James Bews-Hair

The right wing stoolie in Len Brown’s office, James Bews-Hair, at it again. This time chief of staff Phil Wilson has seen fit to demote Glyn Jones, making way for a new media man for the Night-Mayor.

Dan Lambert has appeared. Not so well known around town as he is a recent import from the UK where he has been doing nifty and clever work for Bank of Scotland and trying cosy up to the Tories.

Looks like Len’s office takes another lurch to the right. Interesting too is how Dan came to the role. Could it be that he is a long time mate of Bews Hair? Did they plot together when Bews Hair was Goff’s SPS and Dan was Maharey’s spin doctor?

What will poor wee Glynn, the Mayor’s handbag holder, think of all this?

When will the patch war within Len’s office end and will Phil ever realise that, like Robertson to Shearer, some are much better at playing the long game than he is.

Phil and Glynn have belittled and victimised Bews Hair for too long; white anting always gets found out especially since Phil and Glynn aren’t very clever at it.

It is also understood that Bernard Orsman is especially bitter, wrongly believing that all his hard work down at the Herald on behalf of the mayor would richly rewarded. It looks like he will have to continue to attend local community board meetings for some time yet.

A couple of months ago I posted that the shadowy James Bews-Hair had been stitched up by the gaggle of gays and self-interested unionists.  It seems that I under-estimated Bews-Hair. I’m told that getting people to underestimate him is one of his favourite tricks.

Just a few months ago I outed the night-mayors chief press secretary, Glyn Jones, for trying to feed me made-up dirt on his colleague, Bews-Hair.  At the time, rather than being punished, it seems that Jones was rewarded.  I predicted that Bews-Hair would be quietly plotting his revenge.  It appears I was right on the money.  Bews-Hair’s attention to detail when it comes to vindication is quite something to behold.  Any member of the VRWC would be so proud.

First up was Glyn Jones little helper, Steve Boyd. Jones had handpicked Boyd, an ex-Chris Carter groupie, to bolster the gaggle in Len’s office.  Part one of Bews-Hair’s revenge was to create a non-existent transport spin job back in the bowels of Council and shove Boyd sideways into it.

Gaggle & Unionists – nil v Bews-Hair 1.

I recently posted about how Bews-Hair engineered a job with his buddies at Todd Corp for Conor Roberts.  While I hear that Bews-Hair racked up all sorts of favours with this manouvre, he also ridded the Mayor’s office of the left-wing influence that he had been battling against.

Gaggle & Unionists – nil v Bews-Hair 2.

And finally, the part that must have been most satisfying.  I hear from the tip-line that the Mayor’s office is frantically looking for a new head spinner (slight problem, no-one is interested but that’s another story).  A few enquiries and it appears that the vacancy resulted from Jones suffering a humiliating demotion.  His new role will see him following lying Len around carrying his handbag and pooper scooper.  From chief press secretary to wiping Len’s arse.  A stroke of genius by Bews-Hair.  As far as vindictiveness goes, this is clinical.

Gaggle and Unionists – Nil v Bews-Hair 3.

Len’s Chief of Staff, Phil Wilson, must be wondering what exactly has happened.  Actually it is pretty simple – this is the result of his own basic political incompetence and inexperience.   Wilson rewarded Jones for attempting to shaft a colleague; a couple of months later and Bews-Hair slashed Wilson’s empire to tatters. With Roberts gone Bews-Hair is the only experienced political operative left in the office.  Effectively Bews-Hair has made himself untouchable.

I have posted before about how Wilson doesn’t like or trust Bews-Hair.  Thanks to Wilson’s own incompetence and political experience he is now in a powerless position. He must absolutely despise Bews-Hair now.

Well played Mr Bews-Hair.

The big news circulating Wellington and now Auckland is that Len Brown’s Chief Political Advisor and campaign supremo Conor Roberts has accepted a job as Corporate Affairs Manager for Todd Property Group.

This seems like a curious move however it seems to meet someone’s objectives on many levels:

First, the obvious line that Farrar has picked up on that Conor Roberts wants a political career.  He’s smart enough, or has a smart enough advisor, to realise that he needs some real world experience to balance his political experience. The Labour party is bereft of people who have connections with the business sector so it makes sense for Conor to go to a corporate, one that is headed by a right-winger like Evan Davies.  Conor is also ably assisted by James Bews-Hair who now seems to like Roberts so he will no doubt assist him in making the right sort of career moves, and hopefully get rid of some of Conor’s lofty, lefty belief system.

Second, this clears most of the left wing influence out of Len’s office.  Bews-Hair knows that moving Roberts into the Todd Property role also removes an impediment to good ol right wing sensibilities and influence.  While Farrar likes to think that Roberts is a right winger having been in Len’s office through the Maritime Union disputes the truth is Roberts has been wracked with guilt over what he did to his Labour comrades.

