we are today.
    I’ve been saying for a couple of years now, the NZ media get away with everything and ‘basically’ can’t be sued because the laws are such that they can ‘price you out’ of any legal action.
    Change the law and put a big burden of proof on the media and consequences when they CLEARLY lie-misinform, like Dirty Politics, David Cunliffe ‘Don Liu’ non-scandal etc etc.
    Basically democracy is ‘all but dead’ in NZ. We now have a fig leaf of honesty in this Government with an utterly compliant press, and until the people get off their arses and complain, we will as the saying goes…..’get the Government we deserve’.
    And the TV1 and 3 news reporters are worse than JK lackeys and Muppets. They are an utter disgrace to their ‘once profession.

  4. “Using the state spies to smear political opponents with falsely edited material is as bad as it gets.”

    Really, it gets much, much worse. Try blackmail by the state security apparatus:

    “I was raising in parliament against Mrs Thatcher the Kincora Boys Home where boys were being abused and MI5 was filming it because they were hoping to be able to blackmail senior politicians in Northern Ireland.” ~ Ken Livingstone.

    What the local misconduct means is that the the system can’t be trusted to act honourably. The title of “Honourable” is now treated as a perk of service, not a factual description of character.

  5. The sort of nasty politics being practiced by Key and his National government is becoming commonplace throughout the world among the right. The US Republicans have elevated it to an art form. Right wing think tanks have discovered that ruling right wing governments can do pretty much whatever it takes to defeat their political oppositions then deny everything. This sort of behaviour fosters cynicism within the electorate, which leads to many people disengaging from politics, which invariably benefits the right wing parties……

      • I think the issue is who is helping Key with his tactics? I don’t think he’s thinking them up by himself. And they appear to be very effective. Great idea to belong to the five eyes club. Notice how all the Five eyes leaders are equally dopey and moon eyed over the USA? Hopefully we don’t get a shooter near the grounds of parliament. Either here or in Oz. That’s probably the next thing on the agenda. Especially with the anti terrorism bill about to be passed. Ahh Trends in the news.

  6. Not only should John Key resign or be sacked, but he should be stripped of all titles and perks, and be made to leave politics as a dishonourable public servant in the service of the public, to which it’s his responsibility to represent and protect. Key has disgraced not only the people of New Zealand, and New Zealand as a country, but he has disgraced the service of government and it’s role. Stand down and resign Key.

  7. I think its worth adding to your statement Martyn that Keys office conducted this smear campaign against the leader of the opposition party, in a run up to an election…The timing of the smear, I think is also a key (no pun intended) issue.

    • There is a big difference between the PMO leaking information and the local fishing club, giving out the special top notch fishing spots to anyone

  8. I’m reposting this as it seems like an outcome focused legal initiative from yesterday.

    GEORGE HENDRY says:
    NOVEMBER 25, 2014 AT 11:03 PM
    @ Brigid, Stuart Munro, Kim Dandy and Frank Macskasy –

    Constitutionally, it seems that our Governor General is the one with the power to remove a (corrupt) Prime Minister and disestablish the related government.

    For this to happen the PM doesn’t need to be corrupt, any more than Gough Whitlam was corrupt when Sir John Kerr disestablished his government in 1975. But it is the lever to pull.

    If the NZ power bloc equivalent to the one that told Sir John Kerr back then to sack Mr Whitlam, were to want our PM sacked, I would expect them to use this method and to succeed first time. Axiomatically and ironically, however, like punishment ‘which is least effective when it is most needed’, the provision most intended to protect ordinary citizens from a corrupt elite, would be when exercised by said ordinary citizens at its least likely to work.

    But that doesn’t let us off from trying. Until we have proved that the official channel doesn’t work it can continue to be alleged that we didn’t really mean business.

    It’s worth noting that this hasn’t been tried in AotearoaNZ before and that therefore it hasn’t mattered whether the Governor General is actually a rubber stamp or not. The ignored anti asset sale petition as I understood it could be ignored because it presented asset sales as something which could be legal but which those who signed would prefer not to happen.

    This case is different because we would be would be petitioning the Governor General about manifestly corrupt behaviour that could never be upheld as being in the public interest.

    Sir Gerry might be quite aware of why he was so peremptorily shunted from GCSB to GG (he had to be got out of the way of the shoulder-tapped crony). As he had done nothing wrong and people might have protested at what looked like a hasty demotion, ‘honourable promotion ‘ to GG would have been used to try to cover what the move was really for.

    He will be well aware of things like how to tell rangatiratanga from kawanatanga and how what’s happening now fits in with ongoing treaty breaches. If he gets approached now by a movement asking him to exercise the most important of his powers, it may surprise us how well he rises to the occasion.

