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Hammering the issues

by Whaleoil on November 16, 2011

This storm in a teapot story is making me angry.

TV3 is milking it for all its worth, and the tipline is telling me that Bryce Johns  from the Herald On Sunday has been bragging about the illegal taping. Perhaps while he is bragging about that he might enlighten the media to the complaints he has had to deal with regarding the Prego incident and Bradley Ambrose/White.

It’s beginning to look like a personal crusade from some in the media who clearly want to spice up the election campaign, boost their personal profile, and sell a few newspapers or advertising minutes.

Thanks to the illegal behaviour of those with the tapes, we now all know that John Key appears to have said Winston’s support base is dying off. Um, hello – this is not news.

As for the media behaviour, I guess this is what we should come to expect.  TV3 and Campbell Live are big fans of the secret recording – Garner played it for all it was worth at the last election and took tapes from a Green activist who he refused to name.

Why did Garner refuse to name Kees Keiser?  Because Garner loved the attention and didn’t want to have his source challenged before he’d created as much mess as he possibly could.

Garner and his mate Gower are off down the same path this election. Forget the European crisis, let’s make the election all about us. Forget the Greens illegal promotor statements, this is all about us.

As self-appointed TV personalities, Garner and Gower could themselves become targets for people with secret recordings in the future – and they’d only have themselves to blame.  Someone with Garners predilection for the ladies could well be caught in a secret recroding stings pants down.

Public interest?  Give me a break.

Well I certainly hope for their sake that they remember the way they’re behaving if they ever go to a bar or restaurant or some chicks hotel room and have a private conversation or worse that gets taped.

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  • Agent BallSack

    TV3′s editorial bias is starting to show. Its getting harder to find neutral reports regarding the issues of the election on MSM.

  • Evan Johnson

    Yes it is in the public interest to know what is on the tapes.  Now that John Key has decided to pick a scrap with the media, I am sure it will come to light.  Between them TV3 and Winston Peters have provided very strong hints.  John Key has a dilemma – the only way to prove Winston wrong is to agree that the discussion can be made public.   By the way, I seem to recall Don Brash trying to block “The Hollow Men” in 2006 Was it?  Steven Joyce again prominent around that time I think.  Face it, John Key needs some new advisors.  Both Banks and Key should have been briefed not to talk shop at the cuppa tea.  Silly fools.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QHPFJEIC5X2KPCCOHPY4NITHJI R

      what a load of clap trap you write.

      • Anonymous

        What is the likely penalty for publishing a slap on the wrist? By making a complaint to the Police hoping the whole thing will become sub-judice. At that point it becomes much more serious. The media should grow some balls and publish in the public interest.

  • Evan Johnson

    As an afterthought, the credibility of politicians is always foremost in my evaluation.  
    Power plays impress me less.  John Key has a major credibility issue on his hands and he can’t walk away from it by rarking up the media.

  • Evan Johnson
  • Anonymous

    John has not picked a scrap with the media. The media will not take no for an answer and is trying to pick a scrap with John. John is not biting and I say good on him. As faf as I am concerned he can tell the media to ‘go forth and multiply’ on this one. He is taking a stand against grubby ‘News of the World’ gutter journalism and all decent Kiwis should applaud him for this. I am totally disgusted with the hypocrisy being displayed by Fairfax (Stuff & Dom Post) -they were just about gloating over the ‘News of the World’ revelations as if to say ‘we would never do this’ but now they are condoning it with the lame excuse that it is not like ‘the News of the World’ business. My foot.If anyone thinks John Key is losing votes over this one (eg John Armstrong), they are badly deluded IMO. You do not become a multi-millionaire by letting petulance and emotions get in the way of cool and rational thinking. John Key would have weighed his options, consulted with others and come up with an optimum solution vote wise. I think he is having fun with this. The media people are too full of their self importance to see the real issues – that is forget about teacups and hoading stickers and get stuck into some real election issues. The media people are supposed to be investigating and reporting news, not making news and leaving the investigative side to Whaleoil..

