Labtesting Labrats
Goodness gracious me, what have I done to piss Andre the Giant’s love child off so much (just jokes Cameron, but Andre the Giant did tour NZ in the early 70s, I’m just putting it out there).
Now I’m not going to get too harsh on dear old Whaleoil. After reading his personally embarrassing and painfully honest appraisal (minus his cognitive realization that was happening throughout the article) in the Sunday Star Times where his depression and mental illness were focused upon, it isn’t nice to have a go at the kid with mental problems.
I don’t read his blog much, the pornographic images he cuts and pastes Labour Party MP’s heads upon just seemed lower than bad taste when I first went to his site. The last time I was on his blog he was defending torture, (I consider that just too intellectually obscene for me) and he was explaining the reason why he was pulling out of Tim’s blog rankings because Tim was apparently (according to Slater) anti-Semitic. This was offensive bullshit and Slater was lying in the hope he could control his ratings and stop the slide he was undergoing at the time. Accusing someone of being anti-Semitic over something as petty as Slaters blog rankings was enough for me not to visit again.
Until this week, dear old Slater has used my recent joust with Labtests as some proof I’ve sold out (I’ll get to Cactus Katie in a second). Let’s be clear, I JUMPED at the chance to have a go at Labtests, as I have pointed out, the manner in which they gained this contract to swap blood testing services (something no other country in the world has tried to attempt) was crony capitalism at it’s worst.
As I wrote at the time said at the time...
The shocking thing about this case and the almost near silence from the mainstream media on it is that the Chief Executive of Labtests is Tony Bierre, who just happens to be on the Auckland District Health Board, which just happened to award the contract to Labtests. How the hell a man who is running the company who gets awarded a contract can also be involved in the decision making process is beyond me, the Court heard that Tony Bierre had been privy to information that helped shaped his proposal, such a conflict of interest is completely unacceptable,
The idea that I could stand outside and see how bad the transfer has effected service was something I gladly agreed to. How bad was it I wondered, yes 25% said they had a good service, half complained but didn’t want to comment and the other 25% wanted to complain on camera. The bloke we caught leaving Labtests who was rubbing his arm because the ill trained Labtests person couldn’t find a vein (something he’d never had a problem with in the past) and after the 5th prick had gotten their boss to come in and do it, which she did, but as the man told us, she did it without wearing any gloves. He was very angry with the service Labtests had provided, as were many others. Hooten paid for my services, he never paid for my opinion because my opinion was never up for sale.
To have Whaleoil of all people accuse me of ‘selling out’ when your tounge is so far up the arse of the National Party Cameron that you can taste what they had for lunch is just a joke. You leak for them and have worked in their bloody research unit, you are a bought and paid for whore of the National Party, I’d HARDLY compare my 5 minutes of footage to push an opinion I have held from day one on Labtests anywhere near the upper limits of paid opinion you’ve managed to muster. But then again I’m not the Son of prominent National Party Svengali’s.
Let’s not forget Cactus Kate. I’m amused that she’s attempted to claim my post here is proof of my paid opinion when it’s exactly what I was saying a week earlier, it was after this latter blog that had Hooten ask if I wanted to film Labtest clients to see if the service had gotten worse. This is something Kate could’ve just asked me about rather than make things up, I note this was her issue with Keith Ng and her very vicious attack on him, she asked Keith why he didn’t just ask her rather than launch his X-Files investigation on her.
So, if the boot fits, let’s have a wee talk about Kate shall we? The thing I just don’t understand about Kate was her desire to get into bed with Whaleoil and Bryan Spondre of all people, what the hell was she thinking? I won’t wade out where dear old Keith did, I’m not that interested in Kate, but surely someone who thinks they are as clever as Kate does wouldn’t intellectually hook up with the deeply depressed kid and the Spondre? How could they do anything other than rob Kate of the credibility she so desperately seeks? Her one night stand blogging example is a lesson to us all that masochism and alcoholism don’t mix. Better luck next time Kate.
Back to the issue at hand, which neither of these blodgers wish to acknowledge preferring to try and have a go at me personally, and that is that those cost cutting measures promised when this contract was outrageously awarded aren’t in fact occurring and the Taxpayer is having to subsidize the service from money supposed to go to Maori, Pacific Islanders and those from poor areas…
Money for poor cuts load on Labtests
A primary health organisation is paying GP clinics to take patients' blood samples in a move aimed at easing the pressure on Labtests. It has been acknowledged as a subsidy to the new Auckland laboratory company, and is being paid from a Government fund intended to reduce health inequalities for Maori, Pacific Islanders and those from poor areas.
