Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Thanks. My thread went a bit awryat the end with more than one ending. I don't suppose skywriter be used can fix that? 020
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Out of everything I have done today, I am irrationally proud of this double entendre. 3402
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Unity Books has officially sold out. All media copies distributed. Nicky and Robbie are scrambling to see if they can quickly source some more. 813025
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Nicky Hager meeets the Press. Answering questions on his new book, Dirty Work, in a back room at Unity Bookshop. 09611
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026That wasn't word for word, but as close as I could manage. 9290
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Nicky moving out of the shop with the press to take questions outside. 090
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026That's the end of the speeches. So big moments of applause, at the end, and at moments like the mention of the attack on Maiki Sherman. 1110
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Robbie again, thanks "Tilly and Suzzanna and the whole crew at Unity". 1110
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“Thanks to everyone who has helped – thanks to this spectacular gathering of Wellington people. Kia ora tatou”. 5370
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“…the coalition ministers have tolerated and benefited from these unscrupulous groups. They should be held accountable by the public.” 717327
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“Why am I publishing a book leading up to an election?” His answer: “…elections are exactly the time we should be thinking about and discussing politics. What better time?” 412810
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“Why is the book called Dirty Work? First, to signal that it is a sequel to Dirty Politics. But also, because this network of hard right political groups is doing the dirty work for National and ACT against their political opponents…” 111824
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“And in 2024, when the Taxpayers’ Union asked newly elected Prime Minister Luxon how it could help him to deliver his election promises, Luxon replied, ‘Be louder.’ What is Luxon doing keeping company with these people?” 29913
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Quoting Luxon to a Taxpayers’ Union audience: “Can I just say up front, thanks to you and all your members for all the work you do … I really enjoy what you guys do.” 19217
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“Year in, year out, the Taxpayers’ Union and allied hard right groups assist the National Party. The Taxpayers’ Union raises millions of dollars to undermine National’s political opponents and in return National gives legitimacy to the Taxpayers’ Union.” 110721
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“A fundamental task is protecting independent news media. And race politics, the signature strategies of the hard right, are a threat to the wellbeing of the whole country.” 29412
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“First and most damaging is the influence of private donors. Private money needs to be banned in our electoral system.” 214123
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“We watch and wonder how it can be so wrong.” 2684
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“I think the people behind this dirty work are deeply lacking in integrity and have far more influence than they deserve.” 113517
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“There is the chapter on their work as tobacco lobbyists, a whole chapter on Jordan Williams’ abysmal attitude to women, a major chapter on the deliberate use of racism as a political tool, a chapter on dirty politics attacks and smears…” 111422
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Five: “…the Taxpayers’ Union earning money by collaborating with the tobacco industry year after year – helping the tobacco industry giant British American Tobacco fight smokefree legislation so it can continue to sell products that kill half of their long-term customers.” 211121
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Four: “…the example of the Taxpayers’ Union in its early years promising to lobby for a change to the tax system to benefit the wealthy as a way to drum up corporate donations.” 1757
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Three: “I think one of the grubbiest dirty politics attacks in recent history was the hit job that pushed Maiki Sherman out of her position as political editor at TVNZ a few months ago. The inside story is told for the first time in Chapter 5.” 114029
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Two: “The little understood story of David Seymour, who barely mentioned race politics for six years in parliament and then suddenly became Mr-Anti-Treaty as if he’d always deeply cared… he and others unleashed the worst race politics in a generation.” 113727
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026One: “A nasty battle inside the Taxpayers’ Union over using race for political gain, where the race baiters won.” 18511
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“I will give a few examples of stories told in the book." 1594
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“Compared to the earlier books, which were based largely on leaked docs, this book is based largely on insiders: former Taxpayers’ Union staff and associated people… Much of the book is in these people’s own words. Most are National Party members.” 312920
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“Together with a network of allied groups, the Taxpayers’ Union raised over $2 million over the three years up to the 2023 election, to spend on activities moving New Zealand politics to the right. It looks like they are doing the same thing in 2026.” 110416
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“And now the third book in the trilogy. This book is an exposé of the so-called Taxpayers’ Union, the latest front for New Zealand’s hard right.” 11088
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“The second book of the trilogy, Dirty Politics, revealed a dirty tricks campaign in the lead up to the 2014 election coordinated by the unscrupulous blogger Cameron Slater.” 1