Saturday, September 20, 2008
In a good poser for Saturday Whaleoil has passed on his latest scraps from his deepthroats at MFAT and the Beehive.
For my perspective I suggested the links might be a dodgy developer called Don McLean is tied up with Winston? Perhaps he was the developer of the now defunct Devonport Wharf emporium and now banned fishing spot.
Another thought is Phil Goff (or Filk Off) rhymes with Gough (but it is Vincent van Gogh as in Go). Perhaps it is another emerging scandal with the Navy - which parks near by the Devonport Wharf. In fact whatever assets they have are parked up due to Phil's party's poor procurement and purchasing.
Lastly - perhaps this is a BBQ at Phil's with his old 1970's varsity mates from Princes Street Labour Branch - plotting the demise of helengrad and organising a putsch.
In Western Australia the Liberals in coalition with the Nationals have narrowly taken the parliament after only installing a new Liberal leader 5 weeks out from the election, removing decades of corrupt Labor rule.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Italian model plans to sell virginity for 1m euros
A stunning italian model born in Sophia Loren's hometown, Naples has offered her virginity for one Million euros. The proceeds are to buy a house in Rome and pay for acting classes. She may need the classes before the debut!
Showgirl and men's magazine model Miss Raffella Fico, 20, told an Italian magazine: "I can't wait to see who's going to pull out the money to have me." Senorina Fico has appeared in the Italian version of Big Brother earlier this year.
"I don't know what it's like to have sex," she told the magazine, Chi, adding that if the man who bought her virginity was ugly then she would quickly get over it.
"If I don't like him I'll just have a glass of wine and forget about it," said the aspiring actress.
Her brother vouches she is virga intacta -
"She's never had a boyfriend. I swear on my mother's grave. She's a devout Catholic and prays to Padre Pio every night," her brother told the magazine.
Matthew Hooton's excellent post last night identifying the NZ First policy approach as Nazism - resonated well with my own concerns.
Seeing Clark welcomed by those old biddies at Grey Power and hearing their positive claims about Winston Peters appalled me. The reason? Those older women would have had brothers, boyfriends and (later) husbands who fought and many were killed, in WW11 against the Hilter and his Nazi regime. The point of that war was to remove that scourge. Their families made the ultimate sacrifice.
The very tactics Hilter used, as well paraphrased by Mathew, are exactly the tactics these people support applaud in Winston.
First, yes, I do believe that Winston Peters is an evil influence on New Zealand politics and the use of the word “axis” was entirely deliberate, chosen as being more appropriate than “allies” or even “bloc” for the regime he sustains.
They are the ones who should be appalled. Their brothers, boyfriends and husbands if dead will be spinning in their graves. If alive they have stopped thinking.
I am told that, soon after Peters’ appointment as Treasurer, then Reserve Bank Governor Don Brash met with his new boss and said he had read New Zealand First’s manifesto and speeches and, assuming Peters was serious, wanted to set up a process to review the RBA and the operation of monetary policy in New Zealand. My source (and you can guess who it may be) said that Peters replied: “Don’t worry about all that. The next election is three years away.”It is sick alright.
All Peters’ themes continue to be Hitleresque. Just read “Conspiracy of Conspiracies“. The imagery is right out of Germany in the 1930s. There is an evil other - “they” - who are trying to harm you. They are foreign. Secretive. And involved in finance. In 1930s Germany terms, he means “the Jews”. Chris is an historian. He knows this better than most. Yet he defends the Nazi.
Chris of course is Chris Trotter.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
In an extraordinary departure from facts, decency and good taste Helen Clark has told a Grey Power meeting that if National was the Government 60 soldiers would have died in Iraq. What utter fanciful and indecent thinking. She later said it was a "back of the envelope" estimate. Good thing she wasn't in charge at any of the battles of the Somme such is her dispassionate view of the armed forces. Her concern was not for the soldiers but to score extremely nasty and cheap political points. Low politics. Clark also forgets she committed soldiers to Iraq - post invasion.