Labtest UPDATE: September 10th
You can see the work I did for DML here to find out how bad the swap over in service is being handled and I repeat what I wrote in 2007 about Labtests …
The shocking thing about this case and the almost near silence from the mainstream media on it is that the Chief Executive of Labtests is Tony Bierre, who just happens to be on the Auckland District Health Board, which just happened to award the contract to Labtests. How the hell a man who is running the company who gets awarded a contract can also be involved in the decision making process is beyond me, the Court heard that Tony Bierre had been privy to information that helped shaped his proposal, such a conflict of interest is completely unacceptable,
…so this week we’ve had news that Labtests are now taking money from the poor to try and smooth out how poorly the service has been run so far…
Money for poor cuts load on Labtests
A primary health organisation is paying GP clinics to take patients' blood samples in a move aimed at easing the pressure on Labtests. It has been acknowledged as a subsidy to the new Auckland laboratory company, and is being paid from a Government fund intended to reduce health inequalities for Maori, Pacific Islanders and those from poor areas.
…and now we have this from the Medical Association. Labtests claim it’s all just teething problems, they’ve had how many years to get this ready now?
Medical Association slams Labtests' service
The Medical Association says Auckland's new community laboratory service is unacceptable and the Government must take action. Chairman Dr Peter Foley said yesterday that Auckland doctors were used to a high standard of community laboratory service and were extremely frustrated at problems following the change, completed on Monday, to Labtests.
posted by Bomber @ 8:46 am
16 comments
16 Comments:
I wouldnt worry about it.....the both of them obviously have some serious mental health issues to sort out.....
I have looked at his blog a couple of times and am blown away......hes obviously pretty sad and not very smart either.!!
The amount of lies in your post is astounding.
1. I have never, ever and never would work for National's research Unit
2. I am not bought or paid for by anyone, least of all by Matthew Hooton who clearly bought and paid for you. No one pays me anything to blog or other wise
3. I have NEVER cut and pasted Labour party MP's heads onto any pornographic images, EVER.
4. So what about my depression,at least I am honest about that and everything else I have said and done.
In fact like most of your mad ravings it was largely fact free.
Bomber
Yet another personal attack in response to an alleged personal attack by Whaleoil. Nothing wrong with that but you can't take the moral high ground on good manners can you?
The same reason I decided to blog with Whale and Bryan was probably the very same reason that you blog with Tim and continued to do so, (inspite of his criminal record if you wish to talk reputation and association) - you wanted to. My readership (if you read the comments) told me it was a crap set-up and after using wordpress a few days I had to agree. So I went back to my own blog after deciding I wasn't a team player. Which I am not and proud of it. Neither Whale or myself need to join forces to blog.
And Keith did ask me regarding before he launched his silly little campaign, which was what peeved me off the most as he either ignored my answer or went ahead anyway in his fantasy world.
Bomber, you are fronting a campaign for a corporate which is totally against your ra-ra principles of anti-capitalism. A very large corporate that lost a valuable contract and is using guerilla tactics to upset the opposition. Now of course you have devised an oblique "public good" into the whole situation - being assisting Maori and Pacific Islanders to defend your position.
I have for backed Labtests as when I was back in NZ earlier this year I found DML's service appalling as a full-fee paying non-NZ resident patient. I wrote a post on this but have never received any money from Labtests for doing so.
Again, and this is the only really relevant issue if you want to talk about bloggers and credibility - have you taken payment from DML or DML's PR team or the film crew to run this part of the campaign? That's a simple question that you have still not answered. Hooton's company said it "hired a film crew". Does that include paying the frontman - you?
I assume by your defamatory alcoholic inferences here on my blog you are suggesting that I am staying up late, drunk and blogging every night. In the same manner that Andrew Williams does.
A gentle reminder that I do not live in NZ, there is a 4 hour time difference so 2am on the clock is 10pm where I am in Hong Kong and I am frequently travelling where the time difference is larger.
Sadly I am too busy up at my 2am (your 6am) dealing with clients in London to enjoy a tipple or a snort of anything other than snorting at your blog and Red Alert between conference calls.
Unlike the entertainment industry where you can be out every night, being pissed in charge of a keyboard when wading through pages of reading and emails from clients is a terminal activity in mine.
"Hooten paid for my services, he never paid for my opinion because my opinion was never up for sale".
Sorry - you have admitted you were paid and in the pocket of a corporate whore who represents everything you stand against Matthew Hooton.
At least Matthew is honest about it.
I don't understand your argument that it's okay as a blogger to receive money for something you believe in vs something you don't. It still doesn't make you impartial as for example I could take money from every large corporate to blog on their behalf as I believe in large corporates.
