Blog #11
Freedom of speech or the recording of it , The Labour Party M P Mackey , the Courts and Learned Judge Thomas
Background
Imagine driving as a branch delegate of the local Labour Party to the venue of the Labour Electorate Committee meeting and jumping out of your Toyota 4WD, noticing the venue is in darkness and making a comment to the other waiting delegate to the Labour Electorate Committee (L E C) meeting from another branch that it would be hard to have a meeting unless the secretary turns up with the keys, agenda and the minutes Then I noticed the tears and was told the secretary had been arrested !! Didn’t take much to figure out what had happened. Quickly shot around that back of the cop shop and there through the heavily scratched perspex and the bars I could see the outline of the secretary Our secretary was audibly expressing concern as to the falsity of his detention to no avail. When I approached the front of the cop shop and told them to charge him or let him go I was succinctly told to go away
Not too many weeks later along with the now released secretary I drove a considerable distance to the regional meeting in “Gissy”. Without agendas or minutes. A reoccurring problem in the Labour Party !!!. Upon the two of us entering the meeting venue the M P announced that we were not welcome. After some discussion about police and further arrests my legitimately entitled delegated N Z Labour Party branch colleague was relegated to remain outside in the car and I was allowed to remain The meeting continued and the discussion took place around how much money each of the attendees would be expected to provide to the M P to enable the M P to get re- elected When I expressed concern as to this being a little unusual I was told that just because the boundaries of the electorate had changed it had nothing to do with the other branches and it was standard practice. I asked this to be recorded as a “Point of Order” in the minutes and was told that I might also be in receipt of a visit from the Police also. I left soon after. I could say more. It should not escape the readers attention that the M P had been in receipt of almost half a million dollars from you the taxpayer ??
Subsequently the matter, referred to in paragraph one was heard in front of Judge Thomas and the arrival of the Labour M P was eagerly awaited. We waited and waited and waited to no avail !!! Surely she would wish to be seen aiding the courts but no. As the matter proceeded I began to take notes as some of the things the learned Judge was saying were well worth recording and taking to the New Zealand Council of the New Zealand Labour Party Alas after I got up to around page 12 I noticed the Judge looking at me furtively and eventually he asked me what I was doing, I told him, he made me hand up the notes and the Registrar took them away The matter proceeded, I again began to write. This time my shopping list. The learned Judge Thomas was again keeping his eye on me but took no further action At the end of the proceeding I quickly shot to the front desk of the courthouse and tabled an Official Information Act request for copies of my notes. To my surprise I got a letter from the court approximately 9 days later saying the courts are not subject to O I Act requests and in the few minutes between my notes being confiscated and my tabling my O I A request they had unfortunately been “destroyed”.??????
Hence the opportunity to have verbatim records of this matter put before the Council of the N Z Labour Party was lost. The local media representative covering the issue in the local rag must have mixed up his notes as he failed to accurately record the proceedings or showed bias. Please remember the “right of reply” doesn’t exist anymore in New Zealand !!!!
Next time I bumped into learned Judge Thomas was in the recent matter of Mayor Anthony Bonne of the “I bought the Mayoral chains and the ratepayers paid my legal bills”, infamy, and that of a “third party”?????? Auckland readers should be paying attention here Again I commenced taking notes and again the Judge told me to stop and sought my assurance that I would destroy the notes. Hmmm? Didn’t take too many as I was sitting as a “ support person” right in front of him and realised he would spot my habit quickly. I was subsequently interviewed by the local rag. However my statement failed to make the paper No surprise there as the newspaper was a contributor to the Mayors campaign of a differing kind ???
As I have stated before I am a voter in the East Coast electorate We used to say a “swinging” voter but in the Labour Party you don’t say that anymore or one might get castigated by the “Rainbow Sector Council” members . Candidate Damien O’Connor was correct in his description of the make up of Caucus
You need to note that neither candidate Tolley nor candidate Mackey nor candidate Maclean have replied to my request to express their view as to whether or not this breaching the electoral act matter, by Mayor Anthony Bonne, who should resign, should be picked up and ran with by the Crown Law office like former National Cabinet Minister John Banks, and party colleague of candidate Tolley, encountered and was found guilty. Still he has a “watertight” defence. To candidate Tolley haven’t heard from you about your resignation ??? First Nick Smith albeit temporarily (how does that work?) the Maurice Williamson, then candidate “crusher” Collins whom we haven’t heard much about how she proposes to clear her name, next Candidate Anne Tolley , retiring M P Tony Ryall abandoned the sinking ship, and on and on
It will come as no surprise that candidate Tolley is being investigated for using Parliamentary Services funds (your taxes) for electioneering purposes
Summary
Often documents are referred to in court, which is open to the public and statements are made that if allowed to be recorded at the time may enable either party to consider appealing the matter. It may also be in the public interest for these statements to be accurately recorded. Are we wise to trust the media after they were exposed as “gullible” and “lazy” fools and able to be lead by the nose with corporate moneys enabling the two bloggers Mr Slater and Nationals facilitated Mr Farrar to influence the direction of the news? If only the media are allowed to record what is said in court then this opportunity of better recording of what happens in our courts is lost. We know not to believe what is written in the paper and newspaper clippings are not admissible in court. I have watched genuine participants to the Environment Court attempt this and realise that the paper in their hands is worthless when the lawyers start laughing at them. Many hearings have no transcripts either
So I believe the public should just start turning up and start taking notes en masse and put this to the test particularly when it comes to political party and a Labour M P having their own electorate branch officials arrested
I await the views of the various parties Justice Spokesperson (No not you candidate Collins) as the local East Coast candidates have shown disdain for the voters. Come on candidate Andrew Little show the voters you have a voice. You cannot deny the assertion that it is an injustice to have a silent “Spokesperson for Justice” Show you are literate Andrew please Or are you muzzled to????
Candidate Phil Goff may well have a view also ?????????
It is of note that candidate Cunliffe champions the above described behaviour and the Labour Party caucus participants
Come on candidate Tolley has John Key muzzled you as well as Gerry Brownlee about the EQC/AMINZ Mediations here in Canterbury ???
Come on fellow Labour Party candidates you must have a voice.
Or do you take your instructions from your “rogue” and now unusually silent “campaign manager” like candidate Moana ? Lets have your view Moana and quickly otherwise voters might think you are trying to avoid the issue !!!!! You have my email address as it is near yours on the Labour Party website
Gordon Dickson
NEW ZEALAND LABOUR PARTY SELWYN ELECTORATE CANDIDATE IN THE 2014 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
Authorised by Gordon John Dickson 6a Kidman Street Rolleston Canterbury New Zealand
E & O E 2/9/2014
P s No reply has been received from candidates Cunliffe and Parker LLB nor the President of the New Zealand Labour Party Moira Coatsworth re the eagerly awaited “apology” as described in an earlier posting. Come on candidates and Moira if you have nothing to hide just say so. Give leadership in this matter. Show the voters of N Z you have a voice or an opinion or display the obvious that you have no respect for the voters This will bring a more negative image to the whole New Zealand Labour Party of which you are just a small part of We have 15,000 members
How many do the Nats have ? Any one know?
I have formally asked candidate Key for Nationals formalised statements on our nations need for a constitution but if you cup your hands you can read his reply