    • Jocktui

      I suspect Key is gaining votes over this; it’s keeping the policies of other parties off the front pages and painting media in a bad light -and the public don’t like the media

  • adybombs

    Despite all the their bleating the leftards have somehow forgotten that the VRWC controls EVERYTHING and accordingly their were some very important matters that needed to be agreed on prior to the election.  It very obvious after the Rugby World Cup that John Key is involved in a conspiracy with the NZRFU and has their interest to consider. I can now reveal that the controversial content of the tape actually relates to the two John’s trying to reach agreement on the identity of the next all Black coach.  

    WO is dead right here, Garner and Gower have fallen into the same trap as Holmes, Sainsbury and Campbell before them, they think they are more important than the stories they are reporting.    In the furore over this tape the media have missed the salient point here which is that National and ACT are fronting up before the election and saying we are going to work together so that the electors of NZ can make informed voting decisions.  It seems a far more honest approach than he skulduggery we have seen in the past, particularly Winston holding the country to ransom for weeks while he negotiated which party had the most baubles on offer 

  • Evan Johnson

    The transcript should be known to the public any time.  Failing that, rely on Winston Peters to fill the gaps!  Things are moving along too fast for the extreme right wing now.  Halo slipped.  

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QHPFJEIC5X2KPCCOHPY4NITHJI R

      peter’s actually doesn’t know anything.

      • Anonymous

        What is the likely penalty for publishing a slap on the wrist? By making a complaint to the Police hoping the whole thing will become sub-judice. At that point it becomes much more serious. The media should grow some balls and publish in the public interest.

    • Gary

      We have an extreme right wing? When did that happen???

  • Anonymous

    What a fucking cop out it is to say “it’s in the public interest”. That’s the common retort from the media to try & cleanse themselves of any guilt or remorse straight after doing something underhanded.

    Try going out & beating up a paedophile because it’s “in the public interest” & see where that gets you.

    Nobody, least of all the media should be above the law.

  • Cactus Kate

    Labies? Is that Garner’s code word for a woman under 20yo?

  • Tony

    The solution is simple to my mind. HoS should publish and be damned. Let the people decide. They will either decide via the ballot box or as a jury when the Editor of HoS gets to present himself in court to answer charges of illegal bugging and distribution of same.

    The current situation is that the media is attempting to get a free ride. They have all of the info and they can release it – and be responsible for the release.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QHPFJEIC5X2KPCCOHPY4NITHJI R

      they can’t, it’s really simple actually.  The day tv3 got their copy they wrote about how there wasn’t really any game changer in the recording.  Seems to me far more is being invented than was in it.  Key is playing this very well, if at a point he decides to release it, he completely wipes out the parties calling for it to be released and the herald and 3 news, good take down that will be.

      • Anonymous

        What is the likely penalty for publishing a slap on the wrist? By making a complaint to the Police hoping the whole thing will become sub-judice. At that point it becomes much more serious. The media should grow some balls and publish in the public interest.

  • Guest

    JK can’t even handle the jandal when faced with questions from the media. What a weak leader.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QHPFJEIC5X2KPCCOHPY4NITHJI R

      really?  he handled it very well.  Took the questions, told them what he was there for, and when dickhead garner didn’t have the intelligence to understand, he left, simple as that.  thank god we have john key and not that guy leading labour who wanted to lower the age of consent.   what’s his name phil someone.

      • Anonymous

        What is the likely penalty for publishing a slap on the wrist? By making a complaint to the Police hoping the whole thing will become sub-judice. At that point it becomes much more serious. The media should grow some balls and publish in the public interest.

  • Anonymous

    Tony – HoS will not publish straight out – their staff will not want to do bird or be working from home wearing ankle bracelets – which is just about inevitable if they release the tape without permission from one of the Johns. This is why they are hammering John Key to allow the release of the tape.

    • Tony

      Exactly my point – they are wankers

      • Chris

        Calling foul at a gathering which the press were invited to might make it a bit difficult for Key to show the recording was intentional. The media’s invitation will support Mr White-Ambrose’s claim the recording was accidental because he’ll simply say he was expecting the conversation to be reported and that’s why my mic was on. This is seems a pretty credible explanation. All White-Ambrose needs to say is that he despite being surprised to be told it was a private chat, he tried to get the microphone thing, or what ever it was, back but couldn’t.  A pretty easy rebuttal to Key’s accusation, especially when the onus is on Key to show intent.  This all regardless of the truth, of course, but I don’t think Key’s got a hope with the cops because of this.  Think TV3 or HoS or anyone should just release the tapes and let everyone decide for themselves.  This approach ought to be consistent with yours, Whale, just release it, especially when Key’s saying there’s nothing in them.  In any case, Key’s behaviour with the media is likely pissing them off enough that they’ll release them anyway.  And the longer they remain unreleased the longer Key looks like he’s hiding something therefore hurts him because he’s currently looking pretty disingenuous over the whole thing.  Regardless of anything, when he’s dealing with the media he just looks guilty.  Just release the tapes, I say – just bring it on, so we can all get some sleep.

