Whare of Cards – The Manufactured smear attack against Cunliffe

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This manufactured smear attack on Cunliffe has been building since the Queens Birthday social media attack against Hone and Kim by the Anyone But Cunliffe gang (ABCs). It was followed up by Claire Trevett’s sudden knowledge of an obscure loophole in Labour Party rules that allows a majority plus one of Caucus to topple the leader 3 months out from an election, safe in the knowledge they don’t need to return to the membership under the new voting structure for 3 months after the election.

This is Labour’s Red Wedding Games of Thrones moment, a manufactured coup using a constituent letter Cunliffe sent THAT DOES NOT advocate for Donghua Liu, read it, he doesn’t advocate for the man…

 

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Cunliffe didn’t advocate the mans case or call the police the way Maurice Williamson did, he didn’t go have a private dinner on the taxpayer the way Judith Collins did, he hasn’t appointed mates into positions of GCSB power that bypass the normal process the way Key does. Cunliffe sends out thousands of letters as a constituent MP, this isn’t a smoking gun, it’s a smoking turd. The letter is 11 years old!

The real question is who has set this up?

The moment the rule takes effect is the 20th of this month. Two days away, this is a set up by whomever wrote this loophole into the rules, which were changed with little notice at the start of the Labour leadership race last year.

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It’s a destabilisation attempt and a naked coup to topple Cunliffe. Already the well rehearsed and perfectly timed calls to resign are coming from the NZ Herald.

It is time for David to fight like he has never fought before. Those forces that have sat on their hands have quietly plotted their vengeance. He needs to put this coup down without mercy.

Remember people: The Prime Minister John Key dodges the truth about knowing and meeting Ian Fletcher, denies strong-arming State Services Commissioner over prioritising Fletcher’s appointment to the GCSB, and that is considered a shoulder-shrug moment. Cunliffe forgets a letter written 11 year’s ago and it is a crucifixion offence, or alternatively a locked in the stocks until June 20 situation.

108 COMMENTS

  1. Unfortunately more evidence of total disarray within Labour.
    Are they fit to govern? Any sane person would say no.

    • A sane person would be grateful to Bomber for giving us the real story not the manufactured pap for the masses.

    • Given its almost equivalent to a biblical miracle if anything Key says can be verified in full, tell me how the hell is this disarray??

      The National Party are constantly challenging the boundaries of the truth with misinformation, omission, part truths and memory fades and even then with more bullshit spouting forth to than is necessary to fertilise the Sahara, they are allegedly still popular.

      Some disarray.

      • It’s disarray because it looks like disarray to the low information voters who will decide the election.

        Trying to fight falsehood with truth is like trying to fight the hydra. You cut off one head and another two will appear in it’s place. You’re dealing with people like Cameron Slater, who are completely indifferent to facts, rationality or anything else that doesn’t serve their political goals at a particular time.

      • Maybe there is a simple answer to why they are still so popular. Maybe it’s just because they are telling the truth? Maybe it’s because they are dealing with real issues rather than manufactured beltway issues. And just maybe it’s because most of the population is heartily sick and tired of the negative campaign that the opposition, ESPECIALLY Labour, continue to hitch their horses to.

    • The problem here is that Cunniliffe is promoting himself as being a goody two shoes when in fact he is just as bad as any other politician with his selective memory. Given that he forced Williamson to go – he should also do the decent thing.

      • Cunliffe never forced Williamson to go…………he resigned and Key supported it.

        Williamson did something wrong, i.e. interfered with a police investigation into domestic violence.

        Cunliffe wrote a very normal letter for an MP to write. There was no payback whatsoever for him.

    • Your boy is goneburgers, Marty. No amount of explaining will fix it

      That’s the bit that makes me suspicious of any claims that this was a National setup. National WANTS Cunliffe as Labour leader going into the election. They’ve been planning to beat him and have been building a narrative to enable them to do it. A different Labour leader throws all that out the window. National wants Cunliffe hurt but they want him nevertheless.

      No, this smacks of an internal backstabbing. This is an ABC hit.

      • I doubt that, although my guess is that the Nats would love it if Labour supporters believed it.

        Cunliffe is the man the members and unions voted for. Who among them would still vote Labour, or knock on doors for Labour if they believed that the Labour caucus had done the dirty on the leader they elected?

        The Greens would become the opposition, or what would pass for an opposition.

  2. If it is an attempted coup it is DCs last chance to harshly demote the rogernomes, go on the front foot with McCarten and try and win the bloody election.
    There is no reason for his resignation over an ancient letter. It was very quiet over at House Labour lately and now we know part of the reason why.

    • It’s not a coup. This has the hallmarks of the National Party modus operandi.

      Spin something innocuous into a major issue, and then have all your allies on blogs and in the media co-ordinate on it. Then make sure you have lots of astroturfers ready to splurge comments all over news websites and social media.

      It’s not original. They pinched the tactic from the Republicans.

