The unbelievable Saudi Sheep Bribe should disqualify National from Government

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So we got this whitewash report in 2016 that Murray MCully kinda acted within the law in regards to the Saudi Sheep bribe. Nothing to see here folks, just a Senior Minister paying an $11.5 million dollar bribe to a Saudi Businessman in the sad hope that we can get a free trade deal with Saudi Arabia, a country with one of the worst Human Rights records on the planet and who is also one of the biggest funders of extremism.

You know, just another day in NZ. No one checked if McCully’s claim of a $30m legal threat was even real, no one has seen an assessment of the money used, no one can explain why so many of the sheep died and no one can explain what ongoing benefit this breeding program gives NZ.

We’ve just trusted Uncle Muzza with $11.5 million to try and cut a dodgy deal for reasons that are mercenary and without any actual ethics. Yay!

Saudi Arabia crucifies human beings – just think about that for a second. Do we really want a free trade deal with a country that crucifies human beings? To be told that we not only are attempting to in fact cut a free trade deal with a country that whips women for being raped, we fucking well spent $11.5 million trying to bribe these buggers to get that trade deal!

The issue was not that Murray McCully and the National Party are unethical pigs who’d sell their own grandmothers into slavery if it meant making a buck, the issue is why the Christ we are trying to bribe a Saudi businessmen to trade with the worst human rights abusers on the planet.

So what Official Information Act revelations did we get from MFAT last week after last years white wash report?

Saudi sheep deal: MFAT didn’t provide legal advice on lawsuit risk

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade did not provide legal advice to the government on the risk of being sued by a disgruntled Saudi Arabian businessman, documents reveal.

The admission that no legal advice on the lawsuit threat ever existed directly contradicts comments in 2015 by then-Foreign Minister Murray McCully that the ministry had taken advice on the issue.

The National government did an $11.5 million deal with Saudi businessman Hamood Al Ali Al Khalaf after Cabinet was advised in February 2013 that the Al Khalaf Group was threatening to sue New Zealand for $20-$30m. Mr Al Khalaf had invested heavily in New Zealand and believed New Zealand’s 2003 ban on live exports had left him misled and out of pocket.

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Labour’s David Parker Photo: RNZ / Demelza Leslie

The deal included using taxpayer funds to build Mr Al Khalaf a $6m agrihub farm in the Saudi desert, as well as flying in over 900 sheep and handing over $4m in cash.

The government argued that the deal saved New Zealand from the risk of being sued for a much larger amount.

However, MFAT and Mr McCully have long refused to release any legal advice it relied on in doing the deal.

In a 2015 interview on TV3’s The Nation, Mr McCully was asked repeatedly what the advice said and whether he would release it.

He replied “it’s the ministry’s advice” and “I’m not going to release the ministry’s advice”. When asked if there was any legal basis for a lawsuit, he said “the advice was that those circumstances did provide such a basis”.

Yet an Official Information Act response from MFAT “following discussion with the Chief Ombudsman” has revealed “it did not seek or provide advice on the extent of the risk of a claim in the New Zealand courts for compensation from the Al Khalaf Group against the government”.

“Effectively, the minister had misled the public,” said Labour’s David Parker.

…well, well, well. So there actually wasn’t any investigation whatsoever of McCully’s bullshit claims that we were on the hook for a $30million dollar legal case if we didn’t bribe this businessman which means there was no justification whatsoever which means McCully lied to us and his own Caucus.

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

How is it that Metiria highlighting the draconian nature of welfare is worse than McCully lying to the nation to bribe a businessman in a human rights abusing country for a free trade deal that benefits the rich?

How can Metiria attract more toxic media coverage than McCully?

What does this extraordinary double standard say about the state of our media and the hollowness of our culture?

25 COMMENTS

  1. … ” What does this extraordinary double standard say about the state of our media and the hollowness of our culture? ” …

    What does it say ?

    It confirms our every suspicion and long held fear that this govt in particular ,… are corrupt.

    And it also confirms that we have had , – and still do , – have a private media that will act happily in collusion with the incumbent govt to vilify and destroy the careers of opposition party’s and politicians in order to deflect criticism for the very corruption they are guilty of.

    It also confirms they are a Quisling govt , … ready to sacrifice all principle and the taxpayers purse in order to placate and enrich their own Mont Pelerin Society directed NZ Initiative colleagues.

    Exactly the same as John Key did in creating NZ tax havens.

    • Bloody criminals should be locked up but why is this not hitting the headklines as “NZ cant trust national with their public money as National gives it away to saudi or anyone esle they choose.”

      Opposition Parties should now be lambasting National with this, not letting them off the hook!!!!!!!

      wtf.

    • The more frightening aspect is that not only is the corruption real but the voters and supporters of the National party see that it is perfectly acceptable with what they are doing, in other words it is normal business practice.

