Chantelle Baker Gets a $100,000 Reality Check

It’s a rare day when the New Zealand courts deliver a sharp reminder to the right-wing that actions have consequences, even for those who’ve built a career on peddling disinformation. 

Chantelle Baker, the self-styled “citizen journalist” and darling of New Zealand’s anti-vax, anti-government fringe, has been ordered to pay a whopping $100,000 bond ahead of her defamation proceedings against Stuff, likely because the Judge anticipates that she will lose the case.

This isn’t just a legal slap on the wrist, it’s a moment to reflect on the toxic ecosystem of misinformation Baker has cultivated, and what it means for accountability in New Zealand's fractured political landscape.

Unfortunately for the deluded grifter, there's a Reddit post doing exactly that. But it's not as embarrassing for her as what's being published on mainstream media websites at the moment.

Yesterday, Stuff reported:

Chantelle Baker ordered to pay $100k bond ahead of defamation case against Stuff

An independent journalist who claims she was defamed by Stuff’s Fire and Fury documentary has been ordered to pay a $100,000 bond to cover potential court costs before her case can proceed. The High Court decision on October 29 followed an application by Stuff’s parent company, Trans-Tasman Resources, which argued the bond was necessary due to the financial risks posed by the case.

Chantelle Baker, who describes herself as an independent journalist, filed the defamation lawsuit against Stuff, claiming the 2022 documentary falsely portrayed her as a far-right extremist. The documentary explored the rise of disinformation in New Zealand during the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2022 Parliament protest. Baker alleges the documentary’s portrayal caused significant harm to her reputation.

Justice Palmer, in his ruling, said Baker’s claim was not utterly hopeless but faced significant hurdles. He noted that proving defamation would require demonstrating that the statements in Fire and Fury were false and had caused serious reputational damage. The judge considered the complexity of the case and the potential for high legal costs in ordering the bond, which must be paid within 10 working days.

 

Let’s not mince words: Baker’s rise to prominence during the 2022 Wellington protests wasn’t about truth or journalism. It was about capitalising on fear, distrust, and a global pandemic to amass a large number of social media followers, that she can grift from.

Her live streams, filled with baseless claims about COVID-19 vaccines, police conspiracies, and even claims that the fires at Parliament were started by “agent provocateurs,” weren’t just reckless disinformation, they were intentionally dangerous.

The Disinformation Project rightly labelled her a “super spreader” of false narratives, with her posts often outpacing mainstream media in engagement during those chaotic weeks. This wasn’t reporting; it was performance art for the paranoid, designed to inflame and divide.

The Platforms Sean Plunket with Chantelle Baker this morning discussing the details of her recent out of court settlement with the NZ Herald along with her upcoming case against Stuff & second respondent The Disinformation Project’s Kate Hannah in which she alleges defamation… pic.twitter.com/MlGStDW69n

— Kelvin Morgan 🇳🇿 (@kelvin_morganNZ) September 26, 2024

 

Now, Baker’s defamation suit against Stuff, tied to their excellent documentary Fire and Fury, has hit a wall. The $100,000 bond, a court-ordered security to ensure she can cover costs if she loses, speaks volumes.

Defamation cases are costly, and courts don’t impose such bonds lightly. It’s a signal that Baker’s claims may be as flimsy as her “journalistic” credentials. Her previous win against the NZ Herald, where she secured an undisclosed settlement and an apology, seems to have emboldened her. But that case, centred on Kate Hannah’s comments about Baker’s role in the “NZ Disinformation Dozen,” was more about legal technicalities than vindicating for her incendiary narrative. The Herald’s retraction was a pragmatic move, not an admission of Baker’s innocence.

What’s galling is how Baker has monetised her disinformation crusade. From her Operation People fundraiser for Hawke’s Bay flood relief, where only a fraction of the $13,565 raised went to actually helping people in need, to her ongoing crowdfunding for legal battles, she’s mastered the art of the grift.

These aren’t the actions of a truth-seeker but of someone who’s turned distrust in institutions into a personal ATM. Her supporters, egged on by cries of “media bias” and “censorship,” keep the cash flowing, blind to the fact that their hero’s “alternative media” is less about accountability and more about self-enrichment.

The $100,000 bond order exposes the fragility of Chantelle Baker’s vexatious litigation, casting doubt on her self-styled image as a “citizen journalist.” This case raises questions about who’s really behind this politically driven circus? Could it be her daddy, Leighton Baker, the former New Conservative Party leader also known for his anti-mandate activism during the 2022 Wellington protests? Is Chantelle a principled crusader or a front for deeper-pocketed interests, perhaps tied to her father’s right-wing, conspiracist agenda? Either way, the courts aren’t buying her victim act, and that’s a win for those who value evidence over faux outrage.

This case matters because disinformation isn’t just words, it’s a weapon that was used against New Zealand to try and illegally oust the duly elected government. Baker’s narratives have eroded trust in public health, media, and democracy itself. As Aotearoa grapples with declining institutional confidence, her grift thrives on that chaos. The $100,000 bond isn’t the end of her story, but it’s a crack in the facade. If she loses, which is likely, the financial hit could curb her type of dishonest campaigning, which is something that can only be a good thing for our great country.

Imprisoning Māori For Doing The Haka?

ACT MP Parmjeet Parmar

The ACT Party floating the idea of imprisoning Te Pāti Māori MPs for performing a haka in Parliament isn’t just a shameful overreach; it’s a chilling glimpse into a fascist mindset that seeks to silence indigenous voices through state power. According to RNZ, ACT MP Parmjeet Parmar asked the Privileges Committee to consider a range of punishments, including jail time, for Te Pāti Māori MPs who performed a haka to protest the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. This isn’t just about parliamentary decorum; it’s a calculated move to treat Māori cultural expression and resistance as a crime. It’s the kind of authoritarian tactic you’d expect from repressive regimes, not a supposedly democratic country like New Zealand.

Today, RNZ reported:

ACT asked for advice on range of punishments for Te Pāti Māori MPs - including imprisonment

The ACT party asked for advice on the full range of possible punishments for Te Pāti Māori MPs following last year's Treaty Principles haka - including imprisonment.

The government members on the Privileges Committee recommended suspending Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer for 21 days as punishment for their part in a haka at the conclusion of the First Reading of the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill.

MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, who started the haka but had since expressed contrition, faces a one-week suspension.

The Committee found the MPs had behaved in an intimidating manner when they moved from their seats to face Act Party MPs.

The Privileges Committee sought advice on possible penalties while preparing its recommendations. ACT MP Parmjeet Parmar, who is on the committee, asked if this could include a range of examples, including imprisonment, to "help put any proposed penalty in context".

