WHAT WILL HISTORY MAKE of Nicky Hager? That slight, perpetually boyish, journalist who descends periodically, like the admonishing angel in a medieval mystery play, to trouble our consciences and wreak merry havoc with the orderly conduct of our political affairs. History will have to make something of him: his interventions have been too important to be dismissed by our political brewers as mere irrelevant froth. But what? That is the question.
Perhaps we should begin by telling the world what Nicky Hager is not. Prime Ministerial judgements notwithstanding, he is not “a screaming left-wing conspiracy-theorist”.
Hager has never, is not, and never will be some sort of avatar of the “left-wing”. He has far too refined a moral sense to be the representative of anything so fractious and morally compromised as the New Zealand Left. Indeed, most left-wingers have little patience for individuals so weighed down by self-imposed scruples. The preferred left-wing soldier is as reluctant to question the ethics of the party-line as Hager is eager to challenge them. Revolutionary bread is typically made from much more coarsely-ground flour.
Nor does Hager scream. His mode of address is invariably polite and carefully measured. Softly-spoken and slow to take offence, Hager is actually the perfect foil for the genuine screamers of the public sphere. These latter cannot abide the fact that Hager is able to inflict so much damage to their cause while speaking in tones of such sweet reasonableness. One imagines their camera lenses, microphones and keyboards flecked with spittle – so great is the rage which he inspires.
Of all the epithets hurled at Hager, by far the most common is that he is a “conspiracy theorist”. I recently heard one of Jim Mora’s panellists, a woman who I would wager has never read a single one of his books, dismiss him as “a grassy-knoll fantasist”. I was surprised she didn’t add that he was generally to be found sporting a jaunty tin-foil hat!
Methinks the lady – and all those others so quick to dismiss Hager’s work as the rantings of a demented conspiracy theorist – doth protest too much. Such people cannot easily accept that what they happily acknowledge as the truth of things may be something else entirely. That the “official” story is, as often as not, a tissue of lies. Or, that the eruptions of mendacity which periodically disturb the placid surface of public life are anything other than unfortunate accidents: cock-ups – not conspiracies. Hager’s books, so meticulously researched and footnoted, so weighed down with names and dates and places, render the cock-up theory unusable by these poor souls, forcing them to focus on facts as uncomfortable as they are irrefutable. Unsurprisingly, he is not thanked for doing so.
Even more upset, however, are the people whose hidden machinations (conspiracies if you like the word better) Hager exposes. Once again, this is hardly surprising. Whether it be the people behind the Echelon spy system; the timber company with its eyes on the native forests of the West Coast; a Labour prime minister who’d neglected to alert the country to the accidental release of genetically-engineered corn; the National Party strategists behind Dr Don Brash’s bid to complete the neoliberal revolution; the New Zealand Defence Force’s strenuous efforts to re-attach New Zealand’s pinky finger to the Anglo-Saxon fist; or, All The Prime Minister’s Men’s e-mail communications with Cameron Slater: these are people who would have preferred their words and deeds to have remained hidden from the public gaze. “Conspiracy theorist!”, in the mouths of such individuals is not a revelation, it’s a diversion.
So what has Hager done? In historical terms, he has taught us how to read the actions of those who wield power over and around us in the twenty-first century. Since the publication of his first book, Secret Power, in 1996, Hager has shown us things our leaders would rather we hadn’t seen. He’s taught us to challenge the official media releases; to question the news stories; and to understand the truth of British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli’s (1804-1881) disturbing observation that: “The world is governed by very different personages from what is imagined by those who are not behind the scenes.”
Hager is one of that rare breed of men with whom even History is uncomfortable. He represents neither class nor creed; is the servant of neither political party nor economic interest. He comes to us out of storms of malice, steering his fragile little boat of truth across a raging sea of lies. In the words of one of the nineteenth century’s greatest historians, Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) Nicky Hager is proof that:
“In the true Literary Man there is thus ever, acknowledged or not by the world, a sacredness: he is the light of the world; the world’s Priest – guiding it, like a sacred Pillar of Fire, in its dark pilgrimage through the waste of Time.”