      Key behaved the same way and set the example that because he behaved in a corrupt fashion in his dealings as a trader and other roles he saw his actions as perfectly legitimate and could see no wrong in what they have been doing and quite frankly the law is an ass and should be ignored when it interferes in making a profit and protecting one’s wealth.
      He simply applied that to the business of government.

      And if that means squandering tax payers money on corrupt countries like Saudi Arabia ….so be it !

      • … ” Key behaved the same way and set the example that because he behaved in a corrupt fashion in his dealings as a trader and other roles he saw his actions as perfectly legitimate and could see no wrong in what they have been doing ” ….

        And that is why the moral fiber of leadership IS SO IMPORTANT.

        Working class sages have long said the ‘ Fish rots from the head down !!! ”.

        That is why Winston Churchill despite being a right wing drunkard exhorted the English speaking world to go that extra mile to oppose a greater evil .

        But on the inverse side ,… That is why when Caligula deemed it acceptable to abuse , torture and use christian’s as sport in the Colosseum to appease the population if a campaign against the barbarians went wrong…

        The point is , that the people will follow the leader, … through either love or fear.

        And if that leader is of sound values and morals ,…then onward’s to the advancement of that society , … however if that leader uses popular discontent to demonize a people group to elevate themselves,… that also works to elevate that leader and inflates the egos of that leaders elect inner circle , – whilst meanwhile manipulating the greater population out of fear of punishment to conform…

        Kim Jong un is a classic modern example.

        I know you know this.

        Most TDB people do.

        And I think most TDB people and folk over at The Standard know these basic truths as well ,… as do now,… a growing majority of New Zealanders , and that thank goodness , … (and hence ) ,… the massive popularity of a 37 year old teachable , empathetic , warm , and caring young female leader called Jacinda Adern.

        She is unstoppable.

        Because she has her heart in the right place ,… and that scares the living hell out of those that haven’t.

      • Indeed they should , and , … like COUNTRYBOY , I believe it should extend even further ,… right back even , … to the very first evidences of the neo liberal agenda landing in New Zealand. I am speaking of course , of the 4th Labour govt and in particular under its Finance Minister , Roger Douglas.

        The neo liberal is a a neo liberal first and foremost , they are neither left nor right , socialist or fascist. They are mere chameleons. Their agenda will use any and all ideology’s, all social movements to turn that momentum to their advantage and against those protagonists for change.

        They are less interested in transient social change or movements, more interested in entrenching power and wealth into their hands at all costs.

        And the end result is the mocking hollow laughter at the rabble who form the bulk of society which they know full well they now have total control over.

        These,… are the globalist ‘ snakes’ that Gary Wayne talks about…as does Hugh Price of Hugh Price Publishers…

        New Right Fight – Who are the New Right?
        http://www.newrightfight.co.nz/pageA.html

        Genesis 6 Conspiracy with Gary Wayne on the Awakening … – YouTube
        Video for gary wayne genesis 6 you tube▶ 1:36:26
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvQpWEGsht8

  2. It certainly would disqualify them if the electorate had any expectation of integrity from our government. Clearly we have none. Is that because we have no expectation of being able to vote in a principled administration? Or is it because we have no integrity ourselves?
    D J S

    • Good questions .

      I would say a good proportion of the population has no integrity at all.

      They see this type of bullshit as being a ok and simply turn the other cheek as they do it themselves in various everyday forms.

  3. Shocking. It’s hard to work out what is worse, the desperation to get the trade deal with a country that abuses women and has zero human rights OR that that the National government can just bribe/steal/give away millions of dollars of taxpayer money for absolutely no reason to someone’s crony in the middle eastern desert (not even government for Pete’s sake) and there is little to zero back lash. No resignations. No expose from main stream media. Not even much back lash from the opposition in government. If you want to know why know one watches or trusts the media and has less and less respect for government anymore, then have a close look at this example.

  4. I’m pleasently surprised to see some hard truths about Saudi on this site. The Islamic States all have barbaric laws on their books. Yet they are a powerful force at the UN. We should also be looking to get out of that corrupt body or reform it so, for example, Saudi Arabia isn’t the chair of the human rights council or sitting at the table of women’s rights. The issue is bigger than just a corrupt McCully!

  5. How is it that Metiria highlighting the draconian nature of welfare is worse than McCully lying to the nation to bribe a businessman in a human rights abusing country for a free trade deal that benefits the rich?

    How can Metiria attract more toxic media coverage than McCully?

    I look forward to Mike Hosking, John Armstrong, Jane Bowron, Duncan Garner, et al, laying into Murray McCully with the same attitude they laid into Metiria Turei.

    Let’s see… the life-span of this Universe is estimated to be 1 trillion years … *checks watch* … yup, plenty of time.

