Political whistle-blower Nicky Hager is being threatened with a police complaint from here in the Bay of Plenty.
Western Bay of Plenty District councillor Margaret Murray-Benge is joining two friends to bring pressure on the author of ‘Dirty Politics'.
Nicky Hager. Photo: Facebook.
They allege Nicky is complicit and should be investigated, and they intend to take that allegation to the police, says Margaret.
Nicky's latest best seller threatened to derail the election campaign, costing a senior Cabinet Minister her posting, and is now the subject of a Government inquiry.
Margaret says Nicky is the only person not tainted by the affair so far.
The book is based on emails hacked from right-wing blogger Cameron Slater. Margaret questions whether he had a right to use the emails in his book…and if not, she says, he should be investigated.
They deny it's a case of blaming the messenger…and says if Nicky was that concerned about the issues he should have raised them at the time.
'It has created utter and unnecessary confusion for voters” she says.
The group intends going to the police today with the matter.
19 comments
Profit
Posted on 03-09-2014 07:37 | By Theway
He should be investigated, who else can make money from distributing an illegally obtained product,ie. personal and private correspondence.
Blissfull Ignorange
Posted on 03-09-2014 07:53 | By Spy
Bev and Margaret might like to live in blissful ignorance but I want to know what moral compass my politicians are guided by.
Go for it!!!
Posted on 03-09-2014 08:40 | By Sambo Returns
he is selling this trash for a profit, hence making money from stolen items, so he should be taken to task, and made to prove his innocence!!!!.
Coming From?
Posted on 03-09-2014 08:43 | By Merlin
Is this Party Politics I wonder
Bev Edlin
Posted on 03-09-2014 08:58 | By Colleen Spiro
Concentrate on LOCAL ISSUES....Missed you at the Greerton Library meeting last night
complaints on hager
Posted on 03-09-2014 09:33 | By seeare
This is an outrageous action by two out of control councillors. This is not their concerns or their business regarding council affairs. Tauranga and environs has enough troubles without these two getting involved in national politics while working under the banner of "Councillors"
Dirty Politics
Posted on 03-09-2014 10:13 | By jeancraven@kinect.co.nz
Do your job as councillors for TGA and leave the dirty politics to central government. Granny JC
Is it acceptable to hack into emails?
Posted on 03-09-2014 10:49 | By Annalist
People need to think how they would feel if someone hacked into their email account, or took letters from their letterbox, or broke in to their house and took things. I thought people were outraged when some british newspapers were found to have similarly invaded people's privacy? Can anyone really think this is ok?
No its not acceptable to hack people emails.
Posted on 03-09-2014 12:36 | By SpeakMyMind
But im sure as hell grateful that he did. I mean we trust that these people have New Zealand in there hearts and want the best for our country its quite clear that they will do anything to get there way even if it means trampling all over other members of parliament to look good. As for nationals relationship with Cameron Slater its all out in the open now. Yes it was wrong of him to hack their emails but it is also 100% Wrong for the government to do the things they have done. Purely if they didn't say and do the things they did there wouldn't be a 'Dirty Politics'' they thought they were safe and no one would ever find out what they were doing. Least he opened our eyes to se what the Shady Government are up to.
Some of these comments make you wonder
Posted on 03-09-2014 14:00 | By Phailed1
I'd have thought having your privacy invaded would really upset people. Or is it ok as long as it isn't your emails or letters? Councillors can do what they like in their own time and off their own bat, and if they are opposed to hacking that is their right. Hardly an outrageous action in my opinion.
Journalism and the privacy act.
Posted on 03-09-2014 16:47 | By Ampaul
As a journalist Hager is exempt from the privacy act when engaged in bona fide journalistic work with a public interest. Slater however is not protected by the clause as he works outside of the realm of recognised journalism (despite what Cannon think).
@ SpeakMyMind
Posted on 03-09-2014 17:22 | By Annalist
Could you tell us exactly what people did wrong that justified hacking into their emails? Was it just politics? If so, I can't see any justification for snooping into people's emails. It's a bit like a peeping tom in my view. The only justification would be criminal activity I think.
Disgracefull
Posted on 03-09-2014 20:52 | By Merlin
If these Councillors are National supporters they should be ashamed of what the government has been doing to smear people not that I condone the way it was obtained or them getting into Labours computer. Stick to local issues.
Shoot the Messenger
Posted on 03-09-2014 23:28 | By gr3g0s
The police will laugh at them. "Nicky was that concerned about the issues he should have raised them at the time." Well Actually.... Nicky Hager did not have these emails until a few months ago and began writing his book, he obviously wanted to do due diligence yet release the book as quickly as possible! I and many other are glad that "DEAR LEADER HAS BEEN EXPOSED" and there should be a full independant inquiry into all claims in the book including if you so wish the role Hager played in exposing this
Bev gone into hiding
Posted on 03-09-2014 23:46 | By Murray.Guy
TCC Councillor Bev Edlin was WBOPDC Cr Margaret Murray-Benge's co-complainant. Where has she gone? Bye the bye, a down side is that locally there will be some very insecure local authority staff and elected members, some equally insecure associates in the community ... they will be checking their security systems and destroying emails! Most in the community likely don't realise that emails are accessible under the 'Official Information Act' unless, as proven in the past, requests and legal requirements are abused, ignored.
Nats too
Posted on 04-09-2014 06:23 | By mattbop
Hopefully they investigate the nats going into Labours file as well then. They say that the info was there for the taking, but its like leaving the front door unlocked, still doesn't mean that its right for people to just walk on in and take a look round. Hacking is no different to what Jason Eade done, it just means finding an open window to get in and unlock the door....
Private emails should not be allowed to be hacked
Posted on 04-09-2014 17:28 | By Annalist
I'm not talking about government dept or council business emails which are subject to be accessed under the official information act. I think it's totally unfair to hack emails from a blogger who expresses his or her opinion. I believe hacking is stealing and should be condemned outright. Good on the councillors as long as they act as private citizens.
Focus on the Rot
Posted on 09-09-2014 16:20 | By space cadet
Instead of focussing on the political leanings and motives of people who are exposing this information why don't we drill down on the dirty politics itself. Understand that NZ politics is as dirty as anywhere else in the world and that all the filth and misuse of public office should indeed be firmly and rigorously bought to the surface. Something that mainstream media seems to fail miserably at. We are instead, reliant on alternative reporting for information, diligently working alone and thus easily attacked as nutcases by ignorant people who refuse to examine the detail. New Zealanders (like most other countries) suffer from cognitive dissonance and make bad decisions politically because they are increasingly misinformed and lied to by people who have far too much credibility allowed them. "You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality." Ayn Rand
Good On You Margaret & Bev
Posted on 09-09-2014 20:14 | By Mommatum
Good on Margaret and Bev for giving Nicky Hager a taste of his own medicine. It's more than a bit ironic that Hager's essential pontification concerns privacy and ethics, yet the bulk of his book consists of other people's illegally obtained private correspondence. Not only that but he is personally profiting from what is essentially stolen goods, and as such should undergo the same level of scrutiny he advocates for those in his own sights. As for calling himself either a journalist or a writer, he is a disgrace to both professions.
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