Let’s call this what it is: racism dressed up as procedure. The haka, a powerful expression of Māori identity, was deemed “intimidating” by the Privileges Committee, a claim that reeks of thin skins and colonial overreach. The main problem here is that ACT’s suggestion to imprison Māori for doing a haka isn’t an isolated incident. This is the same party that’s pushed a relentless anti-Māori agenda since their very foundation, from ACT’s Rodney Hide openly stating that they hate Māori, to Jamie Whyte's claim that Māori are somehow legally privileged in New Zealand, and now David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill, which seeks to gut the Treaty of Waitangi’s protections, to their dog-whistle rhetoric branding Māori cultural practices as “thuggery”, ACT have displayed their blatant racism for all to see. They even published material calling Te Pāti Māori MPs “barnyard animals” for doing a haka, in what can only be described as a vulgar display of ignorant racism that should ensure they never attain power again. This isn’t just policy disagreement; it’s a deliberate campaign by the coalition of chaos to marginalise and dehumanise Māori.

Look globally, and ACT’s tactics echo the playbook of repressive regimes that target indigenous populations to maintain control. In Australia, Aboriginal people face disproportionate incarceration rates, over 30% of the prison population despite being 3% of the total population, often for minor or culturally misunderstood acts. In Canada, Indigenous peoples make up nearly 30% of federal inmates, despite being 5% of the population, a legacy of colonial policies designed to suppress First Nations’ resistance. These parallels aren’t accidental. Imprisoning indigenous leaders or cultural figures is a hallmark of repressive regimes that fear the power of native identity. From apartheid South Africa to Pinochet’s Chile, fascist regimes always attempt to crush indigenous dissent under the guise of “order.”

NZ Maori use Haka for all major events in life: birth, death, marriage. It's their tradition. Here is NZ's Rugby team doing Haka before their game.pic.twitter.com/VWvKqWTyNg

— Epoch Inspired (@EpochInspired) January 7, 2024

ACT advocating for Māori MPs to be imprisoned for a haka isn’t just an attack on Te Pāti Māori; it’s an assault on the very idea of Māori identity and cultural survival. The Privileges Committee’s recommended 21 day suspensions without pay are already unprecedentedly harsh. Suggesting imprisonment takes it to a new dystopian level, signalling to Māori that their voice, their tikanga, their resistance will be met with the full weight of state punishment. This is fascism in a suit: targeting those who dare to stand up against an unjust government that is trying to control its population through punishment and fear.

The ACT Party’s calls for authoritarianism should have no place within our halls of power. So where is the Prime Minister’s condemnation of his coalition partner’s racist overreach? Chris Luxon’s silence about ACT's proposed jail time for Māori MPs is another tacit nod in favour of the all too regular anti-Māori sentiment we see poisoning our democracy. But instead of acknowledging this problem, government MPs and their mainstream media propagandists are trying to make us believe that their actions and lies weren’t racially motivated. Not only have they insulted Māoridom, they are now insulting the entire countries intelligence as well.

New Zealand deserves better than a government that flirts with authoritarianism while cloaking it in “rule of law” rhetoric. They deserve a government that stands up for the haka and all that it signifies. The haka isn’t a threat to New Zealand; it’s a highly significant taonga, a treasure of Māori culture that every New Zealander should feel proud of. ACT’s push to criminalise it exposes their rancid racist underbelly...and that’s not something any right thinking Kiwi should vote for.

Luxon’s Anti-Māori Mask Slips Again

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has once again stocked the fire a racial disharmony, this time with a damning comment that reeks of anti-Māori sentiment. In a recent Newstalk ZB interview with Mike Hosking, Luxon responded to a question about the “Māorification of this country” by saying, “Well where we see it we call it out.” This racist remark, endorsing a loaded term that vilifies Māori culture and language, has ignited outrage and once again raised a critical question: Is the Prime Minister of New Zealand a racist?

Luxon’s “call it out” comment is not an isolated slip. It echoes a broader agenda from his National-led coalition, which has systematically targeted Māori rights since taking office in November 2023. Take the scrapping of the Māori Health Authority, a body designed to address stark health disparities for Māori people, who on average die seven to eight years younger than non-Māori. Luxon’s government also reversed Labour’s tobacco ban, a policy Māori leaders championed to curb smoking rates, which hit 20% among Māori adults compared to 8% nationally. These moves, cloaked in “equality” rhetoric, disproportionately harm Māori, who face systemic inequities in health and justice.

Then there’s the rollback of te reo Māori in public life. Luxon’s coalition mandated English as the primary language for government agencies, demoting Māori titles like Waka Kotahi to secondary status. In August 2024, he defended removing basic Māori phrases like “tēnā koe” and “Aotearoa” from an invitation to an Australian minister, claiming Australians need “incredibly simple” English. This patronising jab not only insulted Māori culture but also dismissed the trans-Tasman cultural exchange, and set our long-existing mutually beneficial relationship back.

Yesterday, RNZ reported:

'We have to have rules': Christopher Luxon won't say if Te Pāti Māori's punishment appropriate

"I've seen it reported in media that it's [the issue] is about haka and waiata in the Parliament, well that actually happens often. It's actually about not following the rules of Parliament - disrupting the vote, leaving you're seat... not engaging with the Privileges Committee," Luxon said.

"I think it's really important that the rules are upheld because we've got to be able to discuss difficult and emotional subjects in Parliament and debate them. But we've also need to make sure it doesn't degenerate into absolute chaos in the Parliament."

Luxon also axed bonuses for public servants learning te reo, calling them wasteful. His government’s cuts to Māori language programs, like the $30 million slashed from Te Ahu o te Reo Māori in 2024, further undermine revitalisation efforts. These actions contradict Luxon’s claim that he values te reo, exposing a double standard that smacks of privilege.

In response to a question about the "Maorification of this country" Luxon said "where we see it we call it out". Is he not aware Maori is an official language as well as being special and precious and unique to Aotearoa?https://t.co/ta8xlfuTrQ

— Greg Presland (@GregPresland) May 19, 2025

Is Luxon a racist? His policies and rhetoric suggest a calculated appeal to a conservative base wary of Māori “special treatment,” a dog-whistle that fuels division. Critics like Te Pāti Māori’s Debbie Ngarewa-Packer have called his government’s approach akin to “white supremacy,” a charge Luxon dismissed as “ridiculous.” Yet, the pattern...dismantling Māori health initiatives, sidelining te reo, and endorsing terms like “Māorification”...points to a leader actively hostile to Māori aspirations.

Luxon insists he’s focused on “outcomes for all New Zealanders,” but his actions tell a different story. Racism isn’t just about overt slurs; it’s about policies that entrench inequity and dismiss cultural identity. The evidence suggests Luxon’s leadership tilts toward the latter, betraying the bicultural promise of Aotearoa developing into a multicultural society where everyone can succeed irrespective of the colour of their skin.

Government Blames Labour For Andrea Vance’s C-word Article

The National-led government, flailing like a fish out of water, is now pointing fingers at Labour for Andrea Vance’s critical column in The Post. Finance Minister Nicola Willis, in a display that can only be described as unhinged, has tried to pin the blame for Vance’s blistering critique on the opposition, as if Labour somehow coerced a veteran journalist into calling her Pay Equity debacle out.

Everybody knows that it’s not Labour’s job to police the mainstream media when, on the odd occasion, they dare to hold the government to account. Vance’s piece, which deployed the C-word to describe Willis and her coalition harpies, was a critique of a government that’s betrayed women with its pay equity changes.

