Incredible details of Peter Thiel’s citizenship deal OR how stupid are the mainstream media in NZ?

ByMartyn Bradbury

Felix Marwick from ZB breaks down the weird circumstances behind Peter Thiel’s citizenship deal…

…remember, the blue green Spin blog was giving platform to defend Peter Thiel buying his citizenship here. The author of that, Eric Crampton , just happens to work for the far right think tank, NZ Institute.

So Thiel didn’t live here before he applied, didn’t intend to be here until he gained citizenship, didn’t even have to come to NZ to be sworn in and he was granted this based on his paying money into various NZ projects.

The big question however is whether or not the security agencies of NZ became involved. Thiel owns Palantir which has offices in Wellington and is interwoven with the 5 Eyes mass surveillance programs…

There Already Is Something Like a Muslim Registry, and Peter Thiel Owns it

Although he talked about the idea a number of times during the election campaign, Donald Trump hasn’t said whether he is actually planning a “Muslim registry,” or some other way of tracking immigrants with an Islamic background. But according to some recently released documents, the underpinnings of such a system may already exist, thanks to a company called Palantir.

Palantir is a highly secretive and somewhat controversial startup founded and controlled by Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel, now a senior adviser to the next president. Named after the far-seeing orbs used by wizards in the Lord of the Rings stories, Palantir is a data-analytics company that does work for agencies like the NSA and the FBI.

According to documents obtained by the Electronic Privacy Information Center, the $20 billion company is already working closely with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency on a system that tracks citizens and determines whether they are a risk.

…somehow the entire mainstream media in New Zealand WILL NOT look into the Palantir connection. At no stage is anyone noting that this guy runs one of the most powerful private spying companies on the planet.

Look at this 2013 NBR article on Palantir…

Are Palantir spooks?

Many in the tech community would have shared Mr Drury’s annoyance that Norman was having a ding at Peter Thiel, the Californian entrepreneur who has invested millions in local startups, and often boosted New Zealand as a centre of innovation.

But at the same time, the evidence seems pretty clear that Palantir has tight ties to the intelligence community. And Prime Minister John Key’s refusal to comment on any “operational matters”, and Palantir’s reticence on the point, leaves the question open of what the software company’s Wellington office actually does. (Mr Key has acknowledged he’s met with Peter Thiel several times, but that’s barely surprising given the entrepreneur has put $15 million toward the Crown-backed NZVIF fund, among other local investments.)

…so it’s not impossible for the NZ media to connect Thiel to Palantir, yet 4 years later all the mainstream media seem to have a total memory blackout.

Thief bought his residency, that much is clear, but the real reason is because his private spying corporation helps process mass surveillance for the 5 Eyes.

Unfortunately NZ shrugged when shown Key was lying about mass surveillance, so we welcome with open arms our new corporate spying overlords.

You can lead a Kiwi to slaughter, but you can’t make them think.

If you’re not angered by all of this, then you’re part of the problem.

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20 Comments

  1. Most Kiwis are like the sheep in ‘Animal Farm’, mindlessly repeating whatever they are told. “All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.”

    Don’t ask Kiwis to become informed or think. They don’t know how to. And they’ve been trained not to.

    The mainstream media are not stupid, just mendacious and serving the owners. The mainstream media’s job is to keep the populace amused and uninformed, and to make money for the owners.

    There are many reasons why we are fucked; the general stupidity of people and the mainstream media are near the top of the list.

    1. What I find ironic is, in a country dependant on free trade for its wealth and living standards, and the simple notion is, the free flow of Labour and capital, that we are now trying to stem the tide of free flowing labour by any means. And a duplicitous Labour Party who reports free trade of capital but not labour. It’s a ridiculous situation that Labour needs to get off its hardon for character assassinations and tell us something we don’t know.

      And I’m sure sharing state secretes with transnationals like Thiel is an offence punishable with 30 to life.

  2. New Zealand for sale, pimped out by this hopeless excuse for a government.

    If Thiel sought citizenship as some kind of “Doomsday Insurance”, you have to wonder what he knows about his Overlord, Il Duce Trump. Perhaps he knows it’s only a matter of time before Trump provokes WW3 with China and Russia, or that trump has so many skeletons in his closet that impeachment is inevitable.

