The many falsehoods about Cunliffe Key is spinning with a compliant media

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Matt McCarten’s appointment as Chief-of-Staff has clearly sent a tremor of terror through the elites who are currently milking NZ dry. The rush by the mainstream media to suddenly be investigative journalists pouring over any sin committed by Cunliffe would be welcome if it had been apparent during Key’s 6 years of denigrating the egalitarian dream.

The garbage spewed forth by Key and then breathlessly passed off as fact is extraordinary.

Let’s go through the list of things Key has recently said about Cunliffe that are actually false.

1: Key claimed on Firstline that Cunliffe had been to TVNZ for a Labour Party meeting at the height of the Shane Taurima affair when no such thing ever happened. David Cunliffe never went to a Labour Party meeting at TVNZ. Never happened.

2: Key claims at his post cabinet press conference that Unite Union secretly donated to Cunliffe and that’s why Matt is Chief-of-Staff. That never happened, Unite didn’t donate to Cunliffe’s leadership bid.

3: The claim in Parliament today that Kim Dotcom is one of the anonymous donors. I’ve talked to sources, they all say that never happened either. One week the media are trying to claim Kim Dotcom is too broke to pay contractors, next week they are claiming he his secretly donating money.

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Gower’s latest ‘exclusive’ that Cunliffe has left off Trusts is just as facetious as Key’s allegations. After checking back with the Registrar Cunliffe has had that Trust info on his resister since last year.

As for Slaters newest brainfart claiming Cunliffe has breached the electoral act, the electoral act doesn’t apply to internal political party elections.

Key and Co are prepping for the possibility of a June/July snap election if John Banks is found guilty in court and the blood they are putting in the media water is to generate the feeding frenzy to weaken Cunliffe as leader.

Expect it to get much worse and expect the PMs false allegations to continue making unchallenged dominance in the media narrative.

42 COMMENTS

  1. So we have a corrupt government bowing to overseas interests, an equally corrupt and compliant state owned media bowing to the same interests, mass-feeding a largely soft-headed and politically gullible public. How do you counter that Martyn?

  2. I’d love to see some transparency on Key’s family trust via the OIA, specifically how its fared since Key became PM. Can we get that?

  3. You forgot “That member lives in Herne Bay, but he doesn’t want his supporters to know it”.

  4. I think the media has gone beyond being merely compliant – they are complicit in a campaign that should see them lose all the legal protections that usually adhere to journalism. These are not journalists, they are marketers or propagandists following in the goosestepping footsteps of Goebbels.

    • Sure, but they won’t.

      Cunliffe is trapped. He’s a good guy and I like him, as do many other New Zealanders. However, the people who “matter” in New Zealand have decided that he won’t be allowed to win, and he won’t be, because they have the power to do that.

      I don’t think that there’s anything he or anyone else can do about it. What’s going to happen between now and the election is an endless stream of stories like this, with increasing calls for Cunliffe to resign or be toppled. I’d love to be wrong, but nobody here or anywhere else seems to have a realistic suggestion.

      As for those of us who tend to the left, we should remember that playing a rigged game legitimises it. If it gets worse, people should seriously think about boycotting the election.

      • but boycotting the election means they win

        that’s exactly what they want; either for us to switch to vote National or to not vote at all

        Nat and Act voters will vote no matter what Key and Whyte do

        • I’ve news for you. They’re going to win no matter whether you vote, and there is nothing that you or I can do about it. The voters who decide elections tend to take their cue from the media zeitgeist, and that is resolutely anti-Labour this time around. Labour doesn’t have the kind of money or connections that the National Party has, and so it will stay like that.

          Remember, playing a rigged game legitimises that game. If enough people refuse to play, the game loses all legitimacy.

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seeing_(novel)

          • The point is Tom, that not enough people wil refuse to play the game. Think about that. If there were enough people who understood your tactic to act on it and make it word, they could just vote left instead.

            And short of a crystal ball, you have no way of knowing who will win the next election.

            “As for those of us who tend to the left, we should remember that playing a rigged game legitimises it. If it gets worse, people should seriously think about boycotting the election.”

            Sorry but this is stupid beyond belief. Without any appreciable strategy from the broad left a boycott is pointless. It might satisfy personal ethics, but it will also just play into the hands of the people who want the left disinfranchised.

            It’s that small but large enough number of people that don’t vote that gift the government to NACT. Even if there were a substantial boycott, say 50%, who would give a shit? You think that NACT will? Or that the MSM will finally get a conscience? I would guess NZ would wring our hands for a term to two and by that time it will be too late.