You'd be all over that like a whore on a dropped dollar coin.
The amount of lies in your post is astounding.
I used your piece on me as a template.
1. I have never, ever and never would work for National's research Unit
Cough, cough -http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz-election-2008/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501799&objectid=10541397&pnum=2
2. I am not bought or paid for by anyone, least of all by Matthew Hooton who clearly bought and paid for you. No one pays me anything to blog or other wise
You are so far up the arse of the National Party you can tatse what they have had for lunch Cameron, claiming you don't receive money for it isn't a defence for bias, and my services were paid for, not my opinion which you have once again insinuated was bought off.
3. I have NEVER cut and pasted Labour party MP's heads onto any pornographic images, EVER.
Allow me some creative licence, it was a long time since I viewed your blog. What was that quote in that article about you and your cut and paste poos and wees humour, Slater's Whaleoil blog specialises in attack videos against Labour and Helen Clark, with images of her manipulated to look ridiculous and with wounding soundtracks added, often with accusations of lying. Yep you're a saint Cameron. My bad.
4. So what about my depression,at least I am honest about that and everything else I have said and done.
As delusional as that sounds, you probably mean it. Good on ya Cam. I note no comment on your accusations against Tim or denial that I misrepresented your views on torture though?
In fact like most of your mad ravings it was largely fact free.
Atta boy, end on an up. It's always fun playing with you Cameron, but I'm busy with Mob War on Facebook.
Sigh - Dear Kate, I am sad to see my words have touched deep raw nreves in you, by bringing up Tim, detailing your none drinking habits and continued insults on my good character I sense someone projecting. I want to make this right between us Kate. Let me explain.
I Jumped at the opportunity to front it because I agree 100% with what they are doing, I could undertsand your criticism if I was saying or doing something I didn't believe in, but that's simply not the case here. My services for hosting it were paid for, my opinion was not. Labtests are failing and the diversion of money from public funds is an issue especially when the circumstances of the contract win are as contentious as this one was.
Ahh yes the that piece of fiction from Patrick Gower for which he has paid beers by way of apology. Never ceases to maze me how often folks like you attack the Herald for being tory toadies yet rely upon an article like it was the gospel.
I'm bias, never hidden it, proud of it in fact, not like you who did a job for a Corporate spin doctor who represents large mining interests, forestry and anti-ETS lobby groups, nice company you keep there Bomber, nice and ethical.
Now personally I don't have a problem with any of those, I actually believe in them, what your problem is that you profess to be oh so opposed to all of those things but a few paltry dollars are waved under your nose and there you are nodding sympathetically and shaking your head in mock understanding.
The simple fact is you got caught doing what you and other lefty bloggers decry as appalling behaviour.
I have no problems with you crying a river over my thoughts on torture. I am a big supporter of torture and my exact position if I remember correctly is that given a choice between electrodes on the testicles or waterboarding, I'd chose waterboarding.
Now what I want to know if your blog post on the travesty of the labtests contract was just "coincidental" with your kowtowing to Matthew Hooton and his corporate whotres?
Ahh yes the that piece of fiction from Patrick Gower for which he has paid beers by way of apology.
That's the best you've got? The Reporter has bought you a beer? And you say I'm easily paid off!
Never ceases to maze me how often folks like you attack the Herald for being tory toadies yet rely upon an article like it was the gospel.
It never ceases to amaze me that the Right are always amazed at the Left using the right wing media to point something out. When they call you right wing, they mean it.
I'm bias, never hidden it, proud of it in fact, not like you who did a job for a Corporate spin doctor who represents large mining interests, forestry and anti-ETS lobby groups, nice company you keep there Bomber, nice and ethical.
Oh get off your bloody high horse Cameron, I've worked before with corporate media, Channel Z, Radio Live and TV3 were all owned by the same multi-national bloody company. I've used whatever opportunities come my way to push for a different perspective in the media, and that includes my recent go at labtests.
Now personally I don't have a problem with any of those, I actually believe in them, what your problem is that you profess to be oh so opposed to all of those things but a few paltry dollars are waved under your nose and there you are nodding sympathetically and shaking your head in mock understanding.
HEY - my nods and understanding were sparkling and alive! I don't think you get how much glee it gave me catching Labtests out like this, I have blogged on how outragous their winning of the contract was and Hooten provided me with another avenue, I jumped at the opportunity.
The simple fact is you got caught doing what you and other lefty bloggers decry as appalling behaviour.
No, I get angry with people spreading lies Cameron.