Many New Zealanders would agree with Vance, although most probably wouldn’t have used her language. And National’s response? A pathetic attempt to dodge accountability by crying “it’s all Labours fault!”


On Saturday, The Post reported:

The girl-math budget that will cut deep, especially for women

Turns out you can have it all. So long as you’re prepared to be a c… to the women who birth your kids, school your offspring and wipe the arse of your elderly parents while you stand on their shoulders to earn your six-figure, taxpayer-funded pay packet.

Let’s talk about the real issue: National’s desperate spin to deflect from their unfair pay equity changes. Rushed through under urgency with no select committee scrutiny, the government gutted 33 active pay equity claims, making it harder for women to seek justice for systemic underpayment. Willis and her coalition cronies (ACT’s Brooke van Velden in particular) have the gall to claim this isn’t a pay cut, when it clearly is.

By raising the threshold for claims from 60% to 70% female-dominated sectors and narrowing comparator jobs, they’ve ensured fewer women will succeed in future claims, effectively pinching billions of dollars from their pockets. David Seymour himself admitted it’s about “saving billions,” yet Willis denies it’s about budget cuts. Who do they think they’re fooling?

Even after the Speaker of the House, Gerry Brownlee, had already warned Brook van Velden, she chose to continue raising the issue of Andrea Vance’s article. van Velden then use the C word in Parliament (without being thrown out), rounding her accusations of sexism onto former Labour Minister, Jan Tinetti, like it is her fault that Andrea Vance wrote the article. It's clearly not the oppositions fault that the government is copping flack from all corners for gutting the pay equity claims process.

Today, 1 News reported:

Minister drops C-bomb in Parliament while quoting controversial column

Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden has become the first MP to use the word c*** in the House of Representatives when she repeated it after former minister for women Jan Tinetti asked about a controversial opinion column in relation to the Government's changes to the pay equity process.

You can understand why government Ministers are losing their cool at the moment. The backlash to their Equity Pay Amendment Bill has been brutal, and not just from the usual left wing commentators. National’s own right-wing allies are turning on them. From Shane Te Pou to Janet Wilson, many conservatives have felt compelled to comment, warning that National’s betrayal of women voters will haunt them, especially with women under 50 already abandoning the party in droves, per Roy Morgan polls. These aren’t lefty activists; they’re National’s own base, clearly stating that this policy should’ve gone to a select committee for proper scrutiny, not rammed through like a midnight mugging.

Brooke van Velden foaming at the mouth about Vances' article, and Nicola Willis whining about “sexist slurs” and Labour’s “weaponising” of the issue, shows that these ministers are out of her depth, clutching at straws to avoid responsibility. The truth is, National’s pay equity debacle is a self-inflicted wound, a cynical move to balance the books on the backs of underpaid women. No amount of calling Labour liars is going to change that fact.

Vance’s column didn’t need Labour’s prompting; it practically wrote itself by channeling the sentiment of a nation fed up with a government that prioritises tax cuts for the wealthy over fairness for workers. National’s attempt to spin the fallout as somehow Labour’s doing is as laughable as it is desperate. The real scandal? A government so arrogant it thinks it can lie its way out of betraying half the population.

The Case Against Chris Luxon Remaining PM

Chris Luxon’s tenure as New Zealand’s Prime Minister has been a masterclass in incompetence, marked by coalition chaos, economic lethargy, verbal gaffes, and a moral compass that seems to point wherever political expediency lies. The former Air New Zealand CEO (how could we forget?) was sold as a steady hand, but his leadership is a shaky mess, and it’s time to call it: Luxon shouldn’t be anywhere near the Beehive.

Let’s start with his dysfunctional coalition of neoliberal and fundamentalist misfits. Luxon’s National Party is clearly in an unhealthy relationship with ACT and NZ First, a marriage of convenience that’s fracturing under the weight of toxic masculinity, uncontrolled egos and conflicting agendas.

Winston Peters, his deputy and Foreign Affairs Minister, has publicly slapped him down over his trade rhetoric, fuming that Luxon’s “trade war” talk and uncounseled calls to world leaders were "short-sighted" and somehow reckless. Peters’ scathing “call me next time” jab exposed Luxon’s diplomatic naivety and obvious inability to manage his own team.

 

On Monday, RNZ reported:

Christopher Luxon doubles down on trade war comments after Winston Peters' criticism

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has repeated his view that there is a trade war playing out between the US and China, despite the foreign minister calling that language "hysterical".

Meanwhile, ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill saw Luxon making excuses and intentionally being absent from Parliament, dodging the fallout while iwi Crown relations soured even further. This isn’t leadership; it’s cowardice dressed in a suit. Luxon should have had the balls to dismiss David Seymour's plan for a badly written and racist policy document before it even entered the ballot. Instead, he tested the waters, at a great waste of taxpayers money, to see if Kiwis would accept a more divided and unequal nation.

Luxon’s mouth is another major liability. His doublespeak isn’t just embarrassing; it’s highly insulting to most right-thinking voters. Calling Wellington council “pretty lame-o” was juvenile, alienating local leaders and showing a staggering lack of gravitas. His claim that the Resource Management Act provisions were “insanely stupid” dismissed decades of policy nuance with the finesse of a sledgehammer. And then there’s his tone-deaf “economic growth must trump everything else” mantra while hobnobbing it in India, returning home once again empty handed. These aren’t mere slip-ups; they reveal a man who thinks complex issues can be solved with some childish insults and a few corporate buzzwords.

Each of these verbal blunders reveals a man out of touch with everyday hardworking Kiwis. He infamously called New Zealand “too wet and whiney,” sneering at a nation grappling with economic hardship and post-Covid fatigue. This wasn’t a one-off; Luxon’s disdain for New Zealander’s surfaced again when he dismissed the numerous Kiwis struggling with the cost-of-living crisis as being “bottom feeders” and labeled small business owners as “C-Listers.”

Contrast that with his claim of being “entitled” to backdated pay increases, rising to $520,000 by 2026, while also receiving a $13,000 accommodation allowance (while owning seven mortgage-free properties that earn him 15 times his current salary). If you're not pissed off at National's war on minimum wage growth, you haven't been paying attention. Let's not forget Luxon's claim for, and lies surrounding, $52,000 of taxpayers’ money to live in his own apartment, while a perfectly habitable Premier House was available. This type of freeloading on the taxpayer dime, while the country goes backwards, oozes privilege and hypocrisy and is one of the main reasons politicians are held in such contempt by the public.

Then there's Luxon's assessing student achievement on a curriculum that hadn't even been taught yet, plus his bizarre mix-up of reading and math for year 8 students. Clearly the PM isn’t across the numbers at all, particularly any statistics within his governments portfolios (because he’s excused himself from reading any Ministerial briefings). Unlike his predecessors on the other side of the house, Luxon can’t even get the basics about the country right. These aren’t just slip-ups; they’re windows into a smug, "just wing it" elitist mindset that should have no place within our Parliament.