Third, Bews-Hair doesn’t have that many friends left in Labour so it will be very useful for him to have a rising star under his wing who is heavily indebted to him

Fourth, Evan Davies (head of Todd Property and former head of Sky City) is a good mate (and former boss) of Bews-Hair.  In Roberts, Davies gets a good political operator (albeit a bit of a wet one) and later a tame rising star.  That makes Davies indebted to Bews-Hair as well.  To be fair, Bews-Hair had to find a replacement for Sifa Taumoepeau who he took off Davies to install back into Sky City.

Fifth, Bews-Hair gets to enjoy the fun of having turned Auckland-based Corporate and Government Relations into his own personal chessboard.  There’s a fair few people who are now indebted to Bews-Hair for manouvreing them into useful positions.

The trade unions that Bews-Hair hates will be so confused by this move but there are plenty of others who will work it out.

Perhaps Hooton and i-Predict should run the long term odds on CR.  Pinko backs him to be the next Steven Joyce!  On the Left Conor Roberts is likely to be a future political power broker.  He is pretty useful in his own right and has the added bonus of his mate, James Bews-Hair, lurking in the shadows.

Since I shone some serious sunlight on the political enigma that is James Bews-Hair, I have had many calls from people with chequebooks who want to find out a bit more about him so that they can take advantage of his cunning. My advice now is to get on the phone and talk to him.  From what I hear he’ll probably take your call and you’ll get him angry and dirt cheap.

The reason? Simple.  It has now become very clear just how much they hate him in the town hall.

Let me explain. A couple of weeks ago I outed the Night Mayor’s press secretary (Glyn Jones) for acts of political treachery against Bews-Hair. Glyn is not very smart.  Like many, he should take note of my rules of politics.  If you get caught out playing silly games (regardless of how much your intended target deserves it) then you deserve me highlighting your stupidity.

So despite being outed for attempting to use a right-wing blogger to fight a battle in a Left-wing political office, Jones is still in place doing a comedic impersonation of a media manager.  I understand Jones even got rewarded with a week long, ratepayer funded holiday to Australia.

So why is Jones being rewarded for being a dumb cock, and Bews-Hair being hung out to dry. Again, with decent sources it all becomes very obvious. Let me explain:

1. We already know that Len’s Chief of Staff, Phil Wilson, doesn’t like or trust Bews-Hair and certainly feels threatened by Bews-Hair.  Given the right opportunity Wilson would gladly send Bews-Hair on his way.
2. It was Bews-Hair that turned Len (albeit briefly) into a seemingly sensible, union crusher in the Ports dispute.  Problem is Bews-Hair’s so-called mate Conor Roberts (and others on the Left) hates Bews-Hair for taking Len down that sensible path.
3. I understand that Jones has become the Mayor’s (and indeed the deputy Mayor, Phil Wilson and a host of councillors) newest gay accessory.  He’s actually been quite clever and getting in the ear of all and sundry and using the ‘Chris Carter’ line of “I am being picked on because I am gay.”

From what I hear Bews-Hair is more than a little bit of a homophobe (which is slightly ironic but that is another story).  From the tipline I have been advised that Bews-Hair finds the fag hag behaviour around Glyn Jones disgusting all round.

So it seems that like most of those endangered blokey right wingers in the Labour party Bews-Hair is also being strung up by the much talked about ‘gaggle of gays’ and self-interested unionists.  Typical really. Jones gets caught out playing nasty games (and I continue to get stories via the tipline smearing Bews-Hair) and the target of all this gets punished for being vaguely competent.

If I have learned anything about Bews-Hair, he will be patiently plotting his revenge. But much more importantly, if you want Bews-Hair’s cunning at your disposal, make him an offer. My guess is you will get him dirt cheap.

Here is a word of warning to anyone who thinks they can get one over on me and use the Whale army to fight their own work battles for them.

For some reason I have had a number of people pedalling new “Bews-Hair stories” to me. I thought this was a bit curious so I had a bit of a look into why this was happening. It seems that the laughable character that is Len Brown’s press secretary, Glyn Jones, has decided that he doesn’t like all the attention that I have given Bews-Hair and has started trying to feed me new “dirt” – problem is he and his mates seem to be making it all up.

What they don’t realise is that I have a massive amount of info on Bews-Hair. I have used about half of it. The rest of it is personal stuff and stuff that he doesn’t deserve to have aired. He might be a cunning, devious bastard who should stop pretending to be a leftie, but he does seem to at least know how to get things done. Unlike Jones, who I understand is a total peacock… or may be just a cock.

