I’ve done some slightly cryptic posts over the last week or so following a flow of information from three sources about the role of Simon Lusk, inter alia, in the Brash coup.
Much of that is now a matter of record. The coup was financed by John Banks. Lusk became a consultant following a Joyce recommendation. Franks law firm also provided services. The fee was $30k.
The objective was to reinvigorate Act. No one told Joyce Brash’s negatives are higher than Hides.
It was run while Key was offshore. English was not informed by Joyce.
Lusk has been contracted to help run selection campaigns as well as electorate campaigns. Neither his role nor that of Cameron Slater have been transparent.
The prize now is the anti MMP campaign for which resources are now being organised. $100k +.
Lusk is an expert in political “black arts”. He even does reviews on the topic.
My posts have been designed to get Simon Lusk out of the shadows to ensure we know who is running things, if in fact he gets the contract.
How exactly does Act benefit from an anti-MMP campaign? they’re only in Parliament because of MMP-first compelling reason I’ve thought of to actually vote against MMP
“The prize now is the anti MMP campaign” and re-enter Mr. Shirtcliffe
Congratulations Trevor. There was something about that ACT coup which smelt badly from the start. It wasn’t the coup itself, but rather the method by which it was being carried out.
One of the meanings of the word corrupt is: to practise forms of bribery esp. at elections. How very apt!
Wow, how shabby! The only way John Banks can get back into parliament is to rig an electorate selection in his favour by funding a corporate takeover of a minor parliamentary party.
A key fact here is the election of Don Brash is linked to the same people who would support an Anti-MMP campaign, what is it about MMP they don’t like?
Well just to shine a light on that, let’s look at Don Brash’s open letter to John Key reported by Radio NZ , particularly this bit:
“Dr Brash accuses John Key of running the country for the benefit of Labour and Green voters, who switched to National at the last election.”
Firstly – Brash is factually wrong. John Key is not running the government to favour the Labour and Green voters who voted for National in 2008. If he were, there would be no monkeying with Kiwisaver, or State Asset Sales.
Secondly – Brash seems to be opposed to Political Parties doing what their voters who voted them in to office thought they were voting for. That pesky democracy – all those nasty punters thinking their votes should matter somehow.
The people who support Don Brash, oppose MMP. Perhaps they also share Don Brash’s view of the place of voters.
Support MMP, let the voters have a voice.
@ James. They don’t. This guy is a hired gun. That is the point of the post.
“Much of that is now a matter of record. The coup was financed by John Banks. Lusk became a consultant following a Joyce recommendation. Franks law firm also provided services. The fee was $30k.”
Matter of record Trevor? I doubt it, as you are a long long way off the mark. Banks wasn’t even in NZ when things kicked off. The 30k didn’t relate to Franks’ firm, but I doubt you’ll be willing to disclose the circumstances in which you came up with that number… But don’t give up, keep posting, it makes for hilarious reading.
Trevor, these boys really do think that money can buy an election. They got burned in ’05, and they got burned last year in Auckland. Will they get burned this year? Or have they learned their lessons and got seriously cashed up this time?
James, you are assuming the goal of the coup was a stronger ACT rather than a National party (In the future) which embraces ACT principles and to make people hate MMP enough that National can regain its holy grail of FPP and ruling alone.
What happens to Banskie’s plan if say Aaron Bhatnagar is selected to contest the epsom seat for National ?
My understanding is that Key Joyce and the team are supporting Supplementary Member, FPP in drag.
Why do you care ? Does the taxpayer get good value for money from your posting and obsession with this?. Balance deleted. Trolling. Warning. Trevor
Hooray for an anti-MMP campaign!! If successful we can be rid of those useless list MPs.
First Past the Post was the voting system that enabled ACT to enact their policies during the 1980s.
This is pretty much why Shirtcliffe et. al. want rid of it. Under MMP ACT-like policies can only be implemented with majority support. Under FPP/SM ACT-like policies will again be able to be enacted with minority support.
Chris Tremain was promoting Supplementary Member on Back Benchers a few weeks ago, IIRC. Do you say Lusk is his campaign manager?
Shudder
, so scary 
MMP Forever!
!
Thanks, Trevor, that’s an important clarification. There’s more than one facet or possibility at stake and do we as the electorate get it? Any form of voting that’s not FPP is complicated to understand. And it’s difficult then to campaign using one simple message. What’s the solution?
My operating theory at the moment is that the National party money men funded the ACT coup so they would have defacto control of the ACT Party. It’s their plaything now. They have / are purging the real ACT loyalists. They’ll be free to use ACT any way they like in the coming months. They may not even care if anyone votes for it. They can go places and say things that National party can’t.
Richard the First: unfortunately for you, the anti-MMP campaign is a pro-Supplementary Member campaign.
Both supplementary member and MMP have list MPs!
Of course they want get rid of MMP(More meaninigful parliament) its the only thing that can keep Nact honest (to a certain extent)
If they introduce FPP(facist pigs in parliament) they will have free reign to sell this whole country $$$$$$$$
Theyve already started their brainwashing campaign
on TlkbackZB with that Aussie Layman smitt and danny boi
@Minerva. Not suggesting that Franks got $30k. May in fact have been paid from outside coup budget for post coup work.
@Hilary. Lusk has worked on Tremain campaigns.
FPP system.
No Maori Seats.
National able to get as much private funding as they want.
Would pretty much see no other party in NZ politics for a very long time.
ACT do not benefit from the anti-MMP campaign, but the anti-MMP campaign benefits from ACT. If Don Brash is more un popular among people who dislike ACT than Rodney Hide was, he will turn some people off MMP because they will blame MMP for the existence of ACT.
And of course MMP is to blame for the existence of ACT as a party in its own right, but many ACT supporters like to think they could have more power through Labour and National if we went back to FPP. I don’t know if they would, but they did seem to have a remarkable amount of power and influence through those parties last time we had FPP.
@WallaseyBoy –
“Any form of voting that’s not FPP is complicated to understand” – must be the part where the party with less votes gets more seats (read rural) that is hard for the electorate?
Agreed, hard to get a simple message across, I remember the referendum MMP was well funded and the only alternative anyone wanted to talk about, yet all the political scientists stated consistently said single transferable vote was the most representative of the electorate. In countries/states/councils where it is used it gets the highest satisfaction scores.
minerva, a person doesnt have to be in the country when an event happens to have bankrolled it. Ask the US government.
Thanks Trevor for the clarity of these hollow men.The quick hand over of leadership from Hide gave part of their strategy away to me when I realised Epsom already had the minions required as used last election.
How do I feel?
Better. Yeah, better get me a bucket.
I think Graeme Edgeler has succinctly showed it for what it is.
How has ordinary New Zealanders become so gullible? I mean, geez, Crosby Textor are Australians right?
@ Minerva says:May 13, 2011 at 1:49 pm “Banks wasn’t even in NZ when things kicked off.”
I think you’ve given up your ‘wisdom’ for your ‘war’ and ‘commerce’. i.e. intelligence blindfolded for control and greed.
Like Tracey says:”minerva, a person doesnt have to be in the country when an event happens to have bankrolled it.”
You don’t even have to look to the US. Try NZ.