WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING inside the National Party Caucus? Are we witnessing a genuine intra-party meltdown or merely the political and personal disintegration of a single individual? When all the dust has settled, will very much have changed?
In the bluntest terms, what we are witnessing is the fullest measure of a single Member of Parliament’s power to disrupt New Zealand’s political life. It is rare to see this power deployed so comprehensively, but the damage inflicted will, ultimately, be relatively light.
There will be costs, of course. Taxpayers will pick up the cost of the by-election which Jamie-Lee Ross’ resignation has forced. The National Party – and all other parties choosing to participate in the Botany by-election – will have the costs of campaigning to shoulder. Ross, himself, if he follows through on his promise to stand for re-election, faces an especially heavy burden. The party organisation which formerly met his election expenses is now ranged against him. Everything: from pamphlets to bill boards; radio spots to social media; must now be paid for out of his own pocket.
To what end? The result of the by-election is a near certainty. National’s candidate will de elected by a huge margin, and Ross will lose the contest in the most humiliating fashion. At National’s victory party, the winning candidate will be applauded – but nowhere near as enthusiastically as the Leader of the Opposition, Simon Bridges, who will be cheered to the echo. He will seize the opportunity of Ross’ humiliation to reassert his leadership of the New Zealand Right. The conservative media will amplify his words across all platforms. In all likelihood his popularity will spike upwards.
Jamie Lee’s full-throated attempt to kill Bridges politically will only have made him stronger.
Unless.
If Ross’ “evidence” – the recorded telephone conversation presented to the Police this very afternoon (17/10/18) – turns out to be damning, then National’s caucus will be faced with the necessity of removing Bridges as leader. He may not be the only person to go. Paula Bennett’s decision to make reference to Ross’ private life: her insinuation that he is guilty of marital infidelity; may be regarded by her caucus colleagues as having crossed a line long-considered inviolable by all Parliamentarians. To reassure the members of all the other parties represented in Parliament that their private lives remain “off limits”, National may opt to lose its deputy-leader as well.
Such an outcome would provide Ross with some measure of satisfaction. The two politicians he holds most responsible for his “persecution” will have been brought down with him. Like Captain Ahab, in Moby Dick, he will have exacted his vengeance upon the Great White Whale – even at the cost of being dragged to his death by the dying monster.
The National Party itself, however, might not be all that upset to lose a leader that the country’s conservative voters had declined to take to their collective heart. Among the persons most likely to be dismayed by Ross’ extraordinary behaviour, therefore, are the members of the Labour-NZ First-Green coalition government. The strategists of all three governing parties undoubtedly regarded Bridges as a gift from the electoral gods. Up against the relentlessly positive sunshine of Jacinda, Bridge’s surly temperament was an electoral non-starter. The last thing Labour, NZ First and the Greens want to confront in 2020 is a National leader with oomph!
Perhaps it was this thought that drove Ross to “go nuclear” against is boss. Perhaps, somewhere beneath Jamie Lee’s fevered brow, the notion had taken root that only by the selfless sacrifice of his own career could the National Party be saved from the depredations of Bridges and Bennett. Though they would never admit it to themselves, Ross’ actions will thus have provided National’s Caucus with the opportunity to undo the damage it had collectively inflicted upon itself.
Perhaps not.
The politics of countries like New Zealand are extremely difficult to derange. A politician may give the political gyroscope the most almighty shove – causing it to wobble alarmingly – but in a surprisingly short period of time it will regain its equilibrium.
By the start of the New Year Jamie Lee Ross will, almost certainly, have been reduced to a political footnote. Simon Bridges, if he is able to disprove all the charges levelled against him, will have emerged from the whole sorry business stronger and with a firmer grip on his party. If he fails to do so, National will begin 2019 with a new leader. Whatever happens, Labour, NZ First and the Greens will remain in government. New Zealanders will have been forced to endure a great deal of sound and fury – signifying bugger-all.
Of Jamie Lee Ross, however, people will say, in the spirit of the old Maori proverb: “He died like a shark, not a flounder.”
Surely this is an error (no checking one’s typing?) :
…..National’s candidate will DE elected by a huge margin…..?
Quite right, Isabel. The word should have been “be” – not “de”.