            • A big problem when it comes to voting is that so many eligible voters don’t think deeply enough about the issues before they either vote, or neglect to vote. People who bother to read blogs like this one are relatively rare. What Tom is pointing out I think is that even if people do vote, many will believe the “National good, Labour bad” meme that is promulgated in the media, because that’s just the nature of people and the electorate.
              Many think, and I tend to agree, that things might have to get far worse before enough people feel uncomfortable enough to actually vote the shysters out. So if the nats get back in, there will be three more years of slash and burn, snouts in the trough, laws disempowering workers while enriching the wealthy, criminalising dissent, trashing the environment for a quick buck, and privatisation of more essential services. by 2017, we will be well and truly stuffed.
              Having said that, I don’t think not voting is the answer. But Labour and the Greens need to start WORKING TOGETHER to articulate a counter narrative to the bullshit spin from the right and their media sycophants, one that resonates with the electorate. Can they do it? I hope I am wrong, but I fear that they are just not up to it.

            • I guess you haven’t noticed, but people have already been doing this for some time. Voter participation has been in a steady decline for decades and membership in political parties is moribund.

              Ask yourself what you will get if you actually do bother to vote. You won’t get a Labour government this time for the reasons outlined by Kingi above.

              Ask yourself what any left wing voter has got by voting in the last 30 years and the answer is “various degrees of rightward drift”. Even the Clark government more or less went along with it, and Cunliffe is being steadily undermined by right wing elements in his own party in concert with the right. If you vote for a Labour government that actually has a chance of getting in, that is what you are voting for.

              If you are a social democrat and you vote, you are a sap plain and simple. What kind of idiot plays a game rigged so that he cannot win?

      • What an appalling and flawed argument that is. DonKey is a c#*t so lets not vote so he can stay? I don’t think so and I don’t think it’s helpful to try to influence people to do that. Here’s a suggestion (in the same vein) you can start a new political party called The Passive-Aggressives and you can not campaign.????

  5. Yes.
    John Key’s top drawer is wide open and the contents are being dispersed to the various selected outlets as we speak.

    I don’t accept the Helen Clark strategy of ignoring the claims as being beneath contempt as the correct strategy to follow. Look where it got her – at least on the local scene. We have a gullible bunch of voters who seem too thick to recognise the truth about their PM, John Key. That is, he is a slimy, lying, snake in the grass.

    By all means, boycott the media outlets in question (TV3 and Radio Live in particular) but for heaven’s sake Labour – counter attack. Show the crap that is being spouted for what it is – unadulterated garbage! Stop sneaking down some little alley-way pretending it isn’t happening.

        • I’d’ve thought the truth would be very newsworthy:

          Gerry Brownlee “drowning pensioners is what i do” the eponym behind the word ‘Gerrymander’ and the man who lost Christchurch for National – what new forms of gross incompetence and corruption do you have on offer if National (snort) stuff enough ballots to wriggle in in 2014?

          Bill English – a Bill for services never delivered who has consistently failed to achieve the low growth targets set for him by his fawning sycophants at Treasury. When is the surplus coming this time Bill? 2017 if you get elected and 2014 if not right? So you can slag off the people who repay the debts that you ran up. You think the opposition hate you? The people hate you infinitely more you vile incompetent non-performing weasel.

  6. With the recent poll showing a definite 64 seat National win and the distractions of Colin Craig, Jamie Whyte, John Banks, and the “willing-seller-willing-buyer” of votes Peter Dunne, some decisions need to be made.

    Add to this is the OIA hiding “unavailable” information that Winston is DROOLING to investigate

    John Key needs to forget the flag, forget derping, forget asset sales, forget cancelling passports and the GCSB, forget the divide forming in Christchurch between the rich and poor; he must surely convince his fellow Tories and Hollow Men backers that NOW is the time for an election.

  7. Jesus ! What a freaky looking pair of puppets ! I’m amazed … you can’t see the strings ? Wow !

    Entertain this notion Martyn , if you’re brave enough .
    The entire fabric of our country’s economy is built on a fucking lie . And every time a well meaning politician gets close to the Lie they pale , look like they’re dying and then disappear .

    The high Jiggery that is our faux economy is so complex for it’s crafty , abstract head fuckery that it defies comment , except for me . I have the adjectives . And if I can’t find an adjective or metaphor for the abhorrent bullshit we’re being fed then I’ll fucking invent one . Just like they do .

    I may be being bold here , or mindlessly arrogant . Perhaps even just a bit dopy , but you my dear Mr Bradbury , had best start looking spherically , in that wonderful 360 degree way that only a true artist can . Laterally , and as you should , if you want to reach a logical mark in your quest for the Truth .

    While the ‘ media ‘ fawns over Key and bastes Cunliffe it’s you and I who get fucked over and it’s they who take home the cash .

  8. Ooops have I misconstrued your post Hayden? did you mean that Mr Bradbury forgot to add that to the list of media inspired misconceptions about David Cunliffe?

  9. Gower’s an fool on a set of strings, seriously lacking in ethics and too stupid to realise that he’s digging his own longer-term career grave.