So here is a message for Jones, his mates and their ilk. Do not waste my time pedalling stuff you are making up. Do not try and use this blog to fight the work battles you feel the need to play dirty to win. And finally, has it occurred to you that I might know a few things about you too, I just haven’t used it. I can use it if you want. For example, who is media training the NightMayor and what is the reason for your loyalty to him (and who in TV doesn’t know the real answer to that).

So, Glyn and your rather awkward accomplices, please stop wasting my time. Bews-Hair might be sneaky and underhand, kind of like the Mayor, but he is my play-thing not yours.

That’s right Whaleoil is pleased to announce that Sky City have indeed selected their next Government Relations Manager.

While Tracy Watkins may be of the view that Whaleoil “runs half-baked conspiracy theories and innuendo” it turns out that yet again my sources are better than hers. Perhaps if Watkins talked to a few more people other than the Labour party she might just get a more accurate range of information.

Surprise, surprise, the winner is a mate of Bews-Hair which puts the odds of 5 to 1 as pretty bloody average.

The ever so slight twist is that the winner is… Sifa Taumoepeau. Sifa has already been Sky City’s Government Relations Manager. He had a stint a few years back before following then head of Sky City (Evan Davies) to Todd Property.

So how close is Sifa Taumoepeau to James Bews-Hair and did Bews-Hair really have a role in getting Sifa back in there?

Let’s have a look at a bit of history first:

• Bews-Hair recruited Taumoepeau into the Labour Party Research Unit.
• Bews-Hair no doubt got Taumoepeau his job at Tourism Industry Association (when Bews-Hair left to join Sky City)
• Bews-Hair then handpicked Taumoepeau to take on the New Zealand aspects of the Government Relations role at Sky City (when Bews-Hair left to go to Northland and try and help mine the place to bits)
• Bews-Hair and Taumoepeau continue to be close friends.

Under Bews-Hair and Taumoepeau’s stewardship Sky City largely flew under the radar, built relationships with the various problem gambling groups and did a whole lot of wanky community outreach crap. All lovely cover for the true corporate (and completely appropriate given they are a bloody corporate) to get what they needed to extend their business in New Zealand and Australia.

So, how will Bews-Hair manipulate his friend this time (and isn’t it remarkable that anyone still trusts him)? and to what end? To help Len get that conference centre and theatre?

Anyone noticed how all of a sudden Len has suddenly got all tough on gambling again?

The Herald ran today an article about Mallard lodging a complaint with the Auckland Electoral Officer about the $15,000 donation by Sky City to John Banks’ mayoral campaign. I have been mulling it over and something just doesn’t seem right here.

You see, in my investigations into James Bews-Hair and Conor Roberts I’ve found some interesting dots that need to be joined.

There are some interesting Labour Party dynamics at play. It is clearer by the day that the Auckland wing of the Party are done with all the beltway politics that is being played by Shearer and his team (of almost resigned staffers).

We all know that in Auckland there is one person who knows more about the Auckland Mayoral campaign than anyone.

We also know that there’s another person rather close to the current Mayor who wrote Sky City’s donation policy (refer to previous post about chequebook lobbying)

It does raise questions why the two gentlemen above would feed the information about the dual Sky City donations (ie: one to Brown, one to Banks) to the serially disloyal Mallard and not to their own man Shearer (has everyone forgotten that Roberts ran Shearer’s campaign for the by-election while Bews-Hair worked with and was Shearer’s boss in Goff’s ministerial office).

Clearly from Auckland they can sense the tide going out on Shearer’s leadership. They’ve given up on their own man, their own mate, the guy they helped install.

The real question is why are they feeding Mallard? Roberts is determined to complete the hatchet job he’s done on Banks’ political career. Bews-Hair is always a more difficult one to work out. May be he has got bored or may be he is backing the other team and wants his old mate (and former employee) Goldsmith to be MP of
Epsom?

As for the complaint. It will come down to what Sky City says they told Banks (about the donation).

Hmmm… and will Banks vote against the Sky City pokies/centre deal? Bloody unlikely.

What did Labour actually need in an Opposition Chief of Staff?  It is pretty simple really:

• Experience in Opposition (it is a totally different world)
• Proven political management
• Machiavallien
• Vindictive
• Sneaky
•  Close existing relationship with the Leader (Shearer)

I am feeling rather proud of myself because the only person within Labour who I can see as possessing all of that has had a good dose of sunlight thanks to me.  By unearthing James Bews-Hair I have exposed a dangerously effective operator with no morals and even less conscience.   Given that he insists on attaching himself to the Left his skillset made him very dangerous to the Right.  Well, I took care of that.  I hear he is now so hated on the Left that no lefty is ever going to hire him again.  He’s even been blamed for turning Lefty Len into a right wing Mayor.