  3. The third to last paragraph in Armstrong’s polemic is the giveaway.
    The only relatively good news for his colleagues – if you can call it good news – is that under Labour Party rules dealing with emergency situations close to an election, the ballot on a replacement is likely to be restricted to the parliamentary wing rather than also taking in the wider party membership and affiliated trade unions.

  4. If it’s true that it’s manufactured from the ABC faction (and let’s not jump to conclusions but hypothetically let’s assume this is true), one should hold no hope on the Left. This Labour party does not support our plight, our suffering and resistance. It’s naive to think that democracy will rescue us. Membership and unions have elected Cunliffe as leader; but a chunk of the caucus don’t care whether or not Labour actually do get in power next election. They only care about their own backsides.

    Go look at the front page of reddit right now: The headline blares “New Zealand government to open up habitat of worlds rarest dolphin for oil exploration.”
    http://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/28d86k/new_zealand_government_to_open_up_habitat_of/
    We’re becoming embarrassed on the world stage by this government… however it should be known that the Labour party, if elected, would probably not do anything about it. Just as they have done in the last 30 years; let neoliberalism run its course, let capitalism destruct through crisis after crisis.

    • Shame that really, as though I don’t think this is particularly bad, I sometimes think Labour are a bit possum in the headlights at the moment, afraid to go this way or that to save themselves

      • I’ll be blunt here: the Labour Party is dying.
        It stands for nothing. It thinks it believes in social democracy and social mobility, but don’t buy into that illusion. Their MPs only care about their own upward mobility.

        Such a backstabbing caucus is completely unelectable. Putting the ABC/neoliberal faction in power can’t win an election. That bunch received 27.5% of the vote in 2011. Putting them win again will lead to more voter apathy and a sizable defeat.

        The only way is to vote out the ABC faction and to not give them any air. Say if Labour decreased their vote and it went to the other minor Left parties, well… perhaps they won’t be minor parties for much longer. Think about it.

        Or maybe I should just be happy like I am now being a poor uni student at giving more of my paycheck to Kiwisaver. Suffer now and reap the rewards in the future. And I should just be grateful and thank future PM Annette King. But if this plays out like the ABCs want it to, I won’t have to be contributing more to Kiwisaver anyway.

        • No, what you do is stop voting. The more people do that, the more the percentage of non-voters creeps up until some new political agent decides that there are a sufficient number of pissed off people around to make a run at genuine change, which at that point becomes unstoppable.

          I’ve seen this happen before. It requires patience.

          • When has not voting worked? As we have seen, people not voting has just got commentators & academics saying that people are disingaged with politics, & what I’ve seen more is more votes for conservative parties in the dwindling vote. To be honest if you are a liberal and you can’t find an party to vote for this election you’re just not trying. (but I do feel really sorry for the no neolib conservatives….)

              • It’s still the only game. Bar armed revolt.

                People put up with 15 years of neoliberal BS before putting the breaks on last time; Labour was till too neo-lib to do much, but the next real change of regime will have to bring our country back towards the centre.

                But by then we’ll have the TPPA and god knows what else, and that reformist govt will be tossed out by right-wing street protests supported vocally by the US. We’re 10 years, max, away from being Ukraine.

                • The only game in town? Golly if that’s the recommendation I’ll take Manhattan in a garbage bag with Latin written on it, saying “it’s hard to give a shit these days”. You want something that works? Voluntary association and mutual aid. Every. Single. Time.

          • Perhaps this is what’s happening now? Internet Mana have noticed that 26% of eligible voters didn’t vote last election and are having a run at them. What a difference just 10% of that 26% would make…

        • In the meantime, those in parties on the left which have actual visions about how to help people in need, build a better, more inclusive NZ etc. etc., are doubtless burying their hands in their faces at the mess Labour is in.

          The hard reality is that the Greens/Mana etc. cannot get enough votes to govern without Labour, so a progressive government needs Labour working to come into being. FFS Labour, get it together.

          Whatever the merits of this letter, Cunliffe needs to show some steel and take back the initiative. He must know that his enemies in the media and his own party (let alone the NACTs) will take any opportunity, however trivial, to bring him down. These are people schooled in scream-bloody-murder, repeat-gross-exaggeration-and-outright-lies-through-compliant-media US politics. They will not lie down and they will not be reasonable.

          If Cunliffe wants to lead NZ on a different course, the only course is to attack. Now is the time.

          • This just isn’t going to happen in the near future. Ask yourself the following questions:

            1. Do you think that any opposition leader who dared make mild remarks about reforming the economic system (and Cunliffe’s have been pretty mild) would be treated any less harshly by National and its allies?

            2. Do you accept that the right basically have control of the media and the money and influence to keep it that way?

            3. Do you have a credible plan to neutralise the right wing echo chamber mentioned in Q2 that is able to take even the most innocuous things and turn them into scandals seemingly at will?

            The answers to 1 and 2 are obviously “no” and “yes”. Does anyone here have a credible answer to #3 that isn’t a fairytale? If so, I’d love to hear it.

