So let’s get this straight. We have senior members of the National Party hierarchy involved in domestic abuse, we have Mike Sabin whose ‘personal issues’ were well known to the National Party, we had the Prime Minister of NZ harassing a young woman in front of his security detail for months and months and months and now we have the brother of a Cabinet Minister involved in this…
A Cabinet minister’s brother is due to appear in court this week on child indecency charges.
The man has been summonsed to appear in the District Court on Tuesday — but the man’s lawyer, high-powered Queen’s Counsel Jonathan Eaton, last night went to the High Court in Christchurch to obtain an injunction stopping the Sunday Star-Times naming the man or the minister concerned.
The minister did not respond yesterday to questions about whether he would stand down while the case was before the court.
Prime Minister John Key, who was at the National Party regional conference in Waitangi, also failed to respond to questions about whether he would stand the minister down from Cabinet.
…at what point does National get called on this type of wealthy beige privilege? You would think after all the other incidents within National they would be extra cautious of these events now.
Lest we forget – the founding principles of the National Party.
NZ NATIONAL PARTY FOUNDING PRINCIPLES 1936
“To promote good citizenship and self-reliance; to combat communism and socialism; to maintain freedom of contract; to encourage private enterprise; to safeguard individual rights and the privilege of ownership; to oppose interference by the State in business, and State control of industry”.
Lest we forget the scumbaggery that National was founded upon. The selfish pursuit of corporate interests above the public good masquerading behind small business morality.
As vampires the Right shall grow not old, as we the Left grow old:
Retirement shall not weary them, nor the mainstream media condemn.
At the going down of the privatised sun and in the corporate morning,
We will resent them.
We will resent them?
…and at the rise of the new dawn.
We will remember them (not).
Don’t worry , mate….the times they are a – changin….you can sniff it on the breeze and you can feel it in the mood…
There’s a collective weariness happening out there in the community of not only Key and his govt….but the rorting , dishonesty and downright lies and treason that have been stringing this country’s people along for so long….35 years in fact.
You could sense it in Northland and you can sense it with the unions getting restless , you can sense it in the attitudes towards Keys continual lying and you can sense it in the gradual awakening of people to seeing themselves getting shafted and grafted….
And so in the final words of Bob Dylan as a hint and a warning to the Key sycophants….’ you better get ready or you’ll sink like a stone…cos the times , – they are a -changin’…
The NP founding principles look like the very definition of neo-liberalism. It’s a total failure of a system – when you consider, for instance, the 1/4 million below the poverty line. We need a system that is inclusive. Maybe they shouldn’t be called the ‘National’ Party.
Yes that’s right. Renaming it to something like “The Neoliberal Party”, “The Anti-Social Party”, “The Me Party” or “The 1%ers Party” would be a lot more accurate. But of course they wouldn’t want the people to know what they are actually voting for though, would they?
MARTYN YOU GEM,
THANKS FOR THIS;
While it does not excuse Nationals bullying tactics well documented you have offered us help here.
NZ NATIONAL PARTY FOUNDING PRINCIPLES 1936
“To promote good citizenship and self-reliance; to combat communism and socialism; to maintain freedom of contract; to encourage private enterprise; to safeguard individual rights and the privilege of ownership; to oppose interference by the State in business, and State control of industry”.
Now our community will use these National Party founding principals (Guiding) document to challenge both Government/Kiwirail to allow, their principal “to encourage private enterprise” to flourish in HB/Gisborne in light of the November 2014 Kiwirail offer to HBRC/NGR for a lease on the Napier/Gisborne rail, (recently scrapped by Kiwirail,) to be now accepted under these National founding principals guidelines.
Now the test;
If National are true to their founding principals then the HB Regional Council & Napier Gisborne rail Ltd’ must be accepted as a private public partnership as Air NZ, and all other privatisation of our assets has gone under National already, then it is appropriate to HB Regional Council/Napier Gisborne Rail Ltd as a Private Public partnership, operate a freight, passenger, tourism service in the same manner as similar to Air NZ has just announced with private local companies taking over regional air passenger from Air NZ.
This is a bit of a stretch and in poor taste. Whoever the Cabinet minister is he or she is not responsible for the actions of her family members.
L00L ! …the national party founding principles….that would of been about the time Roger Douglas was a child…
Which just goes to show….like malaria….the neo liberal disease has been around in one form or another for a long , long time…
And its no wonder with all the sleazy cesspits and political swamps these hard right wingers wallow in !
Does that apply just to cabinet ministers Gosman? Do they have some sort of legal immunity compared to other MPs? Carmel Sepuloni wasn’t responsible for what her mother did either, but it didn’t stop the MSM from treating her like she was. But I suppose that your view is different if its a National MP caught in the spotlight.
I agree she wasn’t responsible for what her Mother had done and the media was bang out of line if they claimed she was? Do you also agree?
We’re not talking about taking a little extra money from the welfare system to get by we are talking kiddie porn and more than likely to some degree a cover up or the very least a withhold of information.
Plus it is yet another string which has appeared and needs to be pulled to see what else falls out and NOT made out to be a nothing-to-see-here like the Sabin case.
Sleeze begets more sleeze ! ! and birds of a feather do flock together.
I am beginning to sense that the RIGHT WINGERS are running very secretly scared at all the UGLY TRUTHS coming out into the light of day. No where to hide but you can click on whale oil to give you some relief, yey right – dream on !
Thanks ! yet again Martyn – I am a fan.
Big money will always protect themselves . I don’t see why a cabinet minister can be asked to answer for his brother unless the cabinet minister is up to same nonsense.