    No wonder Thiel wanted a bolt-hole to escape to.

      1. Anyone would be shit-scared of Steve Bannon. The guy is predicting (hoping??) that a war with China is “inevitable”. God help us all, we are staring down the barrel of WWIII.

  3. As a person that works in the area or health research I find it a joke that too many NZers use privacy as a reason for not taking part in our research but they need to realize our PM who deserted us signed away all our rights and these have been severely eroded thanks to there shell be right attitude

  4. Yup looks like he’s a right wing Trump backer who bought NZ citizenship and looking to use us as a ‘safe room’ if the shit hits the fan . . similar to (some) of the wealthy Chinese coming here in part for the clean air etc off the back of making profits from manufacturing and ruining the environment in their own country . . leaving the poorer Chinese who didn’t benefit from the destruction of the environment having to live with the consequences (just as Thiel may end up doing).

  5. NZ 4 Sale. Going cheap. Special deals for Trump supporters escaping impending doomsday in US of A!

  6. Isn’t it just crazy crap that on the one hand INZ profess to be concerned about international students being ripped off, spending a large amount of resource (now that is after it has become embarrassing) investigating people being charged for PR, whilst on the other, Citizenship – as opposed to PR is up for sale.
    Double standard much?

    And whilst Sam Morgan “might not agree” with Thiel’s politics, maybe he should consider the ethics of those he jumps into bed with when he does so for commercial benefit (Pacific Fibre, etc.).
    One can hardly preach good business values, ‘corporate citizenship’ and all that kaka if you’re not even aware of potential conflicts of interest or you can’t recognise cronyism when it’s about to bite you in the bum.

  8. Further to the comment above …. what does it say about the stupidity and ethics of Public Service senior management?
    There’ll be the old Labour did it too mantra but that doesn’t make it right.

    Consider:
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/282617/how-cynical-has-nz-politics-become

    and
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/insight/audio/201781443/insight-for-6-december-2015-politics-and-public-servants

    and the response from the politicised SSC:

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/291268/ssc-rejects-accusations-of-politicisation.

    Banana Republic anyone?
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/158639/fiji-opposition-says-public-service-now-politicised

    Is this what we aspire to?

    It’s time for a review surely!
    Should it continue to be run on the corporate model that promised DE-politicisation, “greater efficiency and effectiveness” – a model in which departments, agencies and ministries can be run as little feifdoms;
    where the frontline staff are often in fear of their masters who blame them for failings but take credit for successes; a model that enables responsible ministers to refrain from comment on the grounds of “Can’t comment on operational matters” (why the fuck not?)…….

    Once again, can anyone tell me now of a department that isn’t dysfunctional? (And it isn’t because of frontline staff either – it’s more often senior management and resourcing)

  9. I suggest writing to the current minister of immigration instructing that Thiel’s citizenship be revoked. A democratic government is accountable to its people at its peril – let them understand clearly that their treacherous action are seen and will be judged.

    1. Good idea, Stuart. I will certainly be doing that!

      It is time that governments of both hues STOPPED selling residency and citizenship to the highest bidders. Otherwise we become a prostituted nation, available to any and all.

  10. New Zealand : No.1 on the get-away list of hidey holes for the ‘so-called’ Elite: http://galacticconnection.com/great-now-it-is-the-elite-who-are-feverishly-prepping-for-the-collapse-of-society/?utm_source=Galactic+Connection+Newsletter+MC&utm_campaign=700f576987-The+Daily+Alternative+News+Source~February+1%2C+2017&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_aebd2bb672-700f576987-147554457&mc_cid=700f576987&mc_eid=992f5a3916
    QUESTION: What are the Elite destroying here to make their lives more safe?

  11. The Spinoff article has, near the beginning: “It sounds like he received residence status here in 2006, under Labour.” Then “the government was right to give Thiel citizenship in 2011.” at the end. Is that correct? Why would he have wanted residency? What else does he own?

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