            • Yes – the credible answer is to get as many people as possible to vote for those parties that are espounding socially inclusive policy (or just socialist policy in general – and p.s. righties look up what it actually means!) and then the neolibs will have less of a political free run. The inclusion of people like Lailla Harrie and Matt McCarten gives this a different element from the last election – they’ve been actively against the ’84 reforms since ’84. Neolibs don’t care about the poor cos they don’t vote – so get them to vote! But I do understand your feeling of futility – unfortunately the alternative of doing nothing will do the oposite.

        • I have to say that I am astounded at some of the comments below this article. Martyn has just deconstructed what is a very obvious attempt to manufacture a coup against David Cunliffe and now half of the comments are talking about how hopeless Labour is. It’s like most of you didn’t actually read the article. I also notice a lot of the comment scores are different to their usual values. Do we have higher numbers of right wingers on board today?

          • Aaron, my point here is that we’re not talking about a group of individuals. But rather, a clash of ideologies. The membership and trade unions backed Cunliffe based on his proclamation that he will take the Labour party towards a new direction (red roses; the colour of socialism etc.) A coup will take the party in a direction that does not align with the interests of the unions or the majority of the members. So I and others feel the need to speak out. We cannot confuse critical thinking with negative thinking here. But what I’m saying is that if Cunliffe does get replaced as leader, what does the entire Left get in return? A repeat of the 2011 result? In essence, a change in the party’s direction will lead to no change overall – National wins a third term and we all go back to square one.

          • Exactly my thinking Aaron, and that’s why this whole media beat-up is National’s doing, not ABC. I’m a regular here and there’s never this much traffic of voting by the right-wing.

            They have “bought” MSM and then have all the sycophantic so-called Political commentators’ like Garner, Hosking, Dikshit Henry, Gower et al straining at the leash to get stuck into DC for his memory fade. Where were MSM when Key couldn’t remember?

            May as well call them polemic commentators if we want to really frank. And now those right-wingers are in here spreading their vile, bile, hypocrisy and slateresque hate-speech.

            Well it shows one thing. TDB has NACT worried and instead of sending in just IntrinsicValue Anonymous Act Party, they’ve got the whole damn “tea-party” in here voting.

            Go the ABK Club – anyone but Key. Let’s see how many negative votes I get from the “tea-party” teabaggers and syrupers?

          • if it was so “very obvious” it wouldn’t need deconstructing. The only thing “very obvious” is an inability of the left to focus on building policy through coherent leadership. It’s “built” its 23% on attacking the government at a personal level and now finds itself naked with the same charge (about the same Chinese man!). And without coherent leadership or policy to fall back on.

  5. Not being able to withhold ‘manufactured smear’ is indicative that Cunliffe can’t play politics with the big boys. He’s no longer fit to lead.

    • @Jimmy Russel:

      You are not seriously calling John Key a big boy are you?

      What a laugh – Key is a very evil man, and this is proved by the state of our people, our communities, and our poverty stricken lifestyles, and our international ratings.

      I reckon if I was to ever be close enough to Key or any of his cronies, I would instictively be caused to vomit all over his or their ugly moosh!!

      This corruption and hatred by National, towards the common citizens of NZ must stop.

      Come on Cunliffe, rark it up a notch!

      Now is the time for the evildoers to be toppled.

      They had to dig pretty deep to find that historical letter, and that was all they could come up with. It is a pittance in comparison to what Key has been up to with his abuse of power and position.
      Its a mere ‘phiiit’ to the wind.

      Opinion

  6. Um that looks fairly stock standard, no asking for special attention, only a decision.
    I am not sure if this is a smoking gun, actually looks more like a dripping water pistol to me.
    Too bad he didn’t check back, though, seeing as he may have been able to ascertain what constituency Liu was in.
    I would have thought that is what the MP is for, unlike Maurice Williamson who was advocating for someone who was NOT in his electorate.
    Starting to see a slight difference?

    • I’m really not understanding the hoo-hah over this. That letter looks like a bog-standard letter that makes a simple enquiry. ELEVEN YEARS AGO. How is this relevant to us, or comparable to any of the the recent National antics? And that this has gotten so much traction in the media is a sad indictment of the media’s lack of impartiality and ability to discuss real issues that people care about.

  7. Absolutely pathetic, that an MP does his job and the right wing are all over it. Disgusted.

  8. the letter is no biggie – its an MP’s job to do this stuff. Its the not being able to recall and not have any systems in place to find the letter that’ the problem – all points to dis-organisation…

    How can a party think it can lead when it has

    >no internal discipline
    >is factionalised to the nth degree
    >has dreadful record keeping – and know’s nothing about any of its dealings with Mr Lui/Liu. Whether its donations, auctons or letters [actual someone knew and they have used it as a knife]
    >when such an obvious inside job has been perpetrated to take down the leader. And that’s twice now Shearer and now a crack at Cunliffe

    Labour needs to strip the party vehicle back down to nuts and bolts and start again. Maybe it needs to split in to a Left and A Centre favouring Left pieces to get any credibility back…

    • Dave, an outright split is not a bad idea. Unlike in Australia, where the Labor split delivered decades of Tory government, MMP means no such disadvantage. Let the ABCs/Labour social conservatives have their own party and see what decision the voters make, given the choice of progressive or conservative etc. Labour parties. Coalition deals can come later.

