Press secretary's partner revealed to be former employee of spy agency in row over alleged leaks
The partner of the chief press secretary to Labour leader David Shearer has been drawn into the row over alleged leaks after being exposed as a former GCSB spy agency employee.
XX XXXXXX XXXXXX is an academic who lives with former New Zealand Herald and TVNZ journalist Fran Mold. She now works as an adviser to Mr Shearer.
Yesterday NewstalkZB reported XX XXXXXX was the source for Mr Shearer's claims the Prime Minister had joked with GCSB staff about Kim Dotcom in the agency's cafeteria.
Ms Mold and XX XXXXXX did not respond to messages.
XX XXXXXX grew up in Christchurch, studied International Relations at Victoria University in 2002 then worked in the public service in Wellington. He earned his doctorate at the Australian National University writing a book on small arms from pistols to automatic rifles and rocket launchers. The book studied the way nations attempted to control the arms trade and how arms dealers avoided those trying to shut them down.
XX XXXXXX' Facebook page in August shows the Labour Party listed among his "interest and activities". He also commented on the Labour Party page about a poster highlighting the wage gap between rich and poor. "Awesome graphic," he wrote.
The Weekend Herald has been told XX XXXXXX was not at the GCSB on the critical dates in the scandal. The Weekend Herald understands he was seconded to another government agency at the time of the Dotcom spying and during Mr Key's visit.
The GCSB investigation has yet to establish whether a leak occurred. GCSB director Ian Fletcher said last night he was looking beyond his own staff to conduct the inquiry.
"To ensure we can carry on with our business as usual as much as possible we will be bringing in appropriate external expertise to help conduct the inquiry."
If it establishes a leak, the GCSB's legislation carries a penalty of up to two years in prison.
Kudos to the Herald for having the integrity to provide some balance. It's obvious that there is a political agenda at play here, and the acknowledgment that XX XXXXXX has an "interest" in the Labour Party certainly casts the leaks to David Shearer's office in a highly political light.
Whilst we are handing a bouquet to the Herald, it's a brickbat to Patrick Gower and 3News. We recorded 3News last night, and as expected, the GCSB saga led the bulletin. However Patrick Gower's story (which can be viewed here) was hopelessly one-sided. Gower seems intent on bringing down the Prime Minister. Last night's story began with Mike McRoberts;' pronouncement that "Last night 3News broke the story that Labour had a source inside the GCSB...", and from there on, only one side was heard.
It was partisan journalism at its worst, and there was narry a mention of the ethics of a public servant breaking the law and breaching the confidentiality provisions of their conditions of employment by leaking information to the Leader of the Opposition via his press secretary, despite that link having been established by a rival journalist many hours previously.
And as if that wasn't bad enough, Gower's piece carried video footage of staff entering the GCSB offices, with no attempt made by 3News to conceal the identities of the staff members. We reckon that's bad form, especially if the staff members were not given the opportunity to object to their images being splashed all over nationwide television.
In the meantime, John Key has challenged David Shearer to put up or shut up, and David Shearer has embarrassingly had to concede that there is no video or audio recording of the PM. Whoever convinced him that there was, and whoever convinced him to stake his reputation on his source has sold Shearer down the river, quite possibly on John Banks' infamous cabbage boat!
The public service has long prided itself on being politically neutral, and the overwhelming majority of state servants live up to that expectation. On this occasion however, one or more public servants has/have decided to use information gathered from within their workplace for political purposes. David Shearer and Francesca Mold are probably wishing that they hadn't! We would not be at all surprised had conversation in the Mold/XXXXX residence been somewhat stilted last night, as both looked at the employment adverts online.
35 comments:
In the cafeteria, John Key did quip about Kim Dotcom, proving that he did know about him well before he originally claimed he did. Key's claims about Dotcom and the GCSB are false.
Anyone who believes the story Key is presenting to the nation is a fool.
He may well have done Budgie. After all, it's not as though Dotcom wasn't in the news after his place was raided a month early. But everyone is talking about what a mess Shearer has made of this; he is history.
I guess Shearer wants to assassinate character because he realises he has NOTHING to offer New Zealand. Did it work sending Mike Williams to Australia to dig dirt ahead of the 2008 election? I'm just glad that they continue on this path as it is a ticket to becoming NZ 's third party - which is an outstanding result. Keep it up schmucks.