Well said, Chris
Indeed.
Thank you Mr Trotter!
As always, your piece is incisive, insightful, perceptive and enlightening. Not unlike the writings of Mr Hager himself.
O, that we had many more than just a very few of your ilk among those who call themselves ‘journalists’ – investigative or otherwise.
Well spoken. Wonder what a person would get if they asked under the OIA for copies of all requests made by Cameron Slater/Whaleoil. Can’t claim conspiracy theories when all those requests made, must be in the records of all govt depts.
And the original copies of the e.mails to Slater from the various politicians…
Good wrap Chris,
Great speech Nicky gave tonight he is an inspiring man, and we are all very deeply in debt for his being in our midst at this very disturbing time in our history.
You said,
“I recently heard one of Jim Mora’s panellists, a woman who I would wager has never read a single one of his books, dismiss him as “a grassy-knoll fantasist”.
We have so many boneheads that don’t realise how important Nicky is help us during our fight to save our fragile democracy, and hope they will awake before election day with some MSM stimulation we pray for.
Cant you and a few of the old school Investigative Journalists to get together and force the MSM to now come clean now that the Reid poll out today shows the pendulum is swinging away from Nat’s finally?
Had to be the reading of Dirty Politics?
Get them to screen Hager’s meeting in Auckland tonight it was amazing, and if the public had a chance to view it on MSM under a TVNZ , free studio screening access rights this would be great.
Well, I enjoyed the meeting at the Mt Eden War Memorial Hall in Balmoral, Auckland, last night at 07.30 pm! The hall was packed, in the back lines of people had to stand due to lack of extra seating, and I saw many of the more enlightened, sensible, intelligent and open minded people – from various liberal and left, to the moderate right leaning back grounds, all assembled, enjoying a respectful, educated, insightful, smart and well mannered investigative journalist speak to them.
Nicky Hager deserves respect, he is NOT a “ranting”, “left leaning conspiracy activist”, he is not out there to attack and insult people for political gains, he simply writes about true stuff, to open people’s eyes, ears and minds, so they see what really goes on in our country and society.
John Key may fill a hall in South Auckland with bused in National Party members and supporters from the better, leafy suburbs, and boast himself about his and his party’s popularity. That does not cover up the rot that came from his office, and what some of his senior staff were organising and executing in cooperation with an attack blogger called Cam Slater.
Nobody in Mt Eden Memorial Hall was bussed there, they all came freely, on their own volition, and with own transport, on foot or by bus. Nicky Hager did not promote any party, any politicians, he simply appealed for decent politics and a decent society. He got a standing ovation before he even spoke to the large crowd. And there was repeated applause throughout Hager’s speech, showing support and respect for one of the finest investigative journalists New Zealand still has.
So I am sure many that attended, and many that read his book, they understand more now, and they will be mindful when voting this election, and they will hopefully share their knowledge and concerns with others, so that many more will vote accordingly.
Key and his government have all reason to be worried, and the poll just out shows it. It may not look so great for Labour, but there is still time to make things happen, and we know the polls only represent some of the potential voters out there, ignoring others.
Let us not be brainwashed, discouraged and intimidated anymore, stand up, speak out, take a stand for a decent society, a fairer society, an honest society, and politics and politicians that reflect this, while they represent us, to run this country and prepare it for a better future.
Very descriptive article ,…
The man is so patient and gentle in his delivery …I don’t think I’ve ever seen him return an insult or sarcastic cutting remark back at those who have leveled them at him.
Its true he is not writing from a biased political stance,….its even more so he’s simply bringing us the truth. And that takes courage. Real courage ….and to do it with such graciousness and humility…it will be that quality that galls so many who have been caught out by that truth.
Such a rare individual….such a wonderful example of someone who is unshakable in delivery yet done without guile or vindictiveness.
It is these qualities that create such consternation amongst those wrongdoers who operate at a more base level.
cleangreen says:
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August 28, 2014 at 5:45 am
Chris or TDB, please send our letter to the hager family please.
TO NICKY HAGER AND TDB. 28/8/2014.