Chris Hipkins has criticised Luxon for using inaccurate data on student achievement:

"Assessing kids against a curriculum that they have not been taught is not a fair reflection of what kids are capable of"

Luxon continues to falsely claim 4 out of 5 students are years behind. pic.twitter.com/BeGRxCH1Sh

— Nick (@StrayDogNZ) August 6, 2024

Morally, Luxon’s compass is suspect as well. His recent refusal to denounce Peters’ homophobic attacks on Green MP Benjamin Doyle suggests he’s more loyal to coalition partners than to decency and a belief in doing the right thing. His pandering to NZ First’s discriminatory and divisive bill, targeting public sector diversity, reeks of opportunism, not principled policy making. Likewise, Luxon’s claim that Labour’s focus on wellbeing budgets was “pretty woke” betrays a cynicism for the people and politics that he often cannot hide. His statements feel performative and scripted, more about optics than genuine beliefs. This is a man who bends with the wind, not one guided by any moral fortitude.

Along with the National Party’s environmental and social policy failures, the polls reflect Luxon's numerous PR disasters. National’s support wobbles, with Luxon’s personal popularity languishing at the lowest rate of any new incumbent Prime Minister ever. That's because most New Zealanders see through Luxon’s slick salesman veneer to the incompetent conman beneath. The mainstream media have obviously promoted their man, who's a relatively inexperienced politician, well above his station.

From untrue health and education statements to tough on crime rhetoric while police numbers dwindle and gang numbers explode, Luxon exhibits a penchant for bending the truth that would make even John Key blush. Then there’s the re-announcing of numerous Labour government funding decisions as their own and Luxon's defence spending hypocrisy (slashing NZDF jobs while preaching global security) plus cuts to numerous infrastructure projects while claiming to be building back the economy better, clearly showing that Luxon’s leadership is marked with a plethora of contradictions even National's weel-paid propagandists cannot hide. There are now so many inconsistencies between Luxon's pre-election promises and his government's non-delivery that it's impossible for their PR firms to cope. How sad, never mind.

Luxon’s defenders might argue that he’s navigating a tough global landscape, but that’s no excuse for his lack of vision, remorseless bluster, coalition mismanagement, and moral flip-flopping. He’s not just failing to steer the ship; he’s drilling holes in the hull and heading for the rocks while pretending that he's doing a fine job. Luxon is a walking case study in why corporate hierarchy doesn’t translate well to principled political leadership. His tenure is a parade of gaffes and moral missteps that prove he’s unfit to lead Aotearoa through its challenges. This great country deserves a leader with substance, not a CEO cosplaying as a statesman. It’s time for Luxon to exit stage right…before he does any more damage.

Kelvyn Alp - Arsehole of the Week

Even if you only have a cursory interest in politics, it’s likely you’ve heard of an outfit called Counterspin Media, which is a disinformation programme that propagates fake news and encourages people to undertake severe acts of violence. Based along similar lines as Infowars, Counterspin is run by a trumped-up little fascist named Kelvyn Alp and (to a lessor degree) his misguided partner, Hannah Spierer.

 

Wikipedia reports:

Alp is a director of and programme host for Counterspin Media Limited. Counterspin streams on the Steve Bannon-led GTV network, whose content has been described as "a significant source of fake news and misinformation".

A Counterspin contributor interrupted a press conference by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in November 2021, loudly shouting misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines, leading Ardern to temporarily halt the event.

Alp was an agitating force at the Convoy 2022 New Zealand protest, calling for the protestors to storm parliament and arrest MPs, while making multiple references to killing them.

The thing you need to keep in mind about failed politician Kelvyn Alp and his band of disinformation merchants is that they’re essentially cowards! Instead of actually working towards change, Alp tries to manipulate others into doing his dirty work for him because he’s too gutless to put himself in the firing line.

In effect Counterspin Media preys upon the disaffected and mentally unwell with extremist views designed to cause other people harm. But worse than that, Alp and his cohorts pretend to care about other people’s legitimate grievances to elicit support for their own objectives…far right objectives that will not help to resolve any problems New Zealand is currently facing.

Along with a number of other deluded and dangerous operatives, Kelvyn Alp’s activity to undermine our society was recently exposed in an excellent NZ On Air funded documentary called Fire and Fury, which was a look behind the scenes of the Parliamentary riots.

 

Our latest @StuffCircuit documentary, Fire and Fury: who's driving a violent, misinformed New Zealand - and why. #FireAndFury https://t.co/wqbAscI7KE

— Paula Penfold (@paulapenfold) August 13, 2022

 

What really clinched it for Kelvyn Alp winning this week’s Arsehole Award was his response to this entirely factual documentary. Instead of acknowledging any wrongdoing on his part, the conceited Alp went online and bleated for three hours in a live-stream…a diatribe where he even reiterated his threat to kill New Zealand politicians.

 

Last night a number of the conspiracy grifters featured in @NZStuff's Fire & Fury doco joined a three hour Counterspin Media episode to criticize the programme.

Here's Kelvyn Alp on the episode doubling down on his threats against the government: "I reckon you should hang them." pic.twitter.com/dfjh36o6qc

— Nick (@StrayDogNZ) August 14, 2022

 

In my humble opinion, Kelvyn Alp, who is assuredly a complete and utter arsehole, needs to be shut down before he encourages some poor deluded fool to actually kill someone.

The poo protest is over

It really does surprise me that nobody died in the Wellington riot yesterday. There were of course some significant injuries, but it’s testament to the New Zealand Police force’s tactical ability and professionalism plus a good amount of sheer luck that nobody needs to be laid to rest.

The riots have of course brought into question what many people believed in. Not only have long time freedom fighters on the left, some of whom protested during the Springbok Tour where actual Police brutality was dished out, been in support of dismantling the “freedom” encampment, many right wing journalists have now seen the result of their biased reporting against the Labour Government writ large across Parliaments lawn.

Let’s hope it’s a wake up call that they actually listen to.

Today, the NZ Herald reported:

Covid 19 Wellington protest: Riots, fire and violence as police end occupation

Andrew Coster told Mike Hosking police had tried to work with protest organisers but a lack of leadership and cohesion made this impossible.

"We were left with no option to do what we did yesterday to restore the site."

"I'm pleased that we've got to here. I never wanted it to end like that, but we did what we had to do."

Government politicians will also be doing some soul searching over the next few days, not least of all the Prime Minister. What many people don’t realise is that Jacinda Ardern truly believes in her ‘be kind’ moto. It’s not just a nice catch phrase for her.

So when the rabble first started gathering and then turned to serious acts of violence outside of Parliament, she would have been mortified that there were so many disaffected people braying at her door, some with literal pitchforks.

Because of the way the protest was conducted and concluded, other Politicians should now be questioning their actions as well, not least of all David Seymour and Winston Peters. They both knew that what the “freedom” convoy stood for was bogus, but decided to raise their profiles anyway and in so doing legitimised the anarchists. They then took to social media to regurgitate some of the propaganda they’d seen that they thought would sit well with their voter base.

Looking over at the mess left behind at Parliament grounds, Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson let out a heavy sigh.