    • From the GG’s website –

      The Governor-General’s Roles
      Governor-General’s strategy 2011-16 (summary)
      New Zealand’s Constitution
      An Essay on New Zealand’s Constitution
      The Head of State’s constitutional role
      Royal Prerogative of Mercy
      The Executive Council
      Credentials ceremonies
      RESERVE POWERS (my emphasis)
      Administrator of the Government

      Share this page

      In a very few instances, the Governor-General may exercise a degree of personal discretion, under what are known as the “reserve powers.” The most important of these is the appointment of a Prime Minister following an election, or accepting the resignation of an incumbent Prime Minister.

      By convention, the Governor-General will always appoint as Prime Minister the person who has been identified through the government formation process as the person who will lead the party or group of parties that appears able to command the confidence of the House of Representatives. The Governor-General expects that there will be clear and public statements that a political agreement has been reached and that a government can be formed that will have the support of the new Parliament. The Governor-General abides by the outcome of the government formation process.

      Other reserve powers are to DISMISS (my emphasis) a Prime Minister, to force a dissolution of Parliament and call new elections, to refuse a Prime Minister’s request for an election, and to refuse assent to legislation.

      These powers to act without or even against ministerial advice are reserved for the most extreme situations and with the exception of the appointment of a Prime Minister following an election, no New Zealand Governor-General has ever needed to use them.

    • The Governer General is only the representative of the head of state, in a democracy the power to disestablish a corrupt government rests with the people. Petitioning Jerry Mateparae over Key would be a waste of time, his allegiance is to the Crown, not to New Zealand.

      The assertion of perpetual sovereignty by the Crown has no force in law, just as the state’s argument for sovereignty does not reflect the true meaning of sovereignty within English democracy. While Key could serve as a focus of public attention regarding the immediate issue of political misconduct by the state security apparatus, finding a remedy involves more that Key’s resignation or removal, since state security is the responsibility of the Commander in Chief, not the Prime Minister.

      The political attack on Phil Goff has meaning with the context of post 9/11 security: if Hager’s analysis is correct then Goff was targeted for his criticism of Key’s handling of foreign affairs. This is symptomatic of the wider problem of the use of state security as a cover for the suppression of dissent through surveillance and the targeting of political activists eg “no fly” lists.

      The rapid exit of the alleged Israeli spies also has meaning within the context of post 9/11 security: The state of Israel has an extensive history of involvement in acts of terrorism going back to the bombing of the King David hotel and the Lavon Affair. One wonders if Key’s reference to the earthquake as being a man-made event was something like a Freudian slip, since the presence of FEMA in Christchurch immediately before the earthquake tends to indicate foreknowledge.

  9. In all honesty if voting actually enacted anything one could construe as genuine change the powers that be that actually run the country wouldn’t let us do it.

    • Well to that I would say that in this recent election that change you speak of was indeed blocked by the powers that be.

      The result did not reflect the anger and disgust around the country regarding this government and because of that I do not believe the result.

  10. John Key must resign. Don’t be satisfied with an apology if one is ever given by the most arrogant politician I’ve ever had the displeasure to see. Furiously refusing to apologise is arrogant. If refusing to do so, and then finally giving in to public pressure and apologising allows Key to stay in office, you can be sure he’ll pull that trick.

    Settle for nothing less than his resignation. John Key must go!

    • tell that to our new labour leader… “Implying on morning report that an apology was all that was needed from JK …is NOT good enough Andrew Little!, Geez, Russel Norman was impressive compared to Little this mrn.

  11. You are absolutely right that he should resign. You also know he won’t. Or apologize. He has made it a policy never to explain and never to apologize. That is after a long line of politicians who have followed that practice to their advantage.

    The only antidote is to treat him as terminally illegitimate at every opportunity.

    Just one quibble from me. Using that disparaging “Muddle New Zilind, sleepy hobbit” thing will buy you no friends you do not already have.

    If the plan is to wake up the hobbits, then persuade them to turn their anger on that nice John Key, then I would have thought that the last thing that would bring their support is this kind of invective as the first thing they hear in the new morning of their world.

    It is obvious that there is more than enough ammunition to put pejorative epithets aside and focus on the issues. If you believe that many New Zealanders are complacent and are too concerned about their own comfort, then say that or the equivalent.

    Actually, the same goes in my book for all those who would rather hurl abuse at Key than show what is wrong with him. If we want to mount a reasoned challenge, then let’s practice using our reasoning word.

    (Note: You can still be angry and express it forcefully without reverting to mere name-calling.)

  12. Even the National party members are concerned about the legacy of ‘brand Key’ now. Some older national supporters don’t want ‘dirty politics’ either.

    Those right wingers that didn’t believe Key pre election voted conservative – they nearly got the 5% but that smear from his own PR woman a few days before the election….. unprecedented bad luck or something a bit more sinister.

    Don’t forget the All blacks tweets on election day….

