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It’s not often that Ministers of this increasingly desperate and inept government make a statement that is unerringly accurate – but on Friday 15 May, on Radio NZ’s Morning Report, GCSB Minister, Chris Finlayson did just that. Minister Finlayson painted a picture of Dear Leader John Key that every critic of this government would agree with.
Interviewing the Minister, Guyon Espiner asked;
@1.38:
Espiner: “Ok, when this become public in the NZ Herald,
one comment was that this was a back-ward looking
anti-American bunch of plonkers. That’s what these guys
are, they’re not interested in the future of New Zealand,
or making it stronger, they’re just opposed to the
government. Do you agree with that view?”
Finlayson: “Oh look you always get that kind of wild
eyed stuff from the right, just as you get the —“[drowned out by cross-talk]
Espiner: “Well that was from John Key I was quoting.
That was John Key, your prime minister who said that.”
Finlayson: “And you get the wild apocalyptic comment on
the Left. The fact of the matter is that there are lot of
people who are —” [drowned out by cross-talk]
Full interview:
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Finlayson put his foot in it. The tendency of National ministers to react badly to any form of criticism has become more deeply ingrained the longer they are in power. They are unable to listen to alternative views, treating all criticism as a verdict of failure.
A prime example of this kind of aggressive defensiveness was highlighted by the “wild apocalyptic” abuse meted out by John Key to visiting US journalist, Glenn Greenwald;
“There is no mass surveillance of New Zealanders by GCSB, and there never has been mass surveillance of New Zealanders by GCSB. Now in the fullness of time we’ll respond to Dotcom’s little henchman [Glenn Greenwald], but mark my words, he’s wrong… Lets understand what’s going on here; Kim Dotcom is paying Glenn Greenwald to come to New Zealand a week before an election and he’s trying to influence New Zealanders.” – John Key, 13 September 2014
“Dotcom’s little henchman is wrong. I’m probably not going to jump in front of what information he’s got. It’s up to the henchman to go and deliver that information I suppose, but mark my words, he’s wrong. I’m right and I’ll prove I’m right.”– John Key, 13 September 2014
“This is what happens when you hack in to illegal information, when you wander down to New Zealand six days before an election trying to do Dotcom’s bidding – what happens is you get half the story.” – John Key, 14 September 2014
“People got really wound up about me calling him Dotcom’s little henchman. I would have a modicum of respect for the guy if he had the guts to turn up here six months before the election, or six months after. If this loser [Glenn Greenwald] is going to come to town and try and tell me, five days before an election, staying at the Dotcom mansion with all the Dotcom people and being paid by Dotcom, that he’s doing anything other than Dotcom’s bidding – please don’t insult me with that.” – John Key, 15 September 2014
Previous comments by John Key to Nickey Hager, Jon Stephenson, and others who dare critique this government is indicative of the Right’s sensitivity to dissent.
Which also happens to highlight Key’s sheer hypocrisy earlier this year when he had the gall to defend freedom of speech and the right of the media to question;
“The targeting of journalists going about their daily work is an attack on the fourth estate and the democratic principles of freedom of speech and expression, which must be strongly condemned.” – John Key, 8 January 2015
Indeed, Mr Key.
Perhaps condemning “targeting of journalists going about their daily work” and on “the democratic principles of freedom of speech and expression” would sound more credible if we started closer to home? And by ministers of this government?
Otherwise, Mr Key begins to sound like “wild eyed stuff from the right“, making “wild apocalyptic comment[s]”, to his own Ministers.
The truth, as always, slips out.
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Postscript1
Previous instances of critics coming under sustained public attack by this government:
July, 2009
Natasha Fuller & Jennifer Johnston, solo-mothers
Personal WINZ details released to the media by Social Welfare Minister, Paula Bennett, to discredit both women after they criticised National for canning the Training Incentive Allowance (which Bennett herself used to pay her way through University).