I have no problems with you crying a river over my thoughts on torture. I am a big supporter of torture and my exact position if I remember correctly is that given a choice between electrodes on the testicles or waterboarding, I'd chose waterboarding.
No you were defending torture Cameron.
Now what I want to know if your blog post on the travesty of the labtests contract was just "coincidental" with your kowtowing to Matthew Hooton and his corporate whotres?
Again Cameron, no one paid for my opinion.
Bomber
Again a case of accusing me of being defensive if I jump when provoked and if I ignore it then it's obviously true.
A tad - "have you stopped hitting your wife yet" for my liking.
As for your explanation, fine but The Standard for example have consistently painted top blogger David Farrar of being a paid stooge for every cause or corporate he blogs about. Even though DPF agrees with that cause as it's always something he believes in anyway. DPF has a page with everything listed he gets for free or payment - a disclosure page. This is how he deals with the issue that you refuse to accept exists.
In terms of the media and the blogging/journalism medium when you front a campaign you should let it be known that you are paid to regardless of your opinion on it previously. It changes the perspective others have on your writings and work otherwise it's the sort of advertorial that folks like you deplore.
For example read my work on NZX and Mark Weldon. I believed everything I wrote regarding and was not paid in any fashion by his detractors. The tight bastards have not even bought me a drink. But re-read those writings and wonder if they would have been as effective in helping to change perception of Weldon, MZX and the rort,had everyone found out I was paid to run a campaign against him?
The answer would be no.
You of all people should realise this as you are using your profile gained in being an opinionated bastard to thrust forward your opinions created in the media to sell an idea to your target market through your influence which from what I see is still young stupid idealistic dreamers with student loans.
The nods and head shakes just happened to coincide with your blog post the very same day....oh how convenient.
If you get glee from interviewing 5 people to get bad opinions you are a a sad sack in serious need of a root.
My own personal experience of Labtests is nothing but positive from beginning to end, and oh of course you edited all the good reports out didn't you.
Yes I defend Torture when it saves lives, who cares about terrorists except for you. You seem think that these peace loving, bomb throwing combatants just need some cuddles to spill the beans on their operations. I've got news for you, war is tough and hard and is best left to tough and hard people not for sooks who think they are tough because they have tattoos on their forearms.
So, in admitting your work for Large corporates you are admitting that your principles are for hire, that makes you just as business oriented as me and for that I applaud you, finally the reality of life is making its way through your faux angry pinko tough guy exterior.
Just man up and admit it you are a corporate whore just like the rest of us.
The nods and head shakes just happened to coincide with your blog post the very same day....oh how convenient.
Oh for crying out loud Cameron, this is the best you have? I was commenting about Breakfast at Breakfast time, I wasn’t told till later that day that the footage was going to be on the 6pm News and I was re-iterating my point from the week earlier which is what Hooten picked up on when he asked if I wanted to have a go at Labtests. When the footage went to air it was VERY clear that it was from DML, that’s what happened, I charged for my hosting, not the opinion.
If you get glee from interviewing 5 people to get bad opinions you are a a sad sack in serious need of a root.
Ewww, you always make it sexual don’t you?
My own personal experience of Labtests is nothing but positive from beginning to end, and oh of course you edited all the good reports out didn't you.
Well yay you Cameron, I found others who disagreed. Labtests should never have won this contract, as I pointed out in 2007, The shocking thing about this case and the almost near silence from the mainstream media on it is that the Chief Executive of Labtests is Tony Bierre, who just happens to be on the Auckland District Health Board, which just happened to award the contract to Labtests. How the hell a man who is running the company who gets awarded a contract can also be involved in the decision making process is beyond me, the Court heard that Tony Bierre had been privy to information that helped shaped his proposal, such a conflict of interest is completely unacceptable,
Yes I defend Torture when it saves lives, who cares about terrorists except for you. You seem think that these peace loving, bomb throwing combatants just need some cuddles to spill the beans on their operations. I've got news for you, war is tough and hard and is best left to tough and hard people not for sooks who think they are tough because they have tattoos on their forearms.
Yawn – yes real tough guys like you. Defending torture is defending torture Cameron, no matter how you want to dress it up with your macho nonsense. No comment on trying to pull out of the blog rankings because Tim was ‘anti-Semitic’ this time?
So, in admitting your work for Large corporates you are admitting that your principles are for hire, that makes you just as business oriented as me and for that I applaud you, finally the reality of life is making its way through your faux angry pinko tough guy exterior.
Like I pointed out Cameron, I’ve worked for the same large multi-national throughout my time at Z, Radio Live and TV3.
Just man up and admit it you are a corporate whore just like the rest of us.