      Any guesses what % such a party would get?

    • has dreadful record keeping – and know’s nothing about any of its dealings with Mr Lui/Liu

      Then again maybe its recordkeeping is fine, and someone simply decided it was best for Cunliffe not to be informed.

  9. If Cunliffe survives this, hopefully he now understands how ruthless his opponents are and how little us common folks mean to them. He needs to decide today once and for all whose side he’s on, what he’s ready to do about it, and what he’s prepared to endure in the process.

      • totally agree CJ. They are ruthless and will do anything to keep power. Supported of course by their USA buddies who also have access to high level information sniffing out tools. Call me a conspiracy theorist. But only asking the obvious – where did they get a letter 11 year old from? How did they come to know about this? If Cunliffe comes up against JK in a debate, JK will pull one of his one liners which will make him appear clever. He’s not clever, just knows what the other person is going to say before he says it. Subliminal messaging? Maybe. To survive it Cunliffe just has to pretend he’s not bothered by it, and use some of JK’s swagger. That will work. He hasn’t got anything to be worried about. Unless of course they know something else is coming up. I’m not a seer but I knew this would happen. Listening to parliament, Labour have to up their game in the house. Come on people. Crosby Textor remember. Requires acting as well.

  10. He could resign today or he could stay on, and more of this ridiculous nonsense would appear until he did resign, and was replaced by a Labour leader more congenial to the business community.

    There’s nothing to the letter: it appears to be a normal letter from an MP asking a question on behalf of a constituent. But that doesn’t matter, since it will be spun out of all proportion by National’s friends in the media.

    By now it should be apparent to any reasonable person on the NZ left that electoral politics is a complete waste of time. No-one who even suggests that the current economic consensus might need changing will ever be allowed to be the Prime Minister of New Zealand, and that’s just the way it is. Short of spending a long time developing new centres of power in NZ society, there’s nothing that can be done.

    You are wasting your time playing a rigged game. You dignify this idiocy by participating. How many times does this have to be pointed out?

    • You keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better. Like hell I’m about to let your cynicism stop me from doing my bit though. Think about it like this: If Galileo had said to himself, “It’s a rigged game, I’ll never be able to convince anyone the earth isn’t flat, may as well just go home and watch Dancing with the Stars…”
      I would counter that it is people such as yourself, who abandon their right to vote (a right that millions have fought and died for) as the ones who are dignifying idiocy. Seriously, stop your grandstanding and bloody well fight for change, or just shut up and let others get on with it. Nobody needs that kind of jaded cynical thinking when there is an election as important as this one at stake. That’s exactly the kind of apathy that saw 800,000 voters stay home last time around instead of voting these morons out.

      TL/DR: Screw the “don’t vote” schtick: GTFO and VOTE.

  11. Both sides lose out, only unfortunately it was Williamson not Key, and Cunliffe not a back bencher, who have been exposed. It’s a sad indictment on New Zealand’s so called ‘corruption free’ image, when we see how the rich can buy their way into the country, in lieu of a little backhander via a ‘donation’.

    He can’t stay and he can’t go, it looks like it’s all hands going down with the ship this time round.

  12. Bomber– pause for a moment, and use your critical mind.

    The narrative about “Labour in disarray” is designed to keep it out of power.

    Who can benefit from this? Grant Robertson or Clayton Cosgrove or Trevor Mallard? Scarcely…

    No, the whole narrative, the timing, the coup line is pure Crosby Textor smear. No-one in the Labour Party would find this letter concerning in a justifiable manner. As you and Cunliffe say, he has done nothing wrong.

    So why not hold your tongue rather than playing into the RW blogger narrative?

    • Totally agree. I don’t think the ABCs would do this now. They are Labour members – surely they have some loyalty to that.

      • ABCs are not Labour, at best they could be called ACT in drag as per prebble and douglas during their reign of terror, but really this lot are worse as they havnt even got the guts of Dunne to walk elsewhere.

      • Dimpost seems to think the reasons national should win the election are because they are masters at playing underhanded dirty politics, mud slinging smear campaigns, and having a compliant biased and corrupt media onside. Rather than having actual policies and a plan to deal with the consequences of a debt ridden shambles national’s wrecking ball have created. Amazingly, It seems important things like that dont matter.

      • Thats Mallard E-Clectic, the fact that he said David Cunliffe IS the leader, the ONLY leader etc I thought was pretty good for him to say. Even Hipkins said he has confidence in Cunliffe. I wonder about that so called ABCers in labour, I get the impression that its the media making more out of what possibly might not exist at all. We shall see. As they say, time reveals all.

  13. It was only a matter of time before the ABC’s got the knife out.

    Easy to see why the Greens and Internet Mana vote so high on here isnt it.