"It's been an incredibly distressing time for Wellingtonians over the last three weeks - not only have they been harassed and spat at and bullied, but they've also seen the city that they love be trashed."

Robertson said we can never excuse what happened yesterday.

"It was appalling," he told Breakfast.

Most Kiwis who once agreed with the numerous causes the protesters apparently stood for will now be questioning that support. Nobody, apart from those who want to see Aotearoa destroyed, will be rejoicing at the chaos and mayhem that erupted in Wellington yesterday. The vast majority will be shocked and dismayed at the level of violence that was on display.

Clearly there are people with malignant intent towards this great country. Many have pointed out that much of the propaganda targeting the disaffected rioters has come from overseas. However it’s people operating within New Zealand that have propagated most of the propaganda...disinformation that has now resulted in widespread carnage.

Some have pointed at social media algorithms, but the truth of the matter is that brainwashing such a large number of Kiwis has only occurred because of a concerted and extensive campaign by a dedicated and large group of people, an operation that is ultimately designed to undermine our democracy.

But as a society, Robertson acknowledged more needed to be done to stop misinformation being spread in relation to Covid-19 and vaccines.

That included the Government working closely with some of the world's big social media sites to remind them of their responsibilities around such issues.

The information war is real and our intelligence systems have largely failed to curtail its more destructive effects. For instance, it’s terribly concerning (particularly after the Christchurch Mosque shootings) that white supremacists have been allowed to operate in plain site for such a long period of time against New Zealand’s best interests.

Some of these fanatics were even attempting to identify Police officers with the use of high-powered cameras during the Parliament riot. There is obviously only one reason they would want to gather such information, and it’s not good.

I would therefore urge anybody who might be targeted by such extremists to be extra careful about their security. The Parliament riot isn’t the end of their campaign against New Zealand. In fact it could just be the beginning.

National's failed firearms bill cost over $390,000

We all know that New Zealand has a very large conservative voter base. That’s why the tough on crime campaigning of the past has worked well to get right wing political parties elected. 

However there’s a limit to how far right wing politicians can push the envelope when it comes to their us versus them rhetoric.

A perfect example of this was on display when NZ First leader Winston Peters made false accusations about Mongrel Mob advisor Harry Tam, who he claimed had illegally travelled across boarders with an associate who was Covid-19 positive.

Yesterday, Stuff reported:

Winston Peters apologises for alleging Harry Tam link with Northland Covid-19 case

Former deputy prime minister Winston Peters has apologised for comments he made on national television alleging former Mongrel Mob member Harry Tam helped a Covid-positive case breach the Auckland border.

On Friday, Tam, a former senior civil servant who now works with gangs, sent the former deputy prime minister and NZ First leader a legal letter, calling for a public retraction and apology by 5pm on Tuesday.

The letter called on Peters to “account for your false comments and the harm those comments have caused him and the community...to avoid any further action being required”.

Five minutes before Tam’s deadline, Peters issued a statement apologising for naming Tam as the Mongrel Mob affiliate who entered Northland.

Whether Peters simply had a senior moment, was straight out lying or had received incorrect intel from his police mates is anyone’s guess? But whatever the reason for the former deputy PM making false accusations concerning Harry Tam, he has assuredly made a huge fool of himself.

But he’s not the only right wing politician to get egg on their face recently. National Party MP Simeon Brown also had a monumental cognitive and legislative failure yesterday when Parliament decided that his Firearms Amendment Bill was a really stupid idea.

Here’s the National Party’s press release:

Government Shoots Down Bill To Take Guns Off Gangs

The Government’s decision to vote down National’s Firearms Prohibition Orders Bill shows how out of touch the Government is when it comes to gangs, says National’s Police spokesperson Simeon Brown.

“This is the second time the Government has shot down legislation which will make it harder for gangs to get access to firearms and make it easier for Police to take firearms off gang members.

Here’s the guts of Simeon Browns’ Bill:

Clause 5(1) and (2) of the bill provides that a firearms licence must not be issued to a person who in the opinion of a commissioned officer of Police is a gang member or a person who is subject to a FPO.

However the Police can already decline a gang member a Firearms Licence. In fact the Police will always decline a gang member the legal right to own a firearm because they view them as not being fit and proper to do so.

Here’s the Police directive:

Some of the criteria that Police may take into account when determining if someone is fit and proper to possess firearms or airguns include whether (s24A):

The person is a member of, or has close affiliations with a gang or organised criminal group.

So Simeon’s Bill is a complete waste of Parliaments time, which is also therefore a complete waste of taxpayer’s money.

It costs well over $300 to run Parliament on a per minute basis, which means that every time a fool like Simeon Brown opens his mouth in the House of Representatives to grandstand about gangs the taxpayer gets penalised.

Brown and his idiotic colleagues have taken roughly three days of Parliaments time (21 hours) to waffle on about gun crime…propaganda to enact a law that already exists.

That’s a cost of well over $390,000 to the taxpayer just so the National Party can pontificate about being tough on crime, and in my book that’s a complete waste of taxpayers money.

Now is not the time to overreact

ISIS Terrorist - Ahamed Aathill Mohamed Samsudeen

We all agree that the attack on innocent people at LynnMall on Friday was a cowardly and despicable act. Six people were seriously injured, with three still remaining in a critical condition at Auckland City Hospital.

However, this is not the time for a knee jerk reaction by the public or Government. This is not the time to blame ethnic minorities or religious beliefs, because they played no role in the radicalisation of the now deceased terrorist. Likewise, this is not the time to close our borders to refugees or those looking for a safe place to raise their families.

This is also not the time to propose laws that would remove citizenship, or the time to give the Police or judiciary more powers to surveil or convict individuals, other than the Counter-Terrorism Legislation amendments that have already been proposed.

Here is one of the amendments that may have prevented this atrocious crime:

5A Carrying out and facilitating terrorist acts

Carrying out includes preparations, credible threats, and attempts

(1) For the purposes of this Act, a terrorist act is carried out if any 1 or more of the following occurs:

(a) planning or other preparations to carry out the act, whether it is actually carried out or not:

(b) a credible threat to carry out the act, whether it is actually carried out or not:

(c) an attempt to carry out the act:

(d) the carrying out of the act.

 

Being that these amendments are currently before the House of Representatives, perhaps if the National Party wasn’t always trying to ‘gum up the works’ of Parliament, the Government may have amended the legislation in time to have prevented this despicable attack. Maybe if Judith Collins had got the legislation right in 2013, we wouldn’t be in this situation either. Possibly, if instead of trying to rehabilitate this deluded individual, the judge had sentenced Ahamed Aathill Mohamed Samsudeen in July to more jail time, the outcome might have been different. Maybe if the Police had used the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act to have him properly assessed and treated; he wouldn’t have felt compelled to try and kill innocent people.

Hindsight is indeed a great thing, and in this regard the PM should feel vindicated for her legislative changes following the Christchurch mosque shootings. In my opinion, this is where the semi-automatic and assault rifle ban has been proven effective. Imagine what would have occurred at LynnMall had this lone wolf had access to military style weapons. However this is also not the time to ban over the counter knife or scissor sales. Clearly somebody who has become radicalised to this extent won’t be deterred by such pointless measures.