    I suspect his employers are anything but stupid. The worry is that he’s not only tolerated but encouraged.

  10. Martyn’s summation is spot on. I heard John Key in Parliament yesterday, in his usual spiteful mode, nastily allude to Kim Dotcom being one of David Cunliffe’s anonymous donors. Another barb shot at the Labour leader from a venomous PM!

    Key is aiming to destabilize Labour enough for it to lose credibility with voters, for the purpose of calling a snap election.

    Then we have Parliament itself, where the Speaker is openly hostile to the Opposition, in particular Labour and the Greens. The debacle yesterday between Kevin Hague/Tony Ryall/Speaker Carter, was disgraceful, with the Speaker having a go at Hague, because he dared call for points of order to address the inadequate responses Ryall was giving to questioning re Southland DHB misuse of funds.

    Yesterday’s example was only one of many, demonstrating how low our Parliament has sunk, through corruption infiltrating the Speaker’s office!

    I’m still waiting for msm to tear into Judith Collins re Orevida and her close association through her husband to the company! But msm won’t go there, for fear of destabilizing their paymasters Key and National!

    Some serious media scrutiny is definitely required into Key, Collins, Carter et al. Our Parliament is corrupt. MSM is corrupt. Never has anything been more obvious than it has been this year, with an election coming up!

    • you are spot on there Mary. John Carter is an absolutely useless Mr Speaker who totally lacks consistency in dealing with points of order, personal attacks, etc. (Hell, I will probably get a visit from the G-men this evening for saying that!). He is completely under the thumb of the National Party front bench and thus they can say what they like with little likelihood of being ejected from the House or even asked to withdraw. Of course the gallery media love it because they want trivialities, personalities and they think that there is something attractive about our Prime Minister embarrassing the country by acting like a clown. Mind you if you were being advised by Cameron Slater you would probably act like a prize loony too. No doubt if David Cunliffe tried this they would find it demeaning and disturbing. This government will be remembered as the Spin Doctor governmnent along with Rogernomics and Ruthanasia.

  11. What a mess NZ Media is in, raving nutters methinks !!!

    Who the hell is Paddy Gower and what is his economic & political journalism track record???

  12. Well said, Martyn!

    I am sick of Gutter Gower and Co in the MSM, and I detest the media situation in this country. It is time to shake it up by having a progressive new government re-establish true, quality and robustly financed public broadcasting (with internet and online service options). We also need better, affordable access of community groups to broadcasting and all forms of media activities.

    Leaving the media landscape and market over to the totally dominant, trend setting, manipulative, supposedly “free enterprise” private and corporate media, is nothing much better than leaving a vulnerable child in the “trusted care” of a child abuser.

    • The labour movement did not achieve a decent society by entrusting vital public issues to the devious and amoral machinations of lawyers.

    • I use to watch YV.3 constantly, they do some good work until this week. hat Patrick Gower has ruined it for me, TV1, is not good nut their political stories are much more balanced, than Trashy Gutter Gower!

  13. What if the Labour candidates exited from the Ivory Towers and walked the streets of their electorates actually knocking on doors and speaking to People?

    Just as they did in Christchurch not so long ago.

    And do it more than once. Drag in the list members. Activate the members (no, not standing by a stall in a mall, ignored and shivering, thanks). Every street, every town. Keep score and do the numbers. Thank and acknowledge. Walk the talk.

    If people vote for people then let’s see them and know them by sight and by name. And what they stand for. Even in the lost cause electorates.

    Be seen, get known, move ahead. Raise doubt about what’s on the box…

  14. I read a few weeks back in the Dominion (I think) that Labour MPs in parliament were trying a new tactic to negate JK’s blatant pandering to the gallery media in debates and Question time. The journos noted that it seemed to be working. That is what Labour must do if they want to have any chance of winning the election. They must not buy into a personality contest with JK. They simply cannot win if they do because the media love JK’s flippant answers and Homer Simpson impersonations too much. Labour must fight it with good policy and hope that eventually people will start getting tired of JK’s buffoonery and start asking what National’s policies are. This will be a problem for the Nats because they don’t really have any policies other than letting the market decide what will happen and then reacting afterwards if it suits them. It’s not that I really like Labour, it’s just that I’m sick and tired of JK acting like a clown instead of our elected Prime Minister.

    • I realized that I didn’t properly explain what Labour’s new tactic was. It was to ignore JK when he started grandstanding and baiting, instead of shouting rebuttal across the House which only egged JK on even more and got all the journalists even more excited.

      • @ Mike – I noticed this week in Parliament, David Cunliffe let John Key’s toxic comments go over his head, ignoring the fool and got on with presenting questions. No shouting back, or negative responses. Just getting on with the job at hand.

        This will stick in Key’s craw, making him even worse than he is now, which will be a real eye opener hopefully, showing him to be the nasty, crass, shallow, gutless buffoon he really is.

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