    Until the neo liberals are gone labour will never regain its foothold.

  14. I did say when Cunliffe got in that Labour had to be very very careful, check and double check. All that stuff can only come about because agencies that have the technological wherewithal to sniff out this stuff do so. JK has his friend in control of one such agency and who knows what they talk about over a cup of tea. Who knows how far JKs influence extends to other places? The thing is no one knows because only he is accountable. Do I trust John Key to be ethical and show integrity? Ummm…

    Labour is always gong to be highjacked because of JK’s access to that type of information and of course his trumpeters. And the other thing the NATS do is use those trumpeters to twist and exaggerate the information. Chris Trotter was right, they did have something up their sleeves.
    Cunliffe shouldn’t resign. He should use John Key’s strategies, because in this case, his ‘fault’ is minor. I don’t think even the ABCs would be doing that at this time. I also said that the NATS use undercover cop tactics. They are all very good at it. Easy to do if you have no honour and integrity and want to set people up for a fall.

    • Do you mean Keys old school mate, the one he shoulder tapped to run the GCSB? The same mate and the same circumstances where he couldn’t remember any of the above.

      Knowledge is power isn’t it and knowing what’s the answers are and the 10 after that to the question that has yet to be asked seems to sum up the smugness of our honest government at the moment!

    • Are you actually thinking that nobody within the great war office of Labour never bothered to do OIA check once this chinese scumbag became a football, that I am sorry is beyond belief, the question now to be asked is who got the OIA that was released, and who did Labours search, then you will have the answer. It has always been the ABCs modus to sit back and lose, seems they have tried to give it an extra nudge either by hinting to outside or conveniently losing their copy

  15. No matter who did what, there’s only one thing for Labour and Cunliffe to do and that is put their heads down and start putting a bit of weight into that maul/scrum. This is not going to lose Labour many votes or gain any for National, it’s preaching to the converted on both sides. There’s 15 minutes of the match to go yet, and Labour has to ignore the harsh partisan crowd, push for a try, and make the opposition eat humble pie!

  16. David Cunliffe has absolutely NOTHING to apologise for. He was doing his job as an MP and in no way was he trying to interfere in the process. Don’t buy into the Gnats and mainstream media’s smear campaign!

  17. I can’t believe how idiotic journalists in this country are – have a look at this raw footage of a brief interview in parliament with Cunliffe. http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/national/93799.html

    Who on earth is the bizarre woman who asked Cunliffe if this was ‘a brain fade of epic proportions”? What sort of nitwit asks that about an event that happened 11 years ago? She must have completely lost touch with reality to even consider asking that question.

    It happens at the 34 second mark and I would genuinely like to know who it was.

    I notice Cunliffe has to answer the same questions several times too – The press gallery reminded me of the 9 year old soccer team I coach when they’ve had too much sugary food before practice.

    Things are far worse than I thought.

    • John Key can’t remember things he said a week ago, but the MSM think this is charming. David Cunliffe can’t remember something from 11 years ago and they are calling for this head. Do we require any more evidence that Fairfax media sources are a bunch of right wing buffoons?

    • Tovah O’Brian, 3 News (what a bloody great jornalist!!). Tonight’s news -“..David Cunliffe is safe, for now…”, BS sound bite from Shjonhkey, and not a word about the odd pantomine performed by him and Bill English at lunchtime today. Which is why I’m here on the blog…

  18. Not voting as some kind of feeble “protest” is about the most idiotic thing that anyone could do. You might as well vote for ACT and then stab yourself in the face.

    • You’re nothing more than a mug if you play a rigged game, but it’s your time. Go hard, if it makes you feel better.

    • You are right.

      NOT VOTING IS SURRENDERING TO THE NEO LIBERALS WHO WANT YOU ON YOUR KNEES.

      Broke and begging and doing exactly what they want working for nothing and minimal health care etc.

      Life usa style is fast approaching.

      • Over a quarter of the electorate do not vote. That’s more than those who support the sorry sad sack of shite that pretends to the name “Labour”. Read some history, and then tell me if you think this miserable load of compromisers, arse-lickers and back-biters resemble anything like a “left’ party. There is no left. There is no right. There is no government. There is only the enablers of the financial interests that Labour followed by National invited to lube us all up thirty years ago. I’m looking with clarity at these creeps and I’m not fooled by brand names. Voting is not only parting our cheeks for them, it’s smiling while they shove it in.

  19. That letter is really ‘hands off’. It shows an extremely cautious approach imo.
    Dredging through the herald is like trying to figure out how to get all the plastic out of the oceans. John Armstrong is really, really out there with the fine mesh sieve. Maybe he should try an underpants story, or better still, a teletubbies promotion, that would have more traction.

  20. Thanks Martyn.

    This one has National’s and possibly Whaleoil’s dirty paws all over it. Just proves how desperate National and Key are now, having to dig the dirt on something which isn’t really dirty at all!

    Be honest, how many of us can remember what we did or who we wrote to eleven years ago? I can’t!