The problem isn’t only a failure of our current systems. The problem is that no matter how well we prepare or work to counter terrorism, certain people will continue to become radicalised by online disinformation.

The key therefore is to further develop systems that firstly inhibit people’s access to objectionable terrorism inducing material, and secondly ensure that people are educated enough to be able to determine fact from fiction.

New Zealand doesn’t need to respond by inhibiting access to everyday items or further limiting people’s privacy or freedoms. Instead, Aotearoa would be better served by trying to de-radicalise those who’ve become mislead by hateful online material. We would be better served by making sure that individuals aren’t isolated to an extent whereby exposure to terrorist propaganda can take root in the first place. 

The best response is therefore one of inclusiveness. In this regard the Government should increase the refugee quota to help those trying to escape situations that are the breeding ground for terrorism, situations that New Zealand, like many other western countries, has to a degree been complicit in creating. This would go some way to deescalating terrorism by reducing the reasons some people hold for hating Westerners. Although this isn't politically convenient at the moment, the benefits to this long-term approach far exceed any risks, which are currently painfully apparent.

However, despite the rawness of the situation, this is not the time to allow segregationists to seize the narrative. Instead, we should look to increase and enhance the broadcasting of our multicultural and diverse communities. Because without inclusiveness, it is far more likely that more individuals will feel isolated and thus be more prone to radicalisation…consequently making it more likely that similar terrorist attacks will occur again in New Zealand.

Chris Bishop swallows a dead rat

You’ve got to wonder why Chris Bishop decided for a career in politics? It’s obviously not because of some sort of altruistic belief system. After all the former tobacco lobbyist clearly doesn’t give a damn about helping other people to better their lives. Instead, according to his own statements, Bishop is in Parliament to make it more difficult for the current Labour led Government to govern.

Often touted as being an integral member of the National Party's liberal wing, Bishop's most notable transgression was when he got caught using Snapchat to send inappropriate messages to teenage girls. At the time Bishop said he was simply campaigning on behalf of the National Party. But it's doubtful the parents of the numerous girls he contacted would have complained if that were truly the case.

However despite many questions going unanswered during that controversy, it appears Bishop’s position within the blue "team" has in recent weeks become even more tenuous, mainly because he inadvertently undermined the authority of his own ignominious leader, Judith Collins.

Apparently Crusher became furious during a recent meeting because leaked messages revealed Bishop's lack of support for her caucus decision to blanket vote against a bill banning gay conversion therapy...legislation that passed its first reading despite National's chaotic opposition to it. The National Party clearly lost the moral high ground as well as the debate, and Crusher was not pleased that the party's disunity had played out so tragically in the public domain.

On Thursday, the NZ Herald reported:

Knives out in National, as caucus struggles to show unity despite obvious division

Collins was unhappy with the way some MPs had publicly suggested they were less than supportive of the caucus' decision to vote against a ban on conversion therapy.

Collins allegedly unloaded on one of the most high-profile detractors, Covid-19 spokesman Chris Bishop.

Bishop, along with Nicola Willis and Erica Stanford, is considered a standard-bearer of the caucus' liberal wing.

One source told the Herald that Collins "completely lost it" at Bishop. Another source described her tirade as "f***ing ballistic".

…

Following the conference, Collins wanted to remind her caucus that becoming a member of Cabinet means swallowing a lot of dead rats. A minister won't always get it their own way, but they have to sell the Cabinet line all the same.

Bishop's great sin on the conversion therapy issue vote was a leaked exchange between himself and a woman, where he revealed he was unhappy with the way the party voted on conversion therapy.

The Herald was told Collins was furious about the way the party's conversion therapy spat had spilled out into the public domain – and one source said it would not be surprising if disciplinary action followed it.

 

Of course Bishop shouldn’t be considered admirable for his views on gay conversion therapy, because he didn’t actually intend for his lack of conviction to be leaked to the public. Instead, Bishop was happy for voters to believe that his silence showed support for his party’s repressive and thoughtless political direction concerning LGBT matters.

Collins set a low bar for taking disciplinary action against her caucus. Former leader Todd Muller was forced to announce his retirement after being outed for briefing the media.

But unlike Muller, who had already retreated from frontline politics, Bishop is one of National's top performers, and, as Covid-19 spokesperson has done a good job at rebuilding National's tarnished reputation on the most significant political issue of the day.

The problem with Thomas Coughlan’s argument here is that Bishop hasn’t really performed very well at all. In fact he was the ringleader in National’s recent disastrous Twitter misinformation campaign concerning an alleged lack of Covid-19 vaccine booster shots.

Over the last few weeks, National and their propagandists have incorrectly argued ad nauseam that the booster shots weren’t the same Pfizer vaccine formula that’s currently being administered throughout New Zealand and the world, which is entirely wrong and made National look like a bunch of ignorant and unread fools!

Excess vaccine stock are not boosters. Boosters are intended to prevent a drop off in efficacy by covering subsequent strains. The US intends to make boosters available in September.

— NZ National Party (@NZNationalParty) August 23, 2021

On Wednesday, Newshub reported:

Coronavirus: Scientists correct National Party tweet accused of spreading 'misinformation' about COVID-19 vaccines

Alison Campbell, honorary fellow and biological sciences lecturer at the University of Waikato said boosters were a "nudge to remind the immune system about what it's already learned".

"It's an additional dose of an existing vaccine. The pertussis booster I had a couple of years ago would be an example, as is a third dose of the existing Pfizer vaccine. Something that's been reworked to cover additional variants is not."

Newshub has contacted the National Party for a response. At the time of writing on Wednesday morning, the tweet hadn't been removed or corrected. Several Twitter users accused the party of spreading "misinformation". 

Although Bishop's gay conversion therapy debacle was bad, it’s the numerous factually incorrect statements by right-wing politicians and their media lackeys that is likely losing National support at the moment.

The opposition’s failure, along with an effective Covid-19 strategy, has effectively provided Jacinda Ardern with 85% public support for her Government's scientifically based response to the pandemic. This success makes National’s idiotic blunder concerning the 10 million doses of Pfizer vaccine already ordered (including around 3.6 million potential booster shots) even more damaging to Bishop's credibility on all things Covid-19.

This also begs the question, why exactly should the voting public take the National Party seriously when their campaigning is such a complete shambles? I mean how exactly is the National Party going to hold the Government to account when they cannot even get the basic facts about Covid-19 vaccines right?

Despite this incredibly embarrassing brain fart by Chris Bishop, he surprisingly hasn't lost his position as National’s Covid-19 spokesperson. Instead, Crusher took away his portfolio as Shadow Leader of the House, apparently because Michael Woodhouse of all people can do a better job.

Talk about Chris Bishop swallowing a very large dead rat.

It's supposedly not a demotion either, because according to Crusher Collins, her reprimanded MP apparently needs to spend more time on National's Covid-19 campaign, which is clearly thus far only helped to bolster support for the Government's elimination strategy.