It’s what comes of being one’s own proof-reader. Your own eyes are never as sharp as someone else’s.
Apologies.
Ahem (whisper) “drove Ross to “go nuclear” against is boss” ?
If some one gives you a brick of gold you don’t really complain that it’s dusty or fatigued about spell checking an essay.
It will make no difference! For the last 40 years we have been dumbed down to now we have the stupid lead by the stupid! At least we have a laugh!
Yes, National will be back in in Tauranga, and Jami-Lee stacking supermarket shelves. The other Simon should be able to teach him how to do it.
Paula Bennett may or may not realise how odious her dragging Ross’s sex life into this issue has been, or that by doing so she is performing at the same vile level as he appears to have been – and is no better or possibly worse – as are all media- who are too negligent to bother about about who gets hurt. There is always hurt.
There are well established processes for addressing sexual harassment, but this is utu too.
Sorry to see Chris Finlayson leaving Parliament – brilliantly naughtily erudite, a good Treaty Minister, and more grey matter than Bridges and Ross put together.
But Chris, the deeper problem for National is that their ‘democracy for sale’ crony capitalism has been undeniably exposed.
If they’d nothing to fear, why were they so desperate to hide?
The initial Sgt Schultz approach has backfired spectacularly, leaving them looking completely disreputable.
The electorate now has a shining example of their corruption that even our biased MSM can’t shove back into Pandora’s box.
So unless Jesus himself becomes their next leader, surely they’re screwed.
Their ‘democracy for sale’ crony capitalism being undeniably exposed just means that their ‘democracy for sale’ crony capitalism has been exposed. Not one person will vote for them or not vote for them because of that.
Far from it, most people are happy to take a bribe, they do it all the time when the supermarket offers deals, they do it when the boss has a barbeque with free food and beer, they do it whenever they can get something for free or that advances their material or other wealth.
That is easily forgotten, we may blame Key, Bridges, English and other leaders of the Nats, but there are people voting for them, no matter what. They may be business operators, wanting easy operation and profits, they may be home owners and investors, wanting easy rental income and speculative capital gains, that may pay off one day.
There are a lot of selfish shits out there, and they will turn a blind eye to all this, especially once the MSM will have moved on and forgotten about JLR and his vengeance.
Not only Bridges, JLR and Nats are corrupt, also many of their supporters and voters, and they number over forty percent of the population.
If rich Chinese and other overseas investors come with their money, they will not mind getting a share of what that may lead to, there were enough selling homes and so to overseas investors over many years, also farmers, they do not care where the money comes from, as long as it ends up in their personal or business accounts.
Once upon a time (2002 in fact), that “over forty percent” was only 20%.
Those “people voting for them, no matter what” actually turned their backs on National and the result was a…….wait for it…….Labour-led Coalition govt.
We mustn’t discount the fact that that large soft vote might also be persuaded to vote non-blue once again.
And before anyone says the obvious – yes, this isn’t a full-on socialist revolution, but it is at least a tiny step away from the full blown corrupt neoliberal programme the Nats offer.
If the in-our-face events of the last week don’t produce a dent in National’s next poll results then okay, you win.
Well. You know me. I’m an earthy fellow thus I’d like them all to get fucked.
I am more than comfortable for Bridges to remain as Nationals leader as he is tainted and therefore a liability for them.
But I’m sorry Chris, his brand is damaged. And forget the probable misappropriation of donations, that is a non-event.
What one cannot forget is the cynical racist MP profiling process he mused over.
Or worse the evidence of Chinese businessmen buying candidacy in the National Party in the most questionable of circumstances is all Bridges, alone. ChinaNational.
Whose best interests does Bridges and National consider the most important, selling out to Chinese influence or New Zealand’s?
A fresh start from the dodgy, ethically and morally bankrupt Nats of recent times he is not. He is the same rotten apple from the same rotten tree we have seen from the National Party and therefore he is, business as usual
And as for Maureen Pugh graciously accepting Bridges spit deep apology, Christ, what a truly embarrasing situation that is and she finds herself in.
… [ What one cannot forget is the cynical racist MP profiling process he mused over. Or worse the evidence of Chinese businessmen buying candidacy in the National Party in the most questionable of circumstances is all Bridges, alone. ChinaNational.