    • Just funny how the Herald could find the letter but none of his staff could. It’s a manufactured removal of a leader from within.

      • #FATONE – No, along with the morally challenged WhaleOil, this one has the NZ Herald doing National’s bidding for it, finding something, anything in a scurrilous attempt to discredit Cunliffe and Labour.

        Why does this letter, which is not incriminating, all of a sudden appear now, three months from a general election?

        • And rightfully it should be doing its work. David Cunliffe is National best policy spokesman ever! The more he speaks the more idiotic he looks and the more votes Labour lose.

          Why is it fair for someone to sling mud at someone when they are in bed with the same person!
          I just don’t see how you lefties are so blind to it. He wouldn’t have been eligible for citizenship if Labour did not grant him residency in the first place, and that was also under scrutiny from the nz police.

          I think YOU think Labour is squeaky clean when in fact David Cunliffe is just that lying car salesman who will say anything for you to buy the car and lady, you have taken it, hook, line and sinker hahahahahaha

          • Wrong there FATONE, very wrong. I haven’t voted Labour since the mid 1980s, after Rogernomics was let loose on NZ, destroying working Kiwis’ lives.

            So no, I haven’t taken anything hook, line and sinker!

            What Cunliffe did was write a letter on behalf of a constituent, as is expected of any MP. He was doing his job as a very minor MP at that time, one with absolutely no clout.

            Perhaps you could point out the part in the letter which “advocates'” for Mr Liu’s residency. I have read the letter several times and what Cunliffe is requesting is a time frame in which Liu is likely to hear about his status. Nothing more, nothing less! No lobbying for special favours.

            The letter was written in 2003. Interestingly Mr Liu wasn’t granted permanent residency until 2007, some four years after Cunliffe’s correspondence!

            • You are one lost lady.

              He was granted residency in 2007. Who was associate immigration minister then? David Cunliffe!

              As you can see I don’t believe the letter is incriminating at all. I am saying that, Labour was scathing towards National for dealing with this “crook” as he called it and then to find out he was in bed with the Labour Party. Donations and visiting of his cement factory with a special dinner guest from Labour when he was on “holiday”!

              Labour cannot say one thing is bad and when they do it, it’s just a misunderstanding. Every politician is a liar. They get there by helping there mates. David Cunliffe just seems to be a bad liar!

              He won’t quit the leadership of the Labour Party. Why? Because no one wants to be the leader of the sinking ship!

    • Bang on Mary A

      Excerpt from The Dim Post:

      A couple of people asked me on twitter why I thought the David Cunliffe/Lui letter story came from the Nats instead of just being good hard reporting by the Herald journalist. I have a couple of reasons, but one of them is this comment on my blog from yesterday from a guy who helps Cameron Slater co-write WhaleOil:

      Within 24 hours the poll are going to be the least of David Cunliffes problems.
      Keep an eye on the herald website, we are about to see pledge card theft relegated to second place as the biggest labour funding scandal.

      • Bit of digging by Key’s childhood friend, Ian Fletcher and the GCSB, to go back 11 years and find this stuff? Key slips the stuff to Slater and FM, the Herald runs with it.

        When Key forgot about owning shares in Tranzrail, John Armstrong didn’t call for Key to resign.
        When Key said he wouldn’t raise GST and then did, John Armstrong didn’t call for Key to resign.
        When Key forgot about how he voted on the drinking age, John Armstrong didn’t call for Key to resign.
        When Key forgot Solid Energy asked for a billion dollars, John Armstrong didn’t call for Key to resign.
        When Key forgot about being briefed about raid on Kim Dotcom, John Armstrong didn’t call for Key to resign.
        When Key forgot about a mysterious US jet and who was on it , John Armstrong didn’t call for Key to resign.
        When Key forgot about calling Ian Fletcher about the GCSB job , John Armstrong didn’t call for Key to resign.
        When Key denied he had links with Cameron Slater and then admitted he did, John Armstrong didn’t call for Key to resign.

        But when Cunliffe forgets an 11 year old letter, John Armstrong demands Cunliffe resigns!

        Apparently Mr Cunliffe farted once, but that smelt better than the filth and slime associated with who and what’s behind this MSM and RW Blogger story….

  21. The right doing what they do best, making up lies because the truth hurts. Have a look at what Stuff.co.nz is saying about it, it is the biggest load of crock I have ever seen and so obviously biased that it would do credit to North Korean propaganda. They will be picking up a bonus at National Party headquarters this week for a job well done.

  22. It’s funny how a while back Labour and Cunliffe continually said of Judith Collins “It’s all about perception”. Well those who pontificated need to look in a mirror.

    • I dont think signing a form letter of which there were many, thousands in fact, 11 years ago that is part of an MPs job, is on the same level as the corruption Judith Collins exposed over her tax funded trip to China and her close relationship with Oravida, that involves other national ministers, including the one currently in the top job. Get some perspective please.