Australia who did commit forces to Iraq had a KIA count of ZERO.
What we do know is two brave policemen have lost their lives on Clark's watch - blood on hands Helen using your twisted thinking? I think her body count beats the previous administration.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Whaleoil's deepthroat is close to the mark and identifies who knew what and when. MFAT at the highest levels was well aware Peters was AWOL. So was Clark.
Just another lie. This is the usual Clark M.O. - as we are witnessing again.
1. Deny any knowledge.
2. As the dogs get close admit some recent knowledge
3. Use a fall guy to make the admissions - usually along the lines of no one asked the question before. Perfect example seen today following the questioning of Kathryn Street by Ian Wishart
4. Float rumours Peters may be toast.
5 Do nothing - hunker down.
Ian Wishart's blog has quoted the PM's press secretary that the PM only found out "two Friday's" ago that her Foreign Minister took a personal side trip to Las Vegas to watch a fight while on his way to Singapore from Berlin....yeah right - he disappeared for say four days - into the depths of the US - and she had no idea he was not on the aircraft to Singapore?
Either way he and she are toast - he because the side trip did not have authority - she because she knew at least ten days ago and as is becoming habit forming said nothing.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Cactus Kate has an interesting post. She has found a lifeboat being launched on the foundering NZ1. The highly polished floors are a clue. No dust in this joint.
Perhaps they are cashing up in case the calls to visit Level 2, Duthie Whyte Building, Corner Mayoral Drive and Wakefield Street, Auckland, becomes too hard to refuse.
As we know Clark has no loyalty to anyone - everything she does is a carefully calculated step. Even her marriage was a convenience to suit her electoral ambitions - by her own words.
With NZ First now plumbing depths below the margin of error and likely not in the next parliament she has to do something - Peters must now have absolutely no appeal, offer no options to Labour and has no leverage himself. If she really believes her current polling is because of the Peters/Glenn drama she will cauterise the suppurating sore that is Winston on Tuesday after Henry's (non) evidence to the Privileges Committee. If she doesn't may be Owen Glenn and his fragrant EA Laura Ede will come back to deal with Labour's latest smears.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Laura Ede
Today's NZ Herald carrys a backgrounder on Laura Ede. Miss Ede is Owen Glenn's Executive Assistant and has been a major attraction I suspect with many following the story. Seems she had the media agog at the Auckland Press Conference. As a former physiotherapist may be she could put a few necks back in joint afterwards. She apparently declined to answer whether she had been crowned Miss North Harbour in 1999. With Laura and his crucifix Owen Glenn is ready for battle.
Recalling phoning Winston Peters on the fateful day and prepared to sign an affidavit affirming the same made Winston's denials that much more tawdry.
Clark rules Peters in to her coalition NZ Herald
It will be much ado about nothing as neither Clark nor Peter will figure in a request to form a government.
Generally the US is fairly assiduous in not being seen to take sides in domestic politics. Generally this means they avoid calling by when elections are due. At the time the late July Rice visit was mooted many saw it as unlikely for electoral courtesy reasons and because our Foreign Minister was getting deeper in the doo-do by the day, the liklihood of a visit was probably remote.
Despite this background Rice did in fact come and as we know was subjected to the ignominy of watching Peters's press conference descend into farce as domestic questions dominated around his deepening funding scandals - Remember the quote to a journo - "watch it sunshine" or WTTE . All very unedifying. The Hive carried all these perambulations well.
Condi could have gone straight to Samoa for the PIF meeting - it was after all a US Air Force jet with little need for more than fuel from here - if that.
Now as we watch things play out in the last days of the Helengrad regime I have been thinking - - maybe - just maybe - Condi had a more diplomatic mission - one conducted in the old way. A personal contact as emissary of GWB to the head of the NZ Government - anti-nuke Clark.