Sure Bunk. There's evidence the PM has been telling lies. The PM himself admitted that might be the case, he just couldn't remember (a curiously common trait on the right these days). Bringing that to people's attention is not character assassination, it's doing his job?
Vicious character assassination what you guys have been trying to do to Dotcom. A wealthy guy who's been so very generous to right-wing political causes. I think he's learned his lesson don't you?
Have you ever stopped to think how Dotcom got wealthy Edward? He came up with a scheme that paying a few people a small sum of money to illegally obtain music and movies and post them on his "data storage site" would entice hundreds of thousands of people to pay a small subscription to be able to access that content without actually buying it.
If you are comfortable with that, fine. I'm not.
And what about Shearer's lie; things will be different, and there'll be no "gotcha" politics? You're very silent about lies when the likes of Shearer and Mallard tell them.
Straightaway, having been accused of character assassination, IV2 repeats his standard lines aimed at assassinating Dotcom's character. Banks and Key both knew what Dotcom did for a living when he was encouraged to come and live here and give Banks lots and lots of money. Wasn't such a problem then was it?
Shearer hasn't lied, and pointing out the PM is a liar isn't gotcha politics, it's the job of the leader of the opposition.
"He may well have done", KS?
He may well be lying to the people of New Zealand, the media, Parliament and Uncle Tom Cobbley, but that's okay??
Is it??
A lying PM. How low you have fallen to brush over that. Higher standards for Ministers has become no standards at all, but that's okay.
How very sad for us all.
What is "character assasination" about stating facts Edward?
Dissect these:
1) I have called Dotcom a "large German gentleman". He is a big blooke, and he's German; fact.
2) I have referred to his criminal past. That he has convictions in Germany and Hong Kong for insider trading and embezzlement is a matter of public record:
Criminal investigations
In 1994, he was arrested by German police for trafficking in stolen phone calling card numbers. He was held in custody for a month, released and arrested again on additional hacking charges shortly afterwards. He was eventually convicted of 11 counts of computer fraud, 10 counts of data espionage, and an assortment of other charges. He received a two-year suspended sentence – because he was "under age" at the time the crimes were committed.[27] The judge in the case said the court viewed his actions as "youthful foolishness."[14]
In 2001, Schmitz purchased €375,000 worth of shares of the nearly bankrupt company LetsBuyIt.com and subsequently announced his intention to invest €50 million in the company.[28] The announcement caused the share value of LetsBuyIt.com to jump[29] and Schmitz cashed out, making a profit of €1.5 million. One commentator suggested that Schmitz may have been ignorant of the legal ramifications of what he had done since insider trading was not made a crime in Germany until 1995,[27] and until 2002 prosecutors also had to prove the accused had criminal intent.[30]
[14] He was deported back to Germany where he pleaded guilty to embezzlement in November 2003 and, after five months in jail awaiting trial, again received a suspended sentence (of 20 months).[30] After avoiding a prison sentence for a second time, he left Germany and moved to Hong Kong in late 2003.[11]
Schmitz found Hong Kong to his liking and registered Kimpire Limited in December 2003, soon after moving there. He set up a network of interlinked companies, including Trendax which was claimed to be an artificial intelligence-driven hedge fund delivering an annual return of at least 25%.[31] However, Trendax was never registered with Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission and the company was legally not allowed to accept investments or to conduct trades.[17] Dotcom was subsequently convicted for failing to disclose his shareholding to the Securities and Futures Commission, and was fined 8000 Hong Kong dollars.[23]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Dotcom
3) I have said that Dotcom finds jokes about rape and Jews amusing:
*http://keepingstock.blogspot.co.nz/2012/09/not-just-rape-jokes.html
*http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/7608244/Dotcom-draws-fire-for-rape-joke-tweets
*http://www.3news.co.nz/Kim-Dotcom-in-rape-joke-controversy/tabid/418/articleID/267967/Default.aspx
*http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10831624
*http://www.listener.co.nz/commentary/the-internaut/kim-dotcom-and-twitter-the-end-of-the-affair/
When liberals such as Toby Manhire from The Listener are denouncing Dotcom's taste in jokes, there is substance to the allegations.