  23. Meh – it’s a joke. Armstrong shouldn’t be taken any more seriously than Bob Jones or Whaleoil. Kindof wonder how he got an MA frankly – he’s not much of a writer or analyst. If it had been Campbell baying for DC’s blood it might’ve beenadifferent story. But… where is the wrongdoing?

    Classic whispering campaign campaign this, and about as sensible: Cunnliffe wrote a constituency letter – big fat hairy deal.

    • True; David Cunliffe found out that the elite’s idea of a game is much the same today as it was in ancient Rome. Since he hasn’t thrown in the towel, he’d best get out there and play it like Attila.

  24. Hey do you think he did write the letter? Just seems so strange that the same guy Don Liu seems to be in the middle of the whole saga. The letter was written 11 years ago, who could remember writing a letter 11 years ago? So ‘they’ could write it, give it to old Armstrong to ‘break’ the story. I think if it’s too good to true then it isn’t. Happened to me with bills I thought I had paid way back, suddenly another demand for payment comes. Because the bill was paid awhile ago I can’t remember. I know I paid my bills but can’t find proof so have to pay again. Similar. I think he’s been set up. Undercover cop activities.

  25. National do not want to roll Cunliffe. Just like they wanted Cullen on TV all they could get him on – turned voters off. Cunliffe does exactly the same. The last thing they want is a new face that voters have not had time to get tired of. Lastly…has anyone considered that Cunliffe just continues to dodge and be too smart for his own good. If he did not know whether he had met this guy, he should have said that, not “nope”. Reality is Cunliffe is not as smart as he wishes he was, and has nobody to blame for his cover up but himself.

  26. I wasn’t gonna but I’m gonna . ( Sigh )

    The more I see Cunliffe hammered leading up to the election ( Or the ” I can’t be arsed Day ” ) the more I realise that he , they and them may be on to something .
    Where did I read the other day here ? The Post that seems to have mysteriously disappeared ? About Farmers ? You know ? The irrelevant few who make the commodities that keep Nu Zild afloat ? The Post was also about Pot smoking ? There were three things Politicians can’t talk about leading into an election ??? What was it ?? Farmers , Pot and …….. ?
    Anyway , I’ve lost my thread ….

    The day Cunliffe speaks out about aligning with the farmer ? That’s the day I will know he’s bonifide . ( Seen Oh Brother Where Art Thou ? )

    The closer to the bone , the nastier they’ll get . David ? Why don’t you ask uncomfortable questions about where our money is ? Dig deep into how they swindled us ? Please ? Dear Gods please dig , dig , dig !

    If David Cunliffe invited the Farmer in from out in the cold blue beyond , to show how they are as manipulated and controlled as us all ? Why , I’d throw another possum on the barbi !

    I’m trying to say , from the bottom of a bottle of kardonnay , that if Cunliffe is bonifide , he’s in dire need of support . There are forces out there who would kill to shut up any dirty , filthy , honest dissenter . Any person who gets close to that , as I’ve said before , dishonest , greedy , soft underbelly will be in grave danger , mark my words .

    What ever the above silly little letter is ? It’s nothing compared to the shit fight waiting for the righteous .

    285 K hungry kids and God only knows how many terrified parents , then 53 k people trying their best to survive while making stuff that sells well to them off-shore people ? While cunts like Fay , Richwhite , Myers , Holeyoak , Brierly make their shit spattered nests and sleep like innocents ?

    In the immortal words of the Dalai Lama ? WTF ?

  27. Hypocrisy from the left is amazing.

    The reason he is not quitting? Because no-one wants to head the train wreck named Labour!

    Made your bed, now lie in it you lying car salesman!!!!

  28. Finally ?

    @Patrick McGuire
    @ Tom
    @Mark
    @ yada yada yada …
    Do you know what an arse hole is ?
    No , seriously .
    Do you know what an arsehole is , common parlance aside ?
    Yes ? A sphincter to control the evacuation of excrement ? Close .
    A anatomical anomaly for which two way traffic is preferred in certain circles ?
    Only of you are a bigot .

    An arsehole is , in my mind the definition of something , or some one , that needs , by the very urgency of nature , to allow the evacuation of it’s contents no matter what . When I read you guys , that is what comes to mind . I could have a quick whip round for toilet paper if the blubber you blabber sticks to your cruel , thin , sphincter lips ? Just askin’ , bein’ friendly ? No harm done ?

  29. @Brian of Mt Wgtn ?
    You awful little thing . judy collins is indefensible . Is that you judy collins ?
    If so ? The truth will out you weight challenged, aging slang term part of the female anatomy .

  30. Countryboy, not everyone shares your personal fundamental interests. Most children pass through the anal stage. How old are you ?

  31. It is not a smoking gun. It is however careless of the Labour Party to allow itself to be ambushed. Some in Labour surely had the nous to use the OIA. It seems not so we are left with the impression that Cunliffe deliberately put his foot on a land mine I have heard the comment made that the man is one consonant short of disaster. This appears to be true. Labour needs a leader that is competent and lucky. Where have you gone, Shane?