Whose best interests does Bridges and National consider the most important, selling out to Chinese influence or New Zealand’s? ] …
——————————
^^^^^
THIS.
A THOUSAND TIMES THIS .
Xray
There is recent photo of the exact same Chinese businessman man posing with Jacinda Ardern.
I’m sure that he/they are celebrating some deal whereby this Chinese business man is “buying candidacy in the Labour party in the most questionable of circumstances”.
“Whose best interests” does Ardern and labour ” consider most important, selling out to the Chinese influence or New Zealand”
See Matthew Hooten’s twitter account for this photo.
Of course, if National has a leadership vote before the electoral commission receives a Botany writ, and JC gets up, then expect JLR to be welcomed back with open arms. Till then, JLR will be all guns blazing, with his secret recordings, while JC quietly works the numbers, and continues the white anting, readying the coup de grace. SB is like colonel Custer, leading the light brigade, into the Battle of Waterloo.
He talks of looking people in the eye, but can he still look Pue, Carter, Finlayson, Wagner, and all Indians, in the eye? Activate the anonymous fembots Paula, then dust off Ede!
There is little that the local affiliate of the chinese communist party (aka national) can do to stem all this, short of asking JK to return, and giving SB the saudi embassy treatment. Even if SB survives the mud, and survives the police, the taint of corruption will linger, long and strong.
Maybe allocate the same police who tried to investigate RS, since they’d already be familiar with many players. The police aren’t fools. This could all turn out to be an elaborate setup (the Bhatnager donation seems fishy), and may spell the beginning of the end for any involved lusky cetaceans. Time for those in the middle, to turn on the shredders, while onlookers risk popcorn overdoses. Strong and stable…strong and stable…strong and stable trainwreck.
… [ He talks of looking people in the eye, but can he still look Pue, Carter, Finlayson, Wagner, and all Indians, in the eye? ] …
Yes, the favoritism towards the Chinese over Indians must rankle somewhat among the Indian community.
And the buying of positions in the National party must rankle even the most staunch of NZ Nat voters. How does one reconcile that with the blatantly undemocratic attitude displayed by Bridges. One cant. Its that simple. All one is left with is the uneasy realization that one is supporting a political party and its leader that treats democracy and elections with contempt, – along with any notions of elected officials holding portfolios based on merit.
All of this strikes at the heart of what our political system is based on. The Westminster tradition. Not the corrupt system of the third world banana republic.
And yet here it is for all to see in inglorious technicolour.
Racism, disloyalty , and contempt for democracy all in one brief phone conversation.
Simon Bridges, leader of the opposition National party.
New Zealanders did well to vote them out,… they will do even better to vote to keep them out.
On Simon Bridges .
It will not be the courts that decide his fate , more likely the polls .
It should be voters who decide, IMO.
Paula Bennett is being very anal about all of this. When will her loyalty go out the back door, so to speak?
And I’m sorry , but Simon Bridges has been caught in the snare. He will always now be remembered for this. It was not a one off like the Double Dippers,…but a huge dustup that not only showed the division of that party but this… from The Standard… ( SIMON LOUISSON )
What comes out is:
• Corruption within the National Party is routine
• Influence in the National Party is for sale to those with money
• China’s use of “soft power” is extensive and expanding
• Bridges and Ross are casually racist, like many in the National Party
• The National Party cynically manipulates different Asian communities for its own purposes
• The National Party routinely attempts to circumvent the law regarding party donations
• Bridges was happy to lie to National Party president Peter Goodfellow regarding the $100,000 donation of Chinese businessman Zhang Yikun
• Bridges wants rid of several dead wood National Party MPs, not counting the obvious named candidates Chris Finlayson, David Carter, and Nicky Wager
• National list MP Maureen Pugh now has a profile but may wish she didn’t, given her leader classified her as “fucking useless”
• That venal doesn’t even begin to describe the disposition of National Party politicians
And with all these points,… it now exposes the John Key years as well… and casts a shadow on just how that party operated on a day to day basis … even people David Farrar doesn’t escape the mud by the intimate support he has loyally given. Let alone the Dirty Politics crew of Lusk, Slater and co…
This is what New Zealanders will now see, and forces them to make a choice : do we support what we know about this party and its racism , division and corruption,… or do we vote accordingly on values, ethics, stability and in support of democratic principle ?