4) I have said that Dotcom has a cavalier attitude to the intellectual property rights of others; have your read this?
http://legaltimes.typepad.com/files/mega-indictment.pdf
I have made no allegations against Dotcom that cannot be substantiated. I don't have the kind of budget that he does for lawyers, so I have to be careful. But telling the truth is NOT character assasination, and a retraction and apology would be appreciated.
But you have to wonder why Labour is hitching its wagon to Dotcom; you really do.
This thread is about Labour's (alleged)sources in the GCSB, Keeping Stock.
Why have you devoted such a huge comment (above) to attacking Kim Dotcom?
That's way off topic (refer 'a few simple rules')
When Dotcom applied to come to New Zealand, his past was known by the National Party ministers responsible for letting him in. Your attack on Labour are also an attack on those Nat ministers. Should you be attacking your own people?
"When liberals such as Toby Manhire from The Listener are denouncing Dotcom's taste in jokes, there is substance to the allegations."
"When liberals such as Toby Manhire from The Listener are denouncing John Key's honesty, there is substance to the allegations."
Funny!
Because Edward accused me of character assassination Budgie. I was simply pointing out to Edward that everything that I have said about Dotcom is fact.
And as far as Key goes, Dotcom was in the news every day in February this year. Key may well have joked with GCSB staff about Dotcom (who you mentioned twice in your first comment in this post, so drop the faux outrage), but that doesn't mean that he necessarily talked about the GCSB's unlawful spying on Dotcom.
You're grasping at straws, whilst all that David Shearer has achieved in the last 36 hours is to raise still more questions about his ability to lead Labour.
Oh; and Edward, here's another cause dear to Dotcom's heart
http://keepingstock.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/dig-deep-enough-and-look-what-you-find.html
Mike Williams = right-wing political causes. No; Mike Williams = H-Fee = another attempt to smear John Key that backfired.
I accused you of character assassination and you respond by doubling down on the character assassination, thus proving my point. You missed the fireworks display and giving John Banks rides in his helicopter.
As I say, all this was known about him prior to him being encouraged to come and live here, and him giving John Banks piles of cash. Wasn't a problem then was it? Now he's inconvenient to you you have to smear the guy.
IV2 why do you give ETC and other assorted fuckwits the time of day?
Dotcom sounds terrible keeping Stock!
Who let him into the country?
Shearer is quite right, Key has to front up with the truth and stop hiding behind 'can't remembers'. If he did joke about Dotcom to the GCSB in the cafeteria, he should say so. We are all heartily sick of his 'not to my knowledge, can't remember bullshit. We are not stupid, we can tell when we are being lied to.
Here's what Shearer is actually saying
Labour is calling on the Prime Minister to search his memory and confirm whether he did in fact make reference to Kim Dotcom during a visit to the agency on February 29th.
“Labour has been told by sources that a recording of the Prime Minister was made when he was speaking to a large number of staff in the cafeteria and that he may have made reference to Kim Dotcom. John Key has not ruled that out. He says he can’t recall.
“What is at issue here is how upfront John Key has been with New Zealanders. Just last week, he was claiming he did not know about the GCSB involvement in the Dotcom case until September 17. He was found out to be wrong only when the agency revealed he had in fact been briefed on February 29.
Let's see now Edward; you accuse me of character assassination for stating verifiable facts (even including links to make it easy for you), whereas you make unsubstantiated allegations over a long period of time against the likes of Key and Banks using terms such as "corrupt" and "trougher".
Pardon me Edward, but that's staggering hypocrisy, even by your dubious standards. Have a two-week holiday.
fuckoffmuppets @ 9:49
Is it because they are the only ones with the balls to say what's in front of everyone's eyes - that Key has been caught lying again.
Where is the support from the Right Wing, swinging in behind the PM and saying that he's been telling the truth all along? There is no one from your team, no one. That's because they know as well as the lefties that Key's caught now.
What does it say about John Banks when he happily (greedily?) accepts $50 000 from Kim Dotcom, whom you decry as criminal?
What does that makes Banks?
What does that make Key who protects Banks, who accepts money from a criminal?
This is an ugly business for National.