These name suppressions always seem however to be used by the polititions and the wealthy.
Its time this coverup is stopped ,especially in child abuse situations Postponing cases till 2016 is a way of cancelling and hiding the truth.
There is one law for National polititions and a different one for all others.
I would bet that if it was a Labour or Green party bloke it would be enblazened across the Herald in triumph,no name suppression allowed.
This government has everything tidied up to suit themselves.
It seems Mike Sabin business has been swept under the carpet, I have been told (true or not I don’t know)that 3 of the victims? or complainants have withdrawn their accusations.
Maybe they were bullied into it ,who knows,this government is just a mafia club.Only fools would trust National governments.
There should be no suppression due to the accused brother being a Minister of The Crown, likewise unless the Minister has in some way attempted to manipulate the judicial process there is no reason to call for him to stand down. I am surprised that a blog as principled as this should suggest any other stance.
I am not one for biblical quotes but does it not an appropriate one (sorry typical Abrahamic patriarchal bent) go along the lines of “not visiting on the sons the sins of the fathers”.
I’m not keen on name suppression either, but make an exception if it is put in place to protect vulnerable people (victims) – especially children.
Well done. Martyn.
While I don’t hold the cabinet minister concerned here, responsible for the activities of family members, I don’t support the ongoing trend of keeping offenders’ names secret, particularly those who are able to draw on influence and wealth to protect themselves.
It seems TDB has scored another scoop here. Nothing in msm about this issue. But hey, what’s new there?
Keep up the good work TDB
Mary A
“Nothing in msm about this issue”? But Bradbury specifically quotes, and links to; this Stuff article:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/68222373/cabinet-ministers-brother-faces-sex-charges
Note that; “he”, in; “whether he would stand down”. Six cabinet ministers are female, and Shon Key only has sisters. That leaves 13 possible male cabinet MPs:
http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/cabinet/ministers/ministerial-list
The injunction was obtained in the Christchurch High Court, with a solicitor (Westgate) based in Dunedin speaking to the media for the accused. This implies that the accused at least is from the South Island.
English (Clutha-Southland), Smith (Nelson) & Woodhouse (failed Dunedin North) all have brothers, Brownlee (Ilam) is an only child. Others of the 9 remaining cabinet ministers may have brothers resident in the south too, of course.
Of these three, Woodhouse would seem to have a clear conflict of interest as; Minister of Police, and should stand down from this role for the duration if it is his brother who is accused.
Pasupial thanks for your resonse. You are correct re msm reporting this issue. I obviously missed it. My mistake.
Actually, Brownlee has 4 siblings; they just weren’t mentioned on wikipedia – I don’t know if any of them are male though. I’d been following this on yesterday’s TS OM and had some tabs I’d linked to through that still open when I replied to you.
@ PASUPIAL – you have certainly done your homework on this issue re siblings etc and the sex offender’s family connection to a cabinet minister. Much appreciated.
Given the time frame this one became public, it appears maybe someone high up in the hierarchical chain might have demanded media keep quiet until a suppression order had been put on the alleged offender’s name, to avoid embarrassment to the PM and government. This way Key, even though he knows the connection to one of his ministers, won’t be under pressure to release names etc, likely exposing a conflict of interest!
Same as the Sabin case.
The judiciary dancing to Key’s tune? I think so.
Another political cover up? Any more in the pipeline? I honestly think now, with what’s gone down recently, there is much more we don’t know about than what we do know!
That the MSM (and political opponents) are mumbling about possible conflict of interest then I suspect the ministers responsible for the portfolios of Justice or Police are good candidates.
That is, of course, pure speculation.
“to safeguard individual rights and the privilege of ownership.”
Well, knock me down with a feather.
“Privilege of ownership”? rather than “right to ownership”?
The Natz carry on as if ownership is their deity-given right, and that ownership also bestows upon themthem the right to do as they please, with whatever they own, including their employees.
Privilege is restrained by responsibility, notably absent in the
neoliberalneofeudal world view.RC
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/privilege
Nothing in there about responsibility, but it does sound a lot like the National Party’s modus operandi.
Nothing in there about responsibility,
Yes, and it wouldn’t be above the Natz to run that line as justification of their divine right to ownership without any social responsibility.
“nothing in there [technically] to prevent us”, “not against the rules”, both Key-isms that we’ve heard often enough already.
Another by-election would be great!
Whale Oil posted an article for about 3 hours last year during Dirty Pol which claimed that 5 sitting MP’s have current name suppression for child abuse. One or two have now been exposed. 3 more the Crown knows of- and I would suggest many more than that. That is the nature of our Govt I am afraid. I have been saying that for the past 2 years. The sheep are just starting to wake up and realise it maaaaaa-be true. Time to evolve and exit the cave peeps.
Your blaming someone for his brothers actions?
Other than the occasional bailout (e.g. SCF $1.6bn), of course.
Nothing in there about responsibility,
Yes, and it wouldn’t be above the Natz to run that line as justification of their divine right to ownership without any social responsibility.
“nothing in there [technically] to prevent us”, “not against the rules”, both Key-isms that we’ve heard often enough already.
Had to laugh this morning,glanced at front page of Herald to see John Key saying there was nothing sexist about the hair pulling ,it could have been a man ,boy is Key digging a hole for himself.For one thing a man would told him to cut it out ,then if persisting would have punched him in the gut.Others would put a different connotation on his remark!!!!!
Key is a comedian I think ,hes like a worm trying to wriggle off the hook and getting more tangled up than ever.
Holy Sh*t!
Those are their founding principles?
How the hell did they ever get let into government by the people of this country we are far better than that.
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