    And having the SIS proven to be politically biased in the mix….

    How biased was that corruption and smears that led to a majority for National in the election?

    Apart from NZ First known for its anti corruption after the wine box enquiry years ago, no other party did as well as expected…. except National who did a lot better than expected.

  13. Yes. But. What will we get instead?!

    English? Yeah-nah. Brownlee? You’re having a laugh!
    Joyce. Shudders. And, the elevated insulated unbeatable – Bennett? Please pass the bar of Sunlight.

    Trouble is – Little needs the time – not out fighting for another minor or major election. (Sorry Helensville. It’s not your collective fault. Just the system.)

    A faux apology will do – for now. Feed out another length of hemp, though.

  14. I guess that shortly we can expect another spin of the Wheel of (Mis)fortune.
    Time for another bene bash, islamic terrorist threat, or get tough(er) on crims. Anything to distract the 0.5% of media sources that don’t think JK is the best thing since sliced bread. Then again, he might just carry on as if nothing has happened. Show’s over folks! now for something really interesting – a new flag!

  15. It is interesting that among certain of the wild-eyed , rabid far right fraternity that they pay blind loyalty to whatever technique , foible , or devious means employed by such as the so- called current ‘ prime minister’….

    I will remind such as those , – and demonstrate to others of a less rabid mindset , – the end result and ruthlessness of such an individual who has been granted such privilege by the public endorsement to be leader and hold the highest office in the land.

    I will remind you factually as it pertains to one individual who has had the misfortune to suffer the consequences of this ruthlessness , to which, can easily be extrapolated to include any member of the public under new draconian surveillance laws being rushed through parliament currently.

    This individual endured :

    1. Approximately 80-plus police kitted out in military fatigues abseiling down from helicopters to force an arrest. The target ‘offender’ ?…two adult males , one pregnant woman and 2-3 small children.

    2. The detainment of all adults for an extended time , – including the pregnant woman (one of the adult males wife ) who was treated roughly , and the traumatisation of the small children.

    3. This ‘ operation ‘ was carried out with a warrant which was found to be INVALID. Thus outside the law and by definition , ILLEGAL.

    4. The surveillance of this individual which was also carried out ILLEGALLY , – as it was also used against 88 other individuals in this country at that time.

    5. The ILLEGAL ARREST and IMPRISONMENT of one of the adult males with an unspecified time before trial.

    6. As a consequence of these conditions, the individual in question also had all assets frozen ,and many personal effects impounded, – ILLEGALLY ,- whilst still imprisoned.

    7. The background to much of this was due to foreign vested interests by which this ‘ prime minister ‘ was operating under that foreign powers auspices and thusly not in accordance with sovereign laws pertaining to this country.

    8. Much of this was carried out in a concerted ,organised , – and albeit ILLEGAL – collusion with a private concern from said foreign interest , namely the Motion Picture Industry of Hollywood.

    9. This was then augmented by that foreign powers legal system , namely ,- the FBI of the USA , by which they introduced a charge of ‘ racketeering ‘ – a charge used to convict Mafia leaders during the 1920’s and 30’s.

    10. The goal was to try to turn this from a CIVIL charge into a CRIMINAL charge.

    11. It would appear that this ‘ prime minister ‘ had arranged with officials of this country and that of the foreign power’s officials to engage in all above activities in order to attempt to firstly :

    A) Surreptitiously grant this individual residency in this country , and then…
    B ) Once granted , to enact certain courses of action which essentially would turn this country into an ‘open holding pen’…using methods which were ILLEGAL to carry out the above and to finally use this ILLEGALITY to affect extradition to the aforementioned foreign power.

    Though much of these situations occurred over the course of several years , – to date , – the victim of this ILLEGALITY and deceit is still enduring the ongoing effects of legal defense, loss of wealth , emotional and marital stress , political smears and personal insults from this ‘ prime minister’ , – this all carried out when all the above activities were ILLEGAL .

    To add injury to insult , – to the individual concerned and to our fellow countrymen and woman , when this individual had raised the issue of whether this ‘ prime minister’ had enabled this country’s version of the 5 eyes spy network to intercept all electronic communications , in effect , – to spy on New Zealands population, – this ‘ prime minister’ categorically denied any such machinations.

    After pressure was applied , it was found that indeed this ‘ prime minister ‘ had lied and in fact there is now a method that neatly circumvents LEGALITY in the form of XkeySCORE , and that indeed we are being monitored – despite the attempts by this ‘ prime minister’ to – essentially lie – to the public it ever existed.

    This admission was gleaned only after irrefutable proof of this surveillance is currently in affect to which this ‘ prime minister’ meekly admitted to, and indeed , – was forced to admit he had lied about it.

    The remedy to all this ILLEGALITY carried out under this ‘ prime minister ‘ was to surreptitiously alter/change the law after the actions had already been committed.