Condi's job was to tell our PM, Miss Clark, in person, that unless she got Filk Off into line on the nuclear front - particularly helping "our" friends in India - matters would quickly drop out of Helen's "conscientious and competent" hands as a number of cover-ups in the US started to get headlines; at an awkward time.
Weird isn't it that Clark, Filk Off, King, Mallard, Cullen and all the anti-war gang - people of principle? - have rolled over and granted a major non-signatory of the Nuclear Proliferastion Treaty an open goal. Fishy eh!
There are rumours aplenty in the blogosphere of the dirty dealings of Clark and Co - the VRWC is in full cry - tally ho - or is that Talley Ho?
Did Clark roll over for the Indian nukes because her personal position was compromised - are we seeing a re-posting of the LAX (Or was it SFO) Peter Davis airport incident - this time with venom and GWB taking no prisoners? The Hive has a commenter who has a perspective.
Then there is the always close to the siren Whaleoil with an interesting post on money laundering. His commenter Friend on the Board is using his friendship well with a warning to those on 9th floor not in the inner circle to be afraid be very afraid and take steps to exit Helengrad.
Lastly but not least is our new friend Roarprawn who seems to be always at the dock as the catch comes in with tales from the high seas and tales of the one's that won't get away - scampi anyone?
Friday, September 12, 2008
Mary Wilson on Check Point is giving Clark a big hurry up tonight regarding why she wasn't more honest and truthful regarding what she knew about the Glenn donation. Clark could not fend her off. Her excuse was she could not hold a press conference giving details of private conversations. Wilson incredulous - as were listeners I suspect.
Update: Audio Here - it is worth a listen.
Boy - hubris is brimming over - obviously she didn't look at today's editorials.
NZ Herald
The Dominion Post
The Press
Thursday, September 11, 2008
A useful line of enquiry would be for the MSM to request records of any meetings between Her Excellency Sarah Dennis and Owen Glenn - particularly a morning tea in Paris.
Owen Glenn said the meeting was over morning tea and at her request. Owen also said she said she was asked to vet him and on questioning he apparently proved up OK. These facts cannot be state secrets - come on MSM go fetch.
News Clark is still not prepared to sack Peters from his Ministerial position is not news.
The price of Peters stepping aside from his portfolios (Note not his warrant) was Clark would keep him as a Minister up until the election. This deal remains intact and has significant financial benefits to Winnie and NZ First. (Surprise, surprise I hear you say).
As I have said many times - they are joined at the hip. They either hang together or hang together.
I still believe the likelihood of an October election is high. The Clark/Peters axis won't want to have to fight an election with Winston/NZ First facing charges laid by the SFO and a good guess is they have at least a month more investigation to go - methodical they is.
Clark's only chance is a coalition with a Peters party - they each need each other. Sort of like the Kray Twins.
Trevor the farmer was in the fertilised egg business in Tauranga. He had several hundred young layers (hens), called 'pullets' and eight or ten roosters, to fertilise the pullets' eggs.
Trevor kept records and any rooster that didn't perform went into the soup pot and was replaced. That took an awful lot of his time so he bought a set of tiny bells and attached them to his roosters. Each bell had a different tone so Trevor could tell from a distance, which rooster was performing. Now he could sit on the porch and fill out an efficiency report simply by listening to the bells.
Trevor's favourite rooster was Winston, and a very fine specimen he was too, but on this particular morning Trevor noticed Winston's bell hadn't rung at all!
Trevor went to investigate.
The other roosters were chasing pullets, bells-a-ringing. The pullets, hearing the roosters coming, would run for cover but to farmer Trevor's amazement, Winston had his bell in his beak, so it couldn't ring.
He'd sneak up on a pullet, do his job and walk on to the next one.
Trevor was so proud of Winston, he entered him into the Wellington Exhibition and Winston became an overnight sensation among the judges.
The Result?
The judges not only awarded Winston the NoBellPiece Prize but they also awarded him the Pulletsurprise as well.