    • I’m also for a maximally generous welfare. Generous welfare actually makes people more innovative and willing to invest in new things, and not have to constantly worrying about basic survival. Also circumstances do dictate a lot of where most people are in life, and such are the vagaries of life, many of us are just a medical event or redundancy away from extreme hardship – absent an adequate safety net.

      However, in order to have a welfare system in which some people are temporarily non-productive yet generously supported, we must allow the productive part of the population to expand their businesses, export, earn money in the big wide world, and bring home the bacon and share with the less fortunate among us.

      That means we must trade with people like the Saudis. There’s always going to be unfortunate incidents here or there, but the overall benefits far outweigh whatever little hiccups there are along the way.

      And by the way Martyn, and this is not a facetious comment, the Saudis do carry out crucifixions – but only after they have lopped the criminals head off. So its not crucifixion as a punishment in the ancient Roman sense where it would take days to die, but rather a display of the executed criminals body as a warning to others. Agree, that even this is rather horrifying.

      • That means we must trade with people like the Saudis. There’s always going to be unfortunate incidents here or there, but the overall benefits far outweigh whatever little hiccups there are along the way.

        If you’re struggling with a one-word description of your willingness to trade with abusers of people, I believe the term *amoral* might be applicable.

        Using your philosophy of a profit at any cost, you would’ve had no moral objection to trading with Pol Pot? The Nazis? Stalin? The Apartheid regime in Sth Africa?

        Good to know where capitalism’s moral standards lie.

      • You still around , NZBC ?

        You disgusting brand of inverse racism against Caucasians coupled with your far right neo liberalism ?

        Your starting to bore me.

        I thought you would have taken the hint by now. But stick around , you will be good to make sport of after the election. Please stay.

        Until then , …. please explain this :

        New Right Fight – Who are the New Right?
        http://www.newrightfight.co.nz/pageA.html

        And then after you have done so , please sing us a song,…. lets perhaps start with a song from the fighting Irish ,…

        The Wolf Tones-You’ll Never Beat the Irish – YouTube
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYnrjhrkt-0

        And then after that , perhaps we could expect a full recital of Celtic / Anglo Saxon / Norse history dating from around the 8th century onward’s and including the full invasion of Eire and the Highland clearances of the 17th century to see just how much your ‘ degree’ in humanity’s …REALLY covered.

        However ,…I suspect , … that in line with you having been already previously outed as an opportunist ,… that you are nothing more than a complete revisionist flake and simply a pseudo intellectual rich prick writing under a pseudonym for the National party…. and just as easily swatted aside for the same sort of hypocrisy , thin ‘veneer’ and superficiality provided by swamp Kauri for Orivida for the Chinese export markets on cheap tables made of Formica to the unsuspecting wider world markets ….

        Either that or an even cheaper water plunderer of this country’s natural resources who is fighting fang and claw and trying to come in through the back door against the incoming Labour govt’s plans to tax foreign owned company’s and multinationals for the grand theft of our natural resources for their own non taxed profits courtesy of the Globalist National party .

        Johnny Cash – God’s Gonna Cut You Down – YouTube
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJlN9jdQFSc

  6. FFS Martyn. No matter how one is going to vote on Saturday, surely you understand that we have to trade to be able to make money to be able to buy things to be able to support a first world country with first world infrastructure, healthcare, and education?

    How on earth are we going to buy those new cancer drugs that cost 100 k a year, if we don’t earn the money to purchase them.

    Like it or not we can’t just trade with Anglo American type countries anymore. Anglo American countries simply don’t have the sort of world dominance they once had –to the chagrin of many Pakehas.

    • That’s just bullshit. Saudi money and citizens all over terror attacks globally. #1 reason why I was so against Killary ect for taking Saudi donations. And then there is the McCully bribe FFS.

    • I see that you are the new ‘ Gosman ‘ ,… NZBC ,… very good . Very , very good.

      Things were getting rather ‘dull’ as of late.

      It will be interesting.

      Please be sure to stick around after Labour / Greens win the election.

      It would be sad to see the dishonest far right giving up with a whimper and muttering into their whiskey shots so easily. We like them to give an account of themselves at least ,…They have a lot to answer for ,… for the deaths of children and poverty they are guilty of ,… I like to see justice,… mercy over justice , mind,… but justice served nonetheless ,… just like Merl Haggard reckons…

      Rough justice aint just reserved for the American West but we can sure as hell appreciate it at times. It gets things done.

  7. Colombians sell cocaine
    NZ sells sheep.
    Ever snorted a sheep?
    Cocain?
    Better right?
    Look. It’s just a fancy few gentlepersons finding the next trend to profit from.
    While we wail and squeak, how do we infuse the process with our morals?
    You can’t.
    That’s why government. That’s their job.
    So, mccully? He’s not doing his job so…
    Get rid of the fucker.

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