Saying they support National casually in a social setting now will immediately invite questions about how they can overlook and support such glaring discrepancies as has been demonstrated.
Perhaps Simon Bridges greatest blunder was his contempt shown to his current list MP’s… but his preference and Lee Ross’s preference of Chinese over Indians based on donations that could buy a position on those lists would be an immediate second.
That will not be quickly or easily forgotten by the immigrant community’s…
Simon Bridges is unparliamentary.
I’d go wider with the impact…..this will indeed serve Lusk’s agenda of reducing the turnout at the next election (all at the the cost of his oblivious client)…a poor result for democracy but business as usual for the major parties.
We get the politicians we deserve
Disagree on Bridges. Even if actual election fraud isn’t proven, his decision making, garbled leadership and embarrassing taped conversations will still sink him.
The big question is will this dent Nationals chances at the next election.
I suspect core National voters would vote for dog shit on a stick if it gave them tax free real estate capital gains and freedom to steal water and pollute our waterways, so I think the answer is no, it won’t hurt National much.
It ‘s interesting to see if Bridges will take part in the Botany by- election. If he doesn’t people will think he has chickened out and he will look a liability. If he does, and Ross still has ammo up his sleeve, he might be a liability anyhow. I get a feeling that Mr Bridges is never going to get his knighthood.
Ross has lost all credibility – only morons would believe anything he says or produces now.
Bridges is bound to take part in the Botany by election. As I say anything that Ross may throw at him from now will, in my opinion, count for very little.
The by election will destroy Ross politically for a long time to come.
Already the punters in that electorate are turning against him
Couple of points….Bridges was always a temporary leader and this affair has only the potential to expedite that leadership change…what is of greater concern is the confirmation of the long suspected direct influence of money (and at a somewhat derisory rate) on the party’s lists
I dont believe your predictions about the result of the by-election, Chris. By- elections are notorious for the opportunity that they give to voters to put the boot in, knowing that it wont affect the balance in parliament.
Bearing in mind the maneuvers that the National party used to manipulate donations; the attempts to load parliament with Chinese MPs and Bridges’ contemptuous attitude towards one of his fellow MP’s its difficult to seem how any voter can support either the National choice or an Independent Jamie Lee Ross. It is quite possible that, since it is a safe seat, the voters will take the opportunity to vote for any one but National or Ross.
The coalition parties need to be watching the polls closely here. There is a chance of Bridges being very embarrassed if the coalition is astute.
Interesting that the four “complainants” who’ve levelled charges of predatory sexual abuse have only now surfaced and made public their alleged grievances.
Interesting how Bridges swears hand-on-heart he had never heard anything of these stories up until now.
And interesting that un-named sources in National had known of these so-called complainants for two years?! And Bridges had never heard of them?
But most telling: where is the $100,000 donated by Chinese businessman, Yikun Zhang? According to Radio NZ it hasn’t appeared on any of National’s recent electoral returns;
ref: https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/top/368883/troubled-national-leader-facing-big-questions
Now that’s damning. And that could yet impact on Simon Bridges.
Good points, Frank.
It smacks of the John Key style of denial and convenient coincidence…
Indeed, WK. Though of course Key’s ability to lie and have his lies accepted, were almost preternatural in their scope. Bridges lies and is utterly unconvincing.
The other point I shoul;d made is that the co-editor of “The Spinoff”, when the alleged complainants told their story, is Tim Murphy. Who happened to be the editor at the NZ Herald when, coincidentally, another $100,000 “donation scandal” was erupting over David Cunliffe by another Chinese businessman. This one, of course turned out to be utterly bogus.
Still… what a curious coincidence.
A very strange ‘coincidence’ that occurred today, all over a sudden, strange indeed. JLR will not be an angel, was known to be pushy, and so forth, but this is taking on a new level, we are heading USA style politics now.
I wouldn’t naively believe everthing that radionz states in relation to this event Frank. Given their bias they would like for your version to be true. It appears thought that the $100k never truly existed; rather there were several donations that were made that added up to more or less $100k.