Clearly Winston was a politician in the making: Who else but a politician could figure out how to win two of the most highly coveted awards on our planet by being the best at sneaking up on the populace and screwing them when they weren't paying attention.
Do you know a Pullitician called Winston?.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Peters tonight was appealing over the heads of the Privileges Committee to his constituency - he is in election mode as he realises Clark will have to sack him. That bring the next phase of the plan. They have probably already agreed the script.
Clark and Peters are inextricably joined. They cannot, jointly or severally, expect to govern again unless they stitch together another unholy alliance.
Labour needs the Greens, Maori, Panderton as a minimum to govern (assuming no NZ First). Labour is so low in the polls and has blown any chance of gaining the Maori party vote this time around. She therefore needs a resurgent NZ First - knowing Panderton plus the Greens won't give her sufficient numbers and neither will ever go with National.
Peters's only chance of redemption is to construct a conspiracy and from that platform appeal to his core vote - before the SFO, Police, Electoral Commission deliberate. We saw the crumbling edifice being raised tonight. Peters trying to (re)establish the core tenets of a conspiracy - Fay Richwhite, Russell McVeagh, Winebox etc., it was all on show - Geoff Harley Owen Glenn's lawyer was pro bono (we all know what that means wink, wink) and he, as Fay Richwhite's counsel in the Winebox, was at the core of allegations of witness coaching in that case etc etc.
As usual all froth and no evidence - just a few key words.
We know Winnie has a "stay" until September 30 for the Electoral Commission and Helen will know what the Police are thinking - that leaves the SFO but she also knows they are very slow and deliberate - the kill is their objective not quickly getting on with the hunt.
Therefore a quick campaign and sometime soon is her best of a bad set of choices. She now has her UN credentials burnished - the ET Scam is through and any other legislation dear to her heart is proceeding under urgency as we speak. Only now is the media fully understanding the gravity of the ETScam - it will take a while to coalesce - Clark will determine her only chance is now.
The electorate will be livid when it realises that paying more to turn the lights on, boil an egg or fill the car is not going to change the weather. That they have been scammed in the biggest rort in history.
While some would say she would prefer to wait till November Winnie may be in gaol by then. She needs this sorted now.
Therefore her only chance is to hope the alien fanciers and NZ Firsters get up for 5% and she somehow cobbles together an unholy coalition from the far left.
Trouble is the wheeze from the street is the polls have turned up - for National and Act - Clark doesn't realise how off the hook the electorate is.
Mr Peters agreed there had been a phone conversation between himself and Mr Glenn on December 14 2005, but he said he could not recall talking about money...The Melbourne Cup is always run the first Tuesday in November - five weeks earlier. Glenn and his trainer would have no idea of what horse (if any) was going to run in the Cup a year later.
....Mr Peters said Mr Glenn also made mention he had a horse running in the Melbourne Cup and may have asked for lawyer Mr Henry's contact details..
NZ Herald
"You're going to love this," Mr Glenn told a press conference in Auckland this morning, "he asked me for a job. He said he was a good administrator, he's run his own businesses, he said he was articulate - he's a total subservient," Mr Glenn said.
Oh dear - Williams begging Glenn for a job - hasn't he looked around? It seems to me Glenn's employees are hot, keep good records and are loyal and don't lie. None of these are qualities of Mike Williams.
Clark made an incredibly bad and naive move when she chose to cut off a self made Mill(Bill?)ionaire who had previously supported her to the hilt. It shows the heights her hubrism has reached that she thought she could withstand the likely result of a full frontal attack by she and others on her team on Owen Glenn. Once Cullen, Mallard and Co suggested Glenn was deranged, drunk or deceptive and Clark left him to the dogs, it was game over for Clark and her tawdry lot.
Could she not understand Glenn's discomfiture and misgivings would burst out somewhere? Did she not understand he did not need her at all - particularly now the only bauble left (the Honorary Consulship) was taken away.