May, 2011
Jon Stephenson, journalist
John Key derides Stephenson’s research into NZ activities in Afghanistan: “I’ve got no reason for NZDF to be lying, and I’ve found [Stephenson] myself personally not to be credible.”September, 2011
Nicky Hager, writer, researcher
John Key dismisses Hager’s book, on CIA involvement in NZ military activities in Afghanistan: “I don’t have time to read fiction,” quipped the Prime Minister, adding that the book contained “no smoking gun”, just supposition, which, “makes it business as normal for Nicky Hager”. (Despite the book having 1300 footnotes to referencing documentation.)October, 2011
Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury, broadcaster, blogger
Criticised John Key on Radio NZ. Subsequently banned/ “uninvited” from returning to Radio NZ as a panellist for the Afternoons with Jim Mora segment.November, 2011
Robyn Malcolm, actor
Criticises the John Key led National government for it’s failures at a Green Party campaign launch, and is, in turn, vilified by the ‘NZ Herald’, and by one-time National Party aspiring-candidate, Cameron Brewer.November, 2011
Bradley Ambrose, journalist/photographer
Investigated by police after complaint laid by the Prime Minister, over the “Teapot Tape” affair. Ambrose investigated and interviewed by Police. Media office raided. Property seized. Eventually, no charges laid. Government considered seeking costs of $13,669.45 from Ambrose – but eventually decided not to.March 2012
ACC Claimant, Bronwyn’s Pullar’s personal details are leaked to the media and to a right wing blogger, who has been given her full files, emails, etc. ACC Minister, Judith Collins, and her office are implicated.
November 2012
Dr Mike Joy, environmentalist, scientist, academic. Attacked by both John Key and right wing “media relations/publicist”, Mark Unsworth, for daring to tell the public the truth about New Zealand’s polluted waterways. On 21 November, Unsworth sent a vicious email to Dr Joy that showed the state of mind of Unsworth to be bordering on unhinged.
March, 2013
Annette Sykes, lawyer, activist, President of Mana Party
When Annette Sykes criticised the appointment of sportswoman Susan Devoy to the role of Race Relations Commissioner, Minister Judith Collins responded with “Annette Sykes is a stupid person”.
May, 2014
Katie Bradford, Parliamentary Press Gallery, and TV1 journalist. Judith Collins makes allegations to a TV3 journalist, that Ms Bradford asked the Minister to intervene on behalf of her (Bradford’s) husband to join the police force. This is refuted by Ms Bradford as untrue. Collins later apologises.
September, 2014
John Key refers to to visiting US journalist, Glenn Greenwald, as Kim “Dotcom’s little henchman” and a “loser”.
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References
Radio NZ: Morning Report – GCSB Minister responds to Greens claims
Fairfax media: Key dismisses GCSB spying claims from Greenwald
TV3 News: Key hits back at Greenwald’s claims of mass surveillance
The Guardian: New Zealand PM deceiving public over spying claims, says Glenn Greenwald
NZ Herald: Kiwis’ data lodged with NSA – Greenwald
John Key: New Zealand condemns Paris shooting
Previous related blogposts
John Key’s “pinch of salt” style of telling the truth
Taking responsibility, National-style
A Question to Hugh Rennie, Counsel for the NZDF
Why a Four Year Parliamentary Term is not a Good Idea – Part Rua
“One law for all” – except MPs
Hypocrisy – thy name be National
The slow disintegration of a government; 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5
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= fs =
Good article frank,
Finlayson: “And you get the wild apocalyptic comment on the Left. The fact of the matter is that there are lot of people who are —” [drowned out by cross-talk]
I guess his security saw his gaf and was hard at work muffing the mistakes made by Finlayson when they drowned the end of Finlayson’s gaf?
Pity Key’s ponytail security didn’t step in as quickly eh and boot Key in the arse for it eh ?
By the way Frank, there were several dates wrong there also as 13th September 2015? that time is yet to come as this phoney “Government comes crashing down.
Thanks for the heads-up on the errors, Cleangreen. Sorted.
I don’t understand how he got away with all this spying and handing it all on to the americans. Angela Merkel has been found out in Germany, for doing the same thing there, and the public there is not going to allow her to talk her way out of it.
Ha! Finlayson got caught out! That’ll teach the Tory’s to slag off people! Hoist by his own whatever!!
Gee fancy Finlayson falling for that one, eh. I mean Espiner held his fist out with his outstretched arm and pretty much said, “here Minister, walk into this”, and silly duffer did just that. Classic
I’m surprised that Finlayson didn’t spot Espiner’s out-of-the-back-of-the-hand googlie, then confiscate the tapes and claim that they were illegally in a teapot on the table and he didn’t know he was being taped.
Then under new GCSB laws, send in the goon squad to seize the tapes and embargo them until just after the JFK tapes are released to the public.
Not far off now and Espiner will be going the same way as Campbell Live nearly was until people power deflated Mark Walden’s cochones.
Nice one Frank. Right up there with the “Hootin Hoor” shrilly screeching over the top of Kathryn Ryan on ‘Nine to Noon’ a while back, that Nicky Hager was a traitor and guilty of treason.
Espiner: “Well that was from John Key I was quoting.
That was John Key, your prime minister who said that.”
Classic!
From out of the mouth of babes…
[…] blogpost was first published on The Daily Blog on 18 May […]
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