Yesterday, Stuff reported:

National Party reshuffle: Judith Collins strips Chris Bishop of key portfolio

Most notably Chris Bishop has lost his Shadow Leader of the House portfolio, a key role that saw him involved in much of the party’s Parliamentary strategy.

…

Bishop is understood to have pushed for a conscience vote on the gay conversion therapy bill, which National opposed on-bloc at first reading. A private message to a member of the public where Bishop made clear his distaste for this vote was subsequently leaked.

Unfortunately for Bishop, that wasn't the only leak he's had to worry about lately.

Chris Bishop says he wants to make the country ungovernable during a pandemic
WOW! pic.twitter.com/yhPSdwIG6g

— Aotearoa Aotearoa (@rugbyintel) August 25, 2021

If Bishop truly believes that his time is best spent trying to “gum up the works” to stop “the Government from governing” properly during a pandemic, then it’s clear that he’s wasting Parliament’s time as well as his own.

In fact trying to cause administrative problems during a deadly virus outbreak essentially shows that Bishop has absolutely no concern for public safety whatsoever. He is therefore not fit to represent the people of Aotearoa as a Member of our Parliament.

Because making it more difficult for the Government to govern is the exact opposite of what any duly elected official should be doing, particularly during a pandemic that, despite the best efforts of the National Party, New Zealand still has a decent chance of beating.

Calling all transphobes

You would likely get a bad case of RSI if you tried to document everything that’s currently going wrong with the National Party. Not only do they seem intent on making fools of themselves just to get media attention, they’re also making a mockery of Parliament to ensure the public is focused on them instead of the things that actually matter.

An example of this occurred yesterday when National’s caucus decided to vote against legislation that would criminalise conversion therapy. Despite a number of National MPs previously saying that they supported such a law, the blue “team” weren’t even allowed a conscience vote on the matter and had to block vote to oppose the bill going to select committee.

In fact during the subsequent debate the National Party looked as foolish as Bomber Bradbury does going on about parents being jailed for five years if they try to pray the gay away.

Yesterday, Newshub reported:

National MPs defend vote against conversion therapy Bill, despite saying they support a ban

Labour MP David Parker says he held out hope National would support a Bill that would ban conversion therapy right up until Thursday's vote.

National was the only party to vote against Justice Minister Kris Faafoi's Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill, which easily passed with support from ACT, the Greens, the Māori Party and Labour, which holds an absolute majority on its own. 

Earlier this year National leader Judith Collins said the party didn't hold a position on conversion therapy, the pseudoscientific practice of changing or suppressing a person's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Former leader Simon Bridges said in February he was concerned banning it would be an attack on free speech and "cancel culture".

How exactly is a bill that's designed to protect young vulnerable people an attack on free speech? Likewise, how exactly is a law that's designed to safeguard young and mentally impaired people some sort of cancel culture? It seems Bridges is just saying whatever topical words that pop into his head…mainly because National would appear prejudiced and out-dated if they were to provide their actual reasons for opposing this worthwhile legislation.

 

After Collins looked it up on Google, she came out against it - and the rest of the party fell into line. 

Bridges told The AM Show on Friday they're all for a ban, but won't vote for the current Bill for one reason.

"We support the intent fully, we wish we could get behind it. We have one major concern and by the way Kris Faafoi, the guy behind it, can't and won't explain it at any level. I've looked through the law really closely and it comes down to this - the Bill will criminalise, as it's written, good parents for being parents. 

So it’s a rerun of the propaganda surrounding the anti-smacking legislation, which despite a considerable amount of noise from the deluded right wing hasn’t been criminalising good parents at all. In fact it’s been saving lives, which is what the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill is designed to do as well.

Bridges claiming that the bill will criminalise good parents just goes to show what a complete idiot he is. The legislation specifically states that it’s an offence to perform a conversion practice on someone aged 18 or less or those who lack the mental capacity to make decisions about their own health and wellbeing. It will also be an offence to perform a conversion practice on an individual that causes serious harm. 

Obviously good parents allow their children to self-identify. Similarly, a good parent wouldn't use conversion therapy to cause their child serious harm, so they won't be prosecuted.

Bridges says puberty blockers pose risks parents might not be aware of. 

"The experience offshore - if you take the UK, what the courts over there are now saying are these medical treatments are innovative and experimental and there are long-term risks and consequences. We want a parental exemption, and if we get that actually we will be fully on board."

Clearly parents shouldn't be allowed to use drugs to try and change a persons sexual orientation against their will. Similarly, if a person has decided to use medication to help their body change, then parents shouldn't be allowed to interfere simply because they don't agree with their child's new identity. An exemption here is therefore unwarranted.

Of course deluded parents are often the ones who believe they can convince their children not to self-identify. By wanting an exemption here, the National Party is in effect saying the science is wrong and that people can simply choose not to be gay if their parents are homophobic enough to resort to interfering in a young persons decisions about their own body.

The naysayers to this legislation are relying on the general public having little understanding of what conversion therapy is, or a working understanding of what the new law will mean in practice. They’re also claiming that the Attorney General, Human Rights Commission, Review Tribunal and the Courts of New Zealand will act outside of their remit to facilitate the prosecution of people who don’t deserve it.

National's lack of faith in these institutions is well-documented. However it’s Judith Collins’ association with a number of bigoted dogmatists that should be ringing people’s alarm bells.

Not only did Crusher recently come out in support of antagonist Rachel Stewart when the well-known TERF lost her guns and licence because she’d threatened to kill someone...National’s current leader also utilises the services of Ani O'Brien who is a member of a group ironically calling themselves Speak Up For Women. This hatful organisation often conducts vicious online attacks against transgender people because they oppose gender self-identification.

It would therefore be fair to conclude that National has voted against this legislation not only to placate their puritanical supporters and gain public attention, but also because their leader is trying to score Brownie points with her TERF buddies. God forbid that Crusher actually believes what SUFW stands for, because that should preclude her from ever making any legislative decisions within our halls of power, particularly when we’re talking about legal decisions concerning some of the most vulnerable and persecuted people within our communities. 

Crusher’s fear-based leadership is unpopular

Not that long ago, in what many considered a poignant moment, Judith Collins once said; “if you can't be loved, best be feared". Of course she stole this saying from Niccolò Machiavelli, which is apt being that a Machiavellian is someone who is cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous, especially in politics.

Perhaps there’s no more befitting description of Judith Collins, who seems to exemplify the nasty side of the National Party, a cutthroat side that the public doesn’t always get to hear about.

The kind of fear-based leadership that Crusher revels in doesn’t however always command loyalty from those not directly under her control, namely most voters. They simply don’t have the same fear-based response as people within her direct vicinity. The general public instead has everything to lose and nothing to gain by supporting the current National Party under Judith Collins, who is a far right politician that believes in austerity and governing with an iron boot to the throat of our hard won civil liberties.