        • John Q Public

          I question the media were even ”invited”. The cafe where they were to meet was changed at the last minute from a place in Nuffield St to where they did meet in Carlton Gore Rd due to being rumbled by reporters at the earlier venue.

  • Gazzaw

    I’m a great believer in karma. Garner is a recording waiting to happen. Facebook could get interesting.

  • Anonymous

    Yes let’s look at the Issues.
    The issue is the credibility of the people who want to run the Country on behalf of the rest of us. At this point both John Key and The Greens are not looking very good. The old End justifies the means and the do as I say not as I do, argument.
    Publish the tapes and name the vandals, deal with it and move on.

  • Anonymous

    John key, media darling!  You love it when the media is eating out of his hand, but if they bite said hand it’s all poo poo.  Can’t wipe the smile off my face.  The left will still lost this election, but old smirk and nod’s days are numbered…

  • MrV

    I’m sensing a whale army secret recording of journalist conversations coming on.
    I wonder if orders of laser microphones will go through the roof in this country.

  • DONKEY

    TV3 is so desparate to grab a headline – its a dogshit upside down business that needs to be closed – it leaks millions a year in losses. we all know John Cambell has a hard on for the left. hes a fucking dick anyway. maybe JK will let it out closer to the time. really in NZ who will care that JK said, Winston First is nearly dead, Goff a fucking twat, and Brash has lost his marbles. i guess the truth hurts

    • Justme

      TV1 are morons too. “Winston —-> marbles”. Lol, well said.

    • adybombs

      The only thing that John Campbell has a hard on for is John Campbell 

  • kayaker

    Never mess with a successful trader. It’s not over yet. TV3 and the media circus clowns and Chief Clown Winnie will get their comeuppance.

  • Elma Fudd

    Hey, yorl… does anybody really, really give a rat’s-arse about who said what to whom and when on these fucking tapes ? It’s a media beat-up and nothing else. MP’s talk stuff between themselves every day and who cares ? TV3′s and other “political reporters” should tell how us much they are being paid to take the stance that they present – either for or against. If someone said that WP’s database was dying off, it’s a fact. The same could be said about the supporters of the wharfies strike in 1951, and I doubt that too many of them are “offended”. Time to move on chaps…… the sun will still come up tomorrow.

    • Bottlerboy

      Totally agree Elma F, nobody gives a rats arse about the tapes, we are all totally sick of it.
      Only self important wankers like Garner and Gower continue the beat up (and in the process clearly exposing their and TV3′s left wing bias) trying to make something out of nothing rather than getting on with reporting the real issues which actually do matter.
        

    • Alex (not the Leftist twat)

      The “contents” has become less important now; the question in voters’ minds will be whether Key has handled this well, specifically whether he should have let this circus go on like this.  That in turn may well affect voters’ perceptions as to whether Key is PM-material.  So really, the ball is in Key’s court now and he’ll need a jolly convincing story.   

  • Anonymous

    But what I am wondering is; are we all missing something here. Is there a missing link? Like some disgruntled politician with a good working relationship with the HOS with an ax to grind that put them up to it in the first place?

    • Alex (not the Leftist twat)

      I’m mystified by all this too.  I just hope that Key isn’t stupid enough (like Joyce and Brownlee were) that if you just say “no comment” to the media enough times, they will lose interest and go away.  Surely Key isn’t that stupid?

  • kiwikevnz

    ya carnt tell me neither man saw it sitting right there at keys elbow or the diplomatic protection squad for that matter, coulda been a nice little pouch of c4 that would have made them spill their tea

  • Anonymous

    National gives goodwill ‘loan’ and keeps Mediaworks (and indirectly, TV3) afloat, NEK MINNIT…