    Subsequently , when inquiring minds started questioning this ‘ prime minister’ about the ILLEGAL treatment of the persecuted individual above , it was found ‘political pressure’ had been applied by the Immigration Minister ( part of this ‘prime ministers’ caucus ) to the SIS government department responsible for screening individual applications for residency . Within an hour the SIS did a U -turn and granted residency.

    We now find this same SIS government department being the whipping boy and facilitator for this ‘ prime minister ‘s obvious misuse of that department for obtaining information that would discredit other political parties.

    That, – and – altering the document to slant it and withhold vital information tailored for this ‘ prime ministers’ obvious political advantage .

    To date , the inquiry and findings of the Inspector General into that issue has resulted in this ‘prime minister’ denying he had anything to do with this even though it was run out of his ‘office’ – irrespective of the fact one of his senior advisers (who hasn’t been scrutinized at all in any inquiry ) was complicit in orchestrating these very things and using it on attack blogsites to discredit opposition party leaders.

    I have tried to demonstrate the precarious and dangerous path we as a nation are travelling down under the leadership of this current ‘ prime minister’.

    It behooves all of us to not conveniently dismiss of willingly forget uncomfortable incidents endured by others as a result of the deceptive nature of this ‘prime minister’, and that presented here is a case in point of the potential for bureaucratic abuse against a member of the public , and finally of the general public themselves.

    There are serious questions of the LEGALITY and modus operandi currently being indulged in by this administration.

    Ethically ,this ‘prime minister’ falls short. And as demonstrated above, ….there are more than enough abuses of power which fall under the category of ILLEGALITY to warrant a broad spectrum, sweeping Royal Commission of Inquiry , which just may , end the sorry career of not only this government but also that of this ‘prime minister’.

    • In one point I need to clarify,…it was the GSCB that had been conducting the spying of 88 individuals, 56,…which were deemed to ILLEGAL.

      So it would appear, …that all of our spy agencies have been complicit in less than above board dealings when serving the New Zealand public.

    • Will the royal commission of enquiry be a whitewash ,is the said royal commission in this prime ministers pocket as other public service people undoubtabley are, the public mostly have no trust or faith in public services who support prime minister.
      The police for instance were co opted to deal with a journalist who left a recorder on the table in a public place ie café, for John Key.

      A well known and world renowned investigative journalist who brought prime ministers office and staff into disrepute was raided and items in his home seized, and the journalist threatened because he dared to
      write a book Dirty politics, detailing the filthy tricks that are all to obviously true.
      Prime minister uses public services as his own private fiefdom to use as he likes,when challenged he lies , avoids and refuses to answer and then has the gall to deflect blame on the opposition and saying it was a labour smear,there is no end to list of prime ministers faults and lack of ethics,and his obvious pandering to American interests against the interests of the country he is supposed to govern NZ,
      This all adds up to treason I believe, why should he as a supposed public servant be allowed to get away with it, its because he is feared because of his nasty personality,surely someone in National party is willing to ask for a vote of no confidence, there must be some ethical people in National .
      There are so many hidden secrets in National, time they were brought into the limelight, never has a prime minister caused so much depression and anger at the behaviour ,and the dismissing of concern by this prime minister. A royal commission of enquiry with no whitewashing is called for .
      People with children and grandchildren must be fearful for their future,
      MPs, staff in all public services, even sis people will need to be concerned that this pm is ruining this country for future generations to come ,if they find out we did nothing to prevent pm from putting them into misery and servitude, we will be the people who failed them.
      Once again Wild Katipo I salute you .

  16. And the bastard lied in Parliament today. Twice I reckon. The original lie and then the correction when he said he had “forgotten”.

  17. Storm in a teacup. The government has a country to run. The opposition has nothing to do but find fault with the government. Does not matter who is in power.

    • Stand in front of the mirror and read that post out loud to yourself. I guarantee you won’t be able to get to the end without laughing at the the sheer craziness of your thoughts.

    • Until its your turn to have unwarranted bureaucratic interference which is conducted ILLEGALLY, – and you see yourself used as a political fall guy.

      There are many totalitarian states in existence today. Go live there for 10 years . Then , return to New Zealand and see just how fragile protecting a democracy really is.

      I am sure you will not advance any more such foolish opinions in future.

    • Imagine the 6 year old standing in front of his mother when she’s caught him out having lied about something: “Mum, you’re doing nothing but finding fault with me. I’ve got important things to do. This is a storm in a tea cup.”

    • This is not the opposition its the people of NZ, we care .You are obviously “comfortable” with lies and disgusting behaviour of your precious leader we are not,he is not trying to run the country he is ruining it.

  18. Comment deleted. Your comments against Nicky Hager (not “Harger”) are libelous. Character defamation is not a debating style tolerated on this blog. – ScarletMod

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