Her political management this year has been appalling.
I'll paraphrase the interview as best I can remember. Kathryn Ryan asked Owen Glenn about the Monaco consulship
OG: Yes Winston said he was still actively working on it - "It is my decision and I want to push it through is what he said. I need a letter from you confirming you are continuing to live in Monaco." This is when I (OG) was at Raglan and Winston was on his way to South Africa. I have a witness to that conversation.
OG: "The New Zealand Ambassador to France got hold of me, unannounced, and wanted to visit me in Monaco. Unfortunately the dates did not fit.
She later invited me to visit her in Paris. I went and we had morning tea at the embassy - it was very nice. I asked "why did you want to talk to me? She said - " I am vetting you for the consulship). I asked; Ok what do you think of me - do I pass or words to that effect...."Yes I you seem to be alright."
OG: I asked Helen Clark about it (the honorary consulship) at the same time we discussed the donation when we met in February 2008 at the opening of the Business School. The PM suggested we should let it die down for a while "and not stir the pot".
There is no question this was a clear offer the Owen Glenn by Winston Peters and the PM knew all about it.
More lies and obfuscation.
Audio not up yet.
Update: Audio up now - see here
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
John Campbell: What do you think of the way they have treated you. Clark, Peters the lot?
Owen Glenn: Disappointed, I would not want to be in the trenches with them.
Michael Cullen: Did the person talk like Mr Peters usually did?
Owen Glenn: "I knew it wasn't you Dr Cullen...you already had your $500,000
Monday, September 08, 2008
There have been a number of schools of thought re the election date. A date the PM completely controls.
Strongest guesses suggested Clark's natural caution would have her waiting till the last possible day - 8 November 2008. This gave her time to recover in the polls and time to trip up the Nats and John Key. The other big decider was to bask in the reflected glory, light and euphoria of Obamamessiah's election four days earlier.
Well the news just got bad - real bad. The first US nationwide voter poll since the Republican Convention has given the McCain/Palin ticket 54% / 44% to the GOP. See the detail in the USAToday Gallup poll.
Clark will get no glory from Obama - he'll be a corpse by November. This is the beginning of the end for Obama.
With Obama gone she needs a clean run and the ongoing and increasing stench out of NZ First will at some time stick to Labour.
She'll have to go soon.
What will determine the timetable?
The collateral damage from Hurricane Glenn tomorrow may set the direction and pace.
The Police have forgotten they're in her pocket and have advised they are investigating the NZ First donations and 2006 2007 returns. They'd be advised to look wider than the Electoral Act - there should be obvious evidence of criminality under the Crimes Act - actions that deliberately set out to deceive and hide evidence of wrong doing.
Electoral Commission are also seeking new and additional information from NZ First - asking for amended returns. How does that work?
Sorry Officer I was speeding but if you like I will drive back up the road and come back at the right speed and all will be sweet?
The Marie Celeste is leaking like a sieve - the rats, while they are off, are squeaking. See here where the NZ First auditor coughs he was worried about some of the donations and tried to speak with the Electoral Commission. Spencer Trust trustees are squawking see here
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Rodney Hide has today filed a complaint direct with Police National HQ that NZ First has breached the Electoral Act by filing false returns in 2007.
"Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown. And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves," she said.
"I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a 'community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities."
Governor Palin is looking good - in many more ways than one!
He has apparently fallen out with Wayne Peters - they have dissolved this year a law partnership lasting 20 years.
However, probably inconveniently for the Peters Bro's, Currie remains a trustee of the Spencer Trust. None of his comments of late have been supportive of the major beneficiary of the Trust - NZ First. He is leaving enough information out there inviting new questions.
There are no bank accounts for the Spencer Trust - all funds were transacted through the firm's trust account.
He has intimated the Spencer Trust work predates 2005 and certainly indicated large donations were channeled through the firm's trust account before that - eg the Vela donations....