For a more objective commentary on this whole affair, check out Richard Harman’s Politek blog for this week..
Sadly Chris may be right. The majority of the population, who will vote, they tend to be prone to blinkered views and blinkered thinking. They select from news what they deem worthy, and ignore what may be too unpleasant, e.g. an inconvenient truth.
The same happens re a major real issue to NZ Inc and the whole world, climate change and global warming, heavily contributed to by human pollution. People carry on as if there is nothing much to be worried about, they just want to feel good, so a token gesture by some supermarkets to give up one way bags made from plastic, that is making consumers feel ‘green’ and good, even though that is just a miniscule part of the whole problem.
Most continue driving everywhere in fossil fuel driven SUV and so forth, as if there is no reason to cut back on this. People moan and rile against higher petrol prices, not giving much thought about the greater picture, that their lifestyle is totally unsustainable.
So some may get upset about Jami Lee Ross and recent revelations by him about Simon Bridges, and also in reverse about himself, but that will in good old manner be brushed aside soon, as people cannot bother looking deeper into issues with their society and country.
Especially National voters will not be changing much, if at all, they may accept that Simon Bridges has as leader implicated himself too much in working with this nasty revenge seeker Jami Lee Ross (for not getting promoted enough), they may dislike his racial card talk re candidates for money, but then, even if Simon goes, they will cling to the blue wash party, the BS party and selectively see it as such, and praise a new leader.
Jami Lee Ross has perhaps not realised yet, that he puts himself for being blamed, as he engaged with Simon Bridges like a mate, also talking about races like they are just pawns in the game.
He also seems to have been facilitating whatever happened to that large donation from a wealthy Chinese donor, why does he suddenly raise his concerns now?
As Jami went about what he did, today suddenly stories broke of four or even five women telling Newsroom about how nasty Jami is as a person, who apparently flirted and did more with some women he was associated with, perhaps not so appropriately.
One must wonder though, why do they suddenly come out with this now, perhaps the Nats did finally encourage them to present something that will harm JLR?
What will Jami do next, will he now reveal what Paula Bennett and others are in some circles known about, or not? He may have to, to keep the game going, and we are waiting with interest, to see what tomorrow and so will deliver.
Dirty Politics is again happening, right in front of our eyes. But as most sheeples choose to turn a blind eye and ear, nothing much may change after all, people rather live in some fantasy land than face reality.
That means we are doomed, re global warming, re politics, standards and values, it is all just stuff that most rather look away from.
From all I’ve heard on RNZ it seems that a Chinese businessman approached SB to offer a $100 000 donation. SB felt it would be unhelpful to the national party’s public image to have Chinese nationals making large donations to the party ,so he felt it would be best if the donation was broken up into pieces small enough so that the donor could remain anonymous. But this is a bit illegal , so he sent said businessman to fixit man JLR. JLR resented being required to do the dirty work so he taped as much communication as he could to try to show who actually was calling the shots in case the shit hit the fan in the future, and he found himself sitting in the slip stream. At least it would be some insurance.
I think the question is ” Did he get enough on tape to make the chain of command clear ?”
Listening to SB dodging questions this afternoon made him sound like a possum caught in the headlights.
I think he’s had CB’s wishes fulfilled for him. But I do reflect on the question of who might replace him. The cupboard looks pretty bare to me.
JC ? If that’s the answer Jacinda has a long career in front of her.
D J S
What a load of rubbish chris,bridges will resign shortly!!!
The smell around the National Party is that of ‘Chinese cooking’ now.
National = Blue dragon party.
Jamie was right to tie National to the Asian ‘mafia – https://bluedragons.national.org.nz/
One of the women who has only come out now with sexual harassment claims against JLR says that she had an intimate relationship with him which turned nasty and the sex became brutal which suggests she continued despite this!!! Is she for real?
Has JLR actually resigned from Parliament yet?
Well it is getting dirtier by the day, JLR had decided to stay around and use Parliament’s privilege rules, so to carry on throwing dirt at his former party and leader and colleagues:
https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/politics/exclusive-jami-lee-ross-admits-to-affairs-with-two-women-vows-to-stay-in-parliament/
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