Nice work – if you can get it. $17M of taxpayer funds to create just 17 new jobs? Crikey, that’s a cost-to-benefit ratio so low dodgy Mr Jones, King of Money-for-Nothing, would be envious. For what?
The concoction, the false-flag, is this:
“A team of investigators dedicated to stamping out violent extremism online is being set up with the government announcing $17 million in new funding.”
The truth is this:
“allowing it to hire about 17 full-time staff to boost its investigative, forensic, intelligence and prevention work.”
Ladies, gents, and others; you should be so very proud. New Zealand is hiring Thought Police.
The fisherman’s friend, yes, her: ‘You’ll know it when you see it’ talking out the side of her mouth said
“Our online world must be a force for good where we can exchange ideas, share technology, and maintain civil liberties, while protecting New Zealanders from objectionable content,”
So what, dear lady, is “objectionable content”? It will be whatever the Star Chamber, Aunty Helen, her boy Mr Goff or, God help us, whatever Commissar Thomas and the high-nongs employed at Massey Agricultural College decide it is. The possibilities are a moving feast for social engineers to gorge on and, based on our experiences of just the last twelve months, might include Don Brash utterances, anti-trans feminists, global warming skeptics, democracy for Hong Kong backers, people with Celtic tattoos, perhaps anybody expressing appreciation for Captain Cook’s endeavours – who knows?
Wait for the ads to appear – ‘Seen something objectionable online? Call 0800-THOUGHT POLICE. Even if it’s something small, it could be important’. They won’t be answerable to anyone – but you will be answerable to them.
Forgive us, Mr Orwell and Mr Kafka – we were frogs in the pot, you warned us yet we didn’t listen. We thought it would never happen here.