See here:
Meanwhile, Mr Peters' lawyer friend Peter Williams, QC, yesterday revealed that the Spencer Trust had received $80,000 from the Vela family and that New Zealand First had handed over records to the SFO.
Mr Williams told Radio New Zealand he "presumed" the Vela money had gone to New Zealand First in amounts under $10,000.
The Spencer Trust was formed only in 2005 so the Vela family's $80,000 is different from the reported $150,000 given to the party between 1999 and 2003.
See over at Farrar's place
It looks like Winnie and his mob are trying to hide behind the 6 month deadline for bringing actions under the Electoral Act.
Incidentally, that deadline is still open for their 2007 return - the2007 Return they have helpfully brought to everyone's attention was false.
These Returns are submitted with an appropriately filled out Statutory Declaration. Statutory Declarations are governed by the Oaths and Declarations Act 1957 No88.
Wherein:
Unlawful administration of oaths
(1) No person shall administer, or cause or allow to be administered, or cause or allow to be received, any oath, affidavit, or affirmation relating to any matter or thing in respect of which that person has not jurisdiction or cognisance by some law in force for the time being.
(2) Every person who wilfully acts in contravention of subsection (1) of this section commits an offence, and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding $100.
In Australia to lie on a Stat Dec is treated as perjury - I am not sure if that is the case in New Zealand. It is certainly an offence as outlined in the Act.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
NZ First admit breaking the law in not declaring large donations in 2005.
So the 2005 election was won by Helen Clark's party rorting the tax payer for $800,000 in the closing week of the election and Winston Peters's party rorting the taxpayer $158,000 and not declaring secret donations in excess of $25,000.
This is Zimbabwean. That woman cannot justify any of that now.
"As an Environmental Scientist I am probably the only person in this House qualified to discuss this matter"
"This bill is about creating a market in hot air"
"This bill is about a computer model - none of it has been proved and this bill will have no effect on the climate"
Have a look at Rodney's speech when Hansard is out. He gets few into Al Bore on the way through.
Deputy Speaker Hobbs is struggling to get the House to address the bill itself as it is in its committee stage - seems there are at least another 700 amendments since Liar Parker introduced the bill last week.
Someone from NZ First has just got up to say no one knows enough about the bill with 750 new amendments.
David Farrar has a good analysis of the extraordinary admission by NZ First officials last night the palpably false electoral spending and donations returns the party filed in 2005. Basically NZ First filed a nil return and we already have their admissions they had $75,000 in undeclared donations that should have been declared. They are relying on the 6 months time limitation to keep them out of gaol.
The regulators should also look at whether these deliberate actions by NZ First constitute misfeasance.
mis·fea·sance
n. Improper and unlawful execution of an act that in itself is lawful and proper
The other question is who was damaged by these actions - just because Jones and Vela were not any the loser is no excuse if some other party was damagwed or suffered a loss - eg NZ First party members.
This is more piscatorial than vulpes volpes venatio and certainly not RAF.
The significance of the "e" to be revealed?
Hat tip: The Hive
Owen Glenn is a major donor to both labour and the Government - witness the $7.5Million he gave to Auckland University for the Business School
As soon as he is inconvenient Clark drops him like a hot potato then smears him when her own behaviour is in question.
Lord Ashcroft - unbid and only acting out of altruism Lord Ashcroft offers New Zealand a $300,000 reward for the return of the VC's stolen from Waiouru. Clark and her government are grateful that someone shows such concern. The VC's are recovered - Clark basks in the reflected glory, again shamelessly shrouding herself in khaki.
Clark - this week smeared Lord Ashcroft as somehow acting as a money bags to the National Party - following a meeting between Lord Ashcroft Chief of the Conservative Party and John Key Leader of the National party. She makes this smear without a shred of evidence, and only to provide a distraction from her own behaviour.
Whale's diagnosis Clark displays Narcissistic Personality Disorder is being proven every day.