Thankfully this means that despite all of Bews-Hair’s talents he couldn’t possibly have been Shearer’s Chief of Staff even though that is exactly what they need.  We know about Bews-Hair’s political management skills and sneakiness.  Most aren’t aware though that Bews-Hair and Shearer worked together in Goff’s office (when he was Minister) for a number of years.  Bews-Hair was Shearer’s boss.  They certainly know how to work together.  What a crying shame that he is now so tainted to the Left thanks to me for showing him for what he is.

Bews-Hair’s wee stint as Acting Chief of Staff in Len’s office is about to end with the return of Phil Wilson.  As I’ve previously highlighted, Wilson doesn’t like or trust Bews-Hair.  It will be interesting to see what happens to Bews-Hair in the coming months.  He would have been perfect and dangerous on the Left but thanks to my revelations the Left can never touch him again.

There is a side benefit though… eventually he’ll have to go back to right wing corporate lobbying.

I have learned via the tipline that there are actually two jobs up for grabs – Government Relations Manager and Comms Manager for Sky City.

So there is the opportunity for two of Bews-Hair’s mates to be appointed to pivotal roles. This complicates the book somewhat but does mean you can choose two dependent on role. And yes, you heard it here, Andi Brotherston is no longer in the
Comms Manager role.

Via the tipline I’ve been advised a few others may also be in the mix. They include:

Mike Munro
A former colleague of Bews-Hair. Most know Munro as Clark’s spin doctor but he had a successful stint at Treasury as the Comms Manager before being headhunted by Todd Group. He’s only been there a short while but again an easy transition to go from oil exploration to the depths of gambling. Interesting that two of Bews-Hair’s good mates are in the wider Todd Group – Sifa Taumopeau is with Todd Property. I hear he is happy at Todd so only at 25 to 1 as less likely to move.

Chris Bishop
Chris is a former advisor to Gerry Brownlee but lost the pie eating contest to other staff members so had to jump ship. Despite many advising him not to, Bishop went to work for tobacco. The upside is that the leap from tobacco to gaming is bugger all. Likely to be too inexperienced for the role and has ambitions to be an MP one day. Same problem as Nash – A peacock does not a good gambling lobbyist make. There are others in tobacco lobbying who are more experienced and talented than Bishop. 30 to 1

Mark Watts
Yet another of the former Clark staffers, good mate of Munro and Bews-Hair. Currently at Telecom (following a similar career path to Taumoepeau who also came to the Sky City job under Bews-Hair’s tutelage and from a Telecom external relation role). The quiet outsider who could surprise. 15 to 1

So, the book is as follows:
James Bews-Hair: scratched
Don Badman: scratched (now in London and very happy there)
Someone from Council offices 100 to 1
Conor Roberts: 50 to 1
Chris Bishop: 30 to 1
Bruce Robertson: 25 to 1
Mike Munro: 25 to 1
Catherine Etheredge: 20 to 1
Nick Albrecht: 15 to 1
Tim Hurdle: 15 to 1
Mark Watts: 15 to 1
Stuart Nash: 10 to 1
Close mate of Bews-Hair: 5 to 1

Place your choice in the comments or to the tipline.

On The Nation yesterday I highlighted the exploits of James Bews-Hair – current acting Chief of Staff to the Night Mayor Len Brown and a man who seems to have his fingers in many pies.

Just as I expected it seems Bews-Hair will also have a hand in who will be Sky City’s next Government Relations Manager.

Via the tipline I have heard that Bews-Hair is a prolific punter himself. It seems the sweepstakes he used to run from the Sky City corporate box are more widely known than the architect of them, Bews-Hair.

With the complete hash that Sky City is making of the convention centre deal Bew’s-Hair will need to find someone good to be his next puppet there. While he’s doing his best to install one of his mates in there I thought it’d be a bit of fun to run a book of my own on who could it be. May be i-Predict could follow suit.

Of course Bews-Hair himself could fix Sky City’s mess in his sleep (through his dark methods as highlighted in my previous posts) but then people would actually see him this time. So, I’m not even going to list him as a starter (consider him scratched).

May be he’ll drop his good mate Conor R into the role – let’s put that at 50 to 1 as the likelihood of becoming a Labour MP after a career watching the back of the pokie masters is very unlikely.

When Bews-Hair was at the Tourism Industry Association and Sky City he was thick as thieves with Bruce Robertson. When the two of them weren’t conniving together Bews-Hair was working out ways to shaft Robertson. Bruce is getting on though and is synonymous with the Hospitality Association so I can’t see that happening. Let’s put Bruce at 25 to 1.

We all know by now that Bews-Hair has a Tory bent in him and sure enough he has befriended wannabe National Party power broker Nick Albrecht. Not sure why Vector needs Nick so let’s put him at 15 to 1.

Those are the outsiders. Let’s look at the more likely candidates later today.