– THE LIVE SCEENING OF A SPEECH FROM NICKY HAGER AT AUCKLAND WAR MEMORIAL 7 30PM 27/8/14. DIRTY POLITICS.
From all of us who have been so very worried about the erosion of our democracy over the last six years since the Key Government began dismantling our fairer kinder, gentler Government of Helen Clark, a heart felt thank you for everything you have all done to bring a bright ray of hope back to us all, in our darkest hour, of our freedom & democracy.
As we watched Nicky speak at this hallmark location where our hero’s of our past fought and gave their lives for our freedoms and democracy, Nicky’s powerful words resonated as stark memories of why we were there listening to how we can save our Democracy again from what seemed certain defeat, this event raised our hearts that were lifted up again, as hope filled both our hearts & minds as this extraordinary gentle soul stood in front of the podium and washed away our fear with gentle compassion.
These extraordinary souls such as Nicky Hager is, only come forward so very seldom in our lives and we now have a true leader in Nicky, and our hopes, dreams and gratitude go out to all involved with TDB and Nicky’s family for our safe future and return to the future free of tyranny, fear & corruption, to a precious egalitarian society again.
God protect and keep our Nicky safe and well for the long journey we are now about to go forward with in the name of humanity.
The best way of saying thanks to Nicky is to go out and buy a copy of all his books. I have.
I gave several friends who are ex armed forces my copy of “other peoples wars” to read. Oddly enough they said very little when giving it back. No claims the guy was nuts and didn’t understand military culture, nothing, not a word about the subject since. Surprising for 3 guys with over 50 years combined service in the forces..
Quite sad really,..I have a sister that…who always tended to define herself as ‘conservative’…so thusly parroted the typical right wing radio station /Nats dogmas….
However , recently she did an online ‘who are you most aligned with politically?’ test…
I had constantly told her that her social democratic egalitarian values now point more to Greens/IMP with some Labour , even NZF….told her even before she completed it…
She got a hell of a shock when she saw where she actually was on the graph….left of NZF and virtually a Green….
These people in this country ..still live in the past…they just don’t realize how far Right NZ politics has become….they need educating badly..
When I recently presented ‘ Dirty Politics ‘ to her…she turned her lips up and said…’Im not reading that’….
We need far , far more of people like Hager to ram home the message that we are in a very dangerous political timeframe in NZ…..they just don’t want to admit , know , or be involved or acknowledge NZ has changed since the 70’and 80’s…
It terrifies them that their little worldview bubble might be burst…sadly…that is so many New Zealanders……this is what we are up against.
Excellent post Wild Katapo,
I spent 16 yrs living in US and Canada, and came home to a more right wing Country than either of the two I had lived in before.
The media are to blame as they promote hard right wing philosophies.
I pray they wake up going to the poll and vote them out and return the country to us all, not overseas interests.
And promote Democracy and a fair gentler kinder society not economic slavery, to foreign corporate’s and only be a tenant in our own land.
If no one is thanking Mr Hager for his timely publication, then let me toss mine into the void. A contemporary of Thos Carlyle, one Prinz Otto von Bismarck, Kanzler of the Second German Reich, observed that if people knew what went into sausages and politics, they would rest less easy in their beds. You might have thought, though, that in a more … erm … sophisticated and hardened century, the voting population would be a little more robust.
As someone (my adoption of a regal title to my nic is intentionally ironic, in more ways than one) whose political perspective has been from well left of centre since age 12, there have often been times in which my own patience with the left has been tried. But what exercises me is the stupid factionalism. Why the left can not understand that the time to discuss (argue) differences is AFTER having gained the power to govern, quite passes my comprehension. Which is probably a major reason (apart from sheer laziness) why I will barely lift a finger for any cause – merely showing up for the occasional protest march. I did turn up for Martyn Bradbury et Co’s gig at the Christchurch Cardboard Cathedral, though. Interesting and informative, though there was a bit of an air of old activists reminiscing old times and old fights…
One of the amusing ironies of right wing name-calling ‘conspiracy theorists’, is that they still expect us to believe their own conspiracy theories. Funny that. More often than not they require for belief a mind far more credulous than is usual even for the common run of conspiracy theory. …
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