Labour activists make a good argument:
Shearer did not move on this story when first contacted by a GCSB insider. He waited until there was a second approach and confirmation. That’s sensible and responsible. But having this information from independent sources, what should Shearer have done with it. Nothing? No, it is the opposition’s role to hold the government to account. If Key is lying to the country (as I think any rational observer knows he is), and if there are independent sources confirming it, then put that information to the public and let them decide. Which is what Shearer did.
Must be raining right across the country today, KS. Lots of guytonesque commenting this morning.
The NZ Herald headline says it all "GCSB link to Labour leader's adviser".
@ High Standards - you think? He said there was a video; he even hinted that he'd seen a video. Last night he conceded that there is no video. He went too hard too fast. As a result, yesterday's "job summit" was relegated to the inside pages.
The big question though is this; given that this behaviour by Shearer is so out of character to what we have seen from him previously, who was advising him, and what is that person's end-game?
No sign of support from other Labour MPs. Shearer has been set up.
Robert Winter urges caution.
Cactus Kate wonders - "David Shearer, Mad or Genius?"
"Pardon me Edward, but that's staggering hypocrisy, even by your dubious standards. Have a two-week holiday."
Sorry? I've complied with your rules and I've made no unsubstantiated allegations against either Key or Banks. They're all true. You, however, peddled that Slater thing about Dotcom and Williams with no proof at all. I can see why you don't like what I'm saying, but a ban is pretty unprincipled.
Edward for Blog Admistrator!
Banning Edward is a sign of fear - fear of dissent.
If you can't handle dissent, don't blog.
Let's see now Edward, seeing as you are so lily-white:
30/9 - Your mates in the National Party Research Unit wouldn't want you to try and address the issues
28/9 - Yes, you can't accuse Peter Dunne of not having principles. His guiding one being "seek that which gets Peter Dunne a Ministerial limousine". And his unwavering commitment to the tobacco and alcohol industries is admirable. He's a great man.
25/9 - I'm starting to wonder about McCully's role in this. There's a reek of psychopathic incompetence here.
21/9 - On this occasion he's being smeared, as discrediting him is to the advantage of a lying trougher who received large donations from the victim of the smear.
20/9 - McCully would be the only possible exception, as he's a psycho
Nice to see you don't use character assassination Edward; all those in the space of just ten days. I'm wondering now why I have put up with you for so long!
Stamp them out, Keeping Stock!
Don't let anyone other than Key supporters comment here!
Where in any of those statements is an inaccuracy? I'm being particularly generous to McCully. That I will admit. He also a narcissist and thoroughly unscrupulous individual with all the personal warmth and charm of a cockroach. Ask anyone.
KS has more patience than any other blogger in the blogspere. Edward the Confessor stalks this blog with bitterness and bile. KS tolerance seems only to enrage those on the left, and they bring increasingly puerile and troll-ish behaviour. Edward joins a very short list of commenters suspended from this forum. This must be very humiliating because they return under cover as an act of vengeance, even though their camouflage is very transparent.
KS 's level of tolerance of this boorish behaviour is much higher than that of reasonable observers.
This maxim is relevant:
"Beware the ire of the patient man."
Thanks for your kind words Fairy Nuff; much appreciated
Your friend Fairy is a tad disingenuous. You're fair game as a patsy for the right. It's that simple. If you're going to publish posts which are nothing more than shamelessly partisan illogical witterings you can expect to get challenged on them from time to time. You should appreciate people taking the time to test your conclusions.
New Zealanders are split on Kim Dotcom but are highly negative towards John Banks, according to a UMR Research poll released today.
UMR’s fortnightly Omnibus survey shows:
• 38% of New Zealanders have favourable opinions of Kim Dotcom, while 36% view him unfavourably. 24% have no opinion of the controversial internet millionaire, while 2% claim never to have heard of him. There is a clear gender difference, 50% of men have favourable opinions of Kim Dotcom, compared with just 27% of women.
• Just 14% of New Zealanders view John Banks favourably, with 71% viewing him unfavourably. 13% are unsure and 2% say they have never heard of him. By comparison, in December 2011 his favourability rating was 27% favourable 56% unfavourable.
• Dotcom is clearly more popular than Banks even in Banks’ home area of Auckland. 43% of Aucklanders have favourable opinions of Kim Dotcom, while 17% of Aucklanders view John Banks favourably.
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