Often modelling herself on Margaret Thatcher, but looking more like Piggy Muldoon every day, Collins is the take no prisoners kind of politician. The type of pistol-wielding, car-crushing politician you cross the street to avoid. Of course Crusher’s combative style is something that your average Joe Blogs might not even notice. However it’s a ruthless feature of Collins’ authoritarianism that former and present National Party MPs know all too well.

Last week, the NZ Herald reported:

National Party leaking: Ex MP Chris Finlayson says Todd Muller 'ritual disembowelling' a lesson to others

Asked about Judith Collins' move to force Todd Muller to resign after he was dobbed in for making unflattering comments about Harete Hipango to Newsroom, Finlayson told the NZ Herald that MPs had to learn "to stop sniping about your colleagues".

"There needs to be a bit of discipline brought to the show and if there needs to be a ritual disembowelling from time to time, then that's the way it goes.

Actually, Muller was right to inform the public about one of his colleges using the Parliamentary expense account to furnish her own houses. The only reason Muller got the chop instead of Hipango is because she’s within Collins’ inner cabal. What this shows is that if you’re loyal to Collins, then you'll get away with just about anything, including theft.

"Of course everyone talks to journalists, but if you're going to have a gripe about your colleagues say it to their faces."

"How many times do the National Party and its caucus need to be told to stop the leaking?

"Why are they so stupid that after a cataclysmic defeat in 2020, they haven't got that basic message?"

He pointed to the cases of former Rangitata MP Andrew Falloon and Upper Harbour candidate Jake Bezzant, both of whom were accused of inappropriate use of social media or texting.

If you were to critique those cases then you would have to conclude that Collins handled them very poorly. Not only must she have known that a Police investigation was being conducted into Falloon for his inappropriate behaviour, the former Minister of Police must have also been aware of Bezzant’s strange sexual proclivities prior to him being ousted.

Besides, it’s the fact that Collins still has faith in those who were embroiled in the Dirty Politics debacle, the very same people who selected numerous inappropriate candidates, that puts into question her ability to lead the National Party into the next election.

If there was ever a television program made of Crusher’s life in Parliament, perhaps it should be called knives at noon or pistols at dawn, because when Judith Collins is around, politics becomes a blood sport. In fact a litany of destroyed careers now lies in her wake, which is one of the reasons there are so many internal leaks looking to undermine her regime. National MPs are simply trying to get rid of her to save their own skins, and perhaps their party in the process.

This disunity has clearly taken a toll on National’s support base as well, so much so that Collins has now fallen behind ACT Party leader David Seymour in the most preferred Prime Minister stakes. 

Unfortunately for Collins, it’s not just her venomous nature that’s turning people away either. Her proclivity to support extreme viewpoints is also a problem, and couldn’t have been better exposed when Collins recently came out in support of a well-known TERF called Rachel Stewart. She's an outspoken bigot that rightfully had her guns confiscated by the Police for making numerous death threats online.

This may have become a career defining misstep for Collins if any mainstream media outlets had actually reported on it properly, however I suspect that they also fear the consequences of telling the truth about National's current leader. Many have certainly been scrubbing their websites clean of any incriminating articles that paint Collins in an unfavourable light.

Therefore perhaps the saying, “if you can't be loved, best be feared" should be Judith Collins’ political epitaph. Because without compassion or any new policy ideas, fear really is the only thing Crusher has going for her.

Bye bye Bridges

Let’s be honest; Simon Bridges was a disaster of a political leader. If he wasn’t attempting to criticise the Government’s perfectly good policy initiatives that the public generally supported, he was fudging his lines after getting caught out in yet another lie. When Jami-Lee Ross said Bridges “is a flawed individual without a moral compass,” he wasn’t wrong.

In reality, losing the leadership is likely a weight off Simon Bridges’ shoulders. For starters, he no longer needs to practice his victory speech in front of the mirror every morning. He can now, according to the spin, simply spend more time with his family. You've got to wonder though, if family is so important, why didn't Bridges stay at home with his family during lockdown? Instead he repeatedly broke the rules by driving from Tauranga to Wellington every day just for an Internet connection.

So can the National Party actually claw back any of the support they’ve lost under Bridges? Let’s face it, 29% is National on life support. Of course there’s the 2-3% racist vote that's still up for grabs, which may give them a slight boost now that Bridges is relegated to obscurity. However the New Conservatives and Act Party likely have that demographic wrapped up. It would be highly risky for Muller to openly court any unhinged minority votes like National used to in the bad old days of Don Brash.

But it’s not just how the public currently perceives the National Party that’s an issue. One major problem for the blue “team” is that it’s doubtful Muller has the respect of the entire National Party caucus. According to reports, only 52% voted for him to become their leader, meaning that Muller will have his work cut out to keep around half of his caucus colleges onside, many of which will be gone-burgers if National fails to climb in the polls.

Of course the mainstream media is already singing Muller's praises, but I’m really not sure why? There’s just not much to talk about. Muller is another nondescript conservative white male who most people couldn’t pick out in a line up. So he’s a practicing catholic, but so was Bill English, who in 2002 led his party to its worst electoral defeat ever.


Yesterday, the NZ Herald reported:

National's new leader: Who is Todd Muller, the MP who defeated Simon Bridges 

He worked in the office of then-Prime Minister Jim Bolger in the early to mid-1990s. Muller was his executive assistant during his second term, when Bolger was rolled by Jenny Shipley. 

… 

After he left Parliament as Bolger's staffer, Muller moved into the private sector. 

He worked for Zespri in the early 2000s, before moving to kiwifruit and avocado company Apata in 2006, where he was chief executive. 

In 2011, Muller move to Auckland to work at Fonterra, where he worked his way up to group director of co-operative affairs.

Of course the right wing will proclaim that Muller is better because he has business experience. The problem is he cannot contain his partiality. I mean if picking a public fight with Te Papa because they dared to have an exhibit showing that farm runoff was an environmental problem doesn’t display bias, I don’t know what will? Muller’s proclivity to ignore environmental science is perhaps his biggest flaw, especially as climate change will once again be a hot topic in the lead up to the election.

Todd Muller photographed beside his MAGA hat.

It’s also doubtful that National will be able to gain the moral high ground from a Coalition Government that’s doing nearly everything right. Muller can claim that he wants to differentiate from previous oppositions until he’s blue in the face, but the practicalities of carrying out this boast are questionable. He can have the biased mainstream media’s undeserved approval, but without anything to really set him apart all the propaganda in the world isn't going to mean much at all.

Certain right wing pundits as well as Muller himself have claimed that a leadership change will somehow give National a fighting chance in the 2020 election. Obviously this is a highly farcical claim. What they don’t understand is most voters will see Muller as just a different head to the same monster. Maori in particular, who bore the brunt of National’s austerity measures haven’t forgotten or forgiven a party that clearly still doesn’t represent all New Zealanders.

So voters really only have a couple of choices this election: Re-elect a Coalition Government that puts the health and wellbeing of the people first with a proven economic track record in managing New Zealand through multiple crisis…or vote for a political party that couldn’t even get the Christchurch rebuild right and will once again increase homelessness and inequality if elected. A change in their leader really makes no difference to what the National Party actually stands for.