And there’s our difference perhaps, I have no problems working with a multi-national as long as it meets my goals, and attacking Labtests was well within those goals.
NEXT
Bomber
Again a case of accusing me of being defensive if I jump when provoked and if I ignore it then it's obviously true.
A tad - "have you stopped hitting your wife yet" for my liking.
GrRIN – Yep but you bite everytime, that’s why I respect you so much.
As for your explanation, fine but The Standard for example have consistently painted top blogger David Farrar of being a paid stooge for every cause or corporate he blogs about. Even though DPF agrees with that cause as it's always something he believes in anyway. DPF has a page with everything listed he gets for free or payment - a disclosure page. This is how he deals with the issue that you refuse to accept exists.
Couple of things, go cry to the Standard then, David IS the mouthpiece for National on line when Cameron isn’t and when the footage was released on TV One at 6pm, it was VERY clear that it came from DML and that I was fronting it. The only reason I haven’t loaded it up on Tumeke yet is because Hooten hasn’t gotten around to sending me the youtube links. I want people to see what I found, I don’t agree with Labtests at all.
In terms of the media and the blogging/journalism medium when you front a campaign you should let it be known that you are paid to regardless of your opinion on it previously. It changes the perspective others have on your writings and work otherwise it's the sort of advertorial that folks like you deplore.
And when it played on the News Kate it was VERY clear that it came from DML, I didn’t say anything before hand because I didn’t know when it would air and didn’t want to ruin the scoop for who ever it was aired on.
For example read my work on NZX and Mark Weldon. I believed everything I wrote regarding and was not paid in any fashion by his detractors. The tight bastards have not even bought me a drink. But re-read those writings and wonder if they would have been as effective in helping to change perception of Weldon, MZX and the rort,had everyone found out I was paid to run a campaign against him?
The answer would be no.
I don’t know what you are talking about here, I don’t read your blog often. When the footage aired it was clearly from DML, I didn’t know when it would air (or IF it would air) and I couldn’t say anything until it was aired but my opinion was one I had well before last week.
I will try and get the youtube links loaded up on Tumeke this week. More importantly however, how about this then eh?
Money for poor cuts load on Labtests
A primary health organisation is paying GP clinics to take patients' blood samples in a move aimed at easing the pressure on Labtests. It has been acknowledged as a subsidy to the new Auckland laboratory company, and is being paid from a Government fund intended to reduce health inequalities for Maori, Pacific Islanders and those from poor areas.
The very service you are standing up for is failing badly.
Ooops, I forgot to add this
You of all people should realise this as you are using your profile gained in being an opinionated bastard to thrust forward your opinions created in the media to sell an idea to your target market through your influence which from what I see is still young stupid idealistic dreamers with student loans.
Unlike your sleazy right wing readers? Your site comments come across more like an ACT party singles dating site.
I've just read Kate’s latest diatribe against me, and it's such a fucking joke - she is holding up a link to MacDr where he is talking about an assault on a kids neck that he is claiming occurred in Australia, when it didn't at all, it happened at a Wellington party, not in Australia.
The service that Kate is so desperate to hold up is again under attack today, so pretending this joke is working is a joke. As for her claims I am a corporate whore, coming from her this is rich. The piece on TV was CLEARLY DML, there was no pretense otherwise, I wasn't aware it would play until later that day after my post on Breakfast. Trying to claim I hid my involvement is bullshit, I am clearly on tape Kate and the reporter made it very clear it came from DML.
I find your claim to pretend to know me even vaguely amusing and your accusations offensive. I know exactly what I said and when I said it and have not hid my involvement to bring down Labtests at all.
Don't you think it would have been a beeter look though if you had mentioned you had done some paid work on this topic while blogging about it as well?
Then at least you would have covered yourself from the sort of criticisms comming your way from the likes of Cactus Kate and Whaleoil.
GROWL – You have no idea how much it grinds my gears to have two people I dislike as much as those two people whale on me in the manner they are, and yes of course it would have been better if I had mentioned my role on the post 7/9/09, BUT I didn’t know it was playing that night at 6pm or in fact at all, you do a project like this, cross your fingers it’ll pick up traction but I hadn’t heard back until after I had posted on 7/9/09, and I couldn’t say anything about my role until it had aired, and when it did air the role of DML was clearly established right at the beginning. My mistake was commenting until I knew whether it would air or not. I won't make that mistake again.
You didn't disclose you were in the pocket of DML when you blogged which is pretty dishonest Bomber.
Your assertions about Whale and Kate are quite revisionist, even for you. I see you have tried to bury your two pro DML posts under a pile of other random posts too.
Admit it, you were caught out.
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