  32. It appears there is a lot more to come whereby the letter will be nothing more than it is now – a sideline issue.

  33. Well, I feared this would happen. I had an uneasy feeling when Labour got on the full frontal attack lines weeks ago, raising perhaps a bit too high the moral high grounds, when they attacked Key and his government about Judith Collins, then Maurice Williamson, for the last two years about John Banks, and naturally also John Key himself.

    I always dreaded that something may come to the surface, which may suddenly make Labour look like hypocrites.

    This incident may not be as serious as some in the media, and certainly government MPs and ministers make it, but it is very embarrassing, having to concede, that some information was not noted before, as it was re some probably rather low level involvement with a prospective new migrant, who is now before the courts, was exposed as a substantial donor to National, and who is one of the favoured “rich migrants” that governments now assist at all levels.

    Labour are failing, because they have not done their damned homework, they did not prepare their strategy well enough, and homework starts with making sure you cannot be attacked on the same kind of issues and incidents, when you raise the stakes as Cunliffe and the front bench did.

    They knew all along, the media is against them, yet they “flirt” with the media when it suits them, probably thinking we need to deal with them anyway. But it exposes Cunliffe and others in Labour, to being ridiculed, presented as perhaps weak and unconvincing candidates and leaders for a prospective alternative government. I ask at times, are they so stupid, are they masochists, or what is the bloody matter with them?

    When the media is against you, you do not continue apologising, explaining things in hindsight, and so, you prepare your strategy from the start, and use the media for attack and smart information releases. Labour’s and Cunliffe’s strategy is clearly in disarray again, and too many journalists just love this stuff, it is headline stuff, whether it is so important or not.

    Hearing Cunliffe explain himself and what happened on Radio NZ’s Checkpoint, on Campbell Live and late even on the Paul Henry Show, I get what he says, believe him to a degree, but can only observe him as being defensive and weak. This will not convince voters, I am afraid, this is a disaster, really. It seems the foot-soldiers in the Labour Party are not quite up to it, as they should avoid making such mistakes. Nobody reports on policy, only on such supposed “revelations”.

    I expect smaller parties to do better this election, Greens possibly 13 to 15 per cent of votes, and NZ First probably getting close to the 10 per cent mark, and possibly even the Conservatives gaining ground, like Internet Party also. We will have a colourful election result, but the more of this goes on, the more I fear the PM after 20 Sept. will again be Teflon Key, God forbid.

  34. I cant believe that people are actually asking “Who set this trap?”

    The bloody labour party set it !! Well someone(s) in it anyway.

    The trouble with Labour is that it has within it a group that are very arrogant about things. They are religious in their attitude to what should be done. They ‘Believe’ that their thoughts on the world are absolutely right and correct, and they will persue and push these beliefs without any regard to the effect of this and the results involved. They will wreck the world in pursuit of their agenda.

    There is no room for reality in their plans and thoughts.

  35. […] The manufactured smear attack against Cunliffe is coming from inside the Party, not outside it. It has been timed to use the 3 month loophole that was quietly built into the rules that allows for the ABCs to pull a coup without having to go through the new voting structure that saw (much to the shock of the ABCs) members and affiliates elect Cunliffe with such a massive majority. […]

  36. Let’s start a nationwide boycott of all Fairfax owned publications. If enough people did it then their advertisers would start pulling their ads and Fairfax’s profits would suffer. Start with that ridiculous excuse for a news site stuff.co.nz, add the Dominion, the Manawatu Standard, etc. At the same time promote those publications that are NOT Fairfax owned. Fairfax is a pathetic tory toady outfit whose journalists are trained at National Party Headquarters and whose talents are less than intermediate grade.

  37. These allegations are not defendable by simply comparing previous issues long dealt with in a “he did it so it’s ok for me” scenario. The public has voted (last election) and consistently judged this government as we see on the polling as to whether there is anything in the allegations mentioned about Key and co. They are irrelevant as to where Cunliffe is dishonest or incompetent as is the current charge.

    When a politician writes a letter it’s designed to influence. If it weren’t, then presumably Mr Lui could have written the letter or had his immigration consultant write such a letter. There’s nothing surprising in this at all as it’s what politicians do. He says that he forgot about the letter. That’s believable. He said he never met Mr Liu. The letter is misleading then and has not been reconciled by his current statements.

    More significantly, he’s prattled on for months about this topic with holier than thou statements accusing anyone who claims not to remember to be lying. Perhaps if he showed that his previous assertions were as ridiculous as the suggestion he might remember a letter 11 years ago, he might get some sympathy. The best he seems capable of doing is blaming his political enemies (who exist in almost every party in parliament!).

    He strikes me as someone who only wants one thing: power, which is why he is so inauthentic at every step. Firmly asserted he hadn’t met Liu when he had. I believe almost every other person would have apologised. Why can’t he? Two reasons: power, which he thinks means acting “tough”. Tough guys don’t say sorry. Or, he really is lying. Quite possible.

    Perhaps he should go and “do up” his cottage in Herne Bay!

    But really, for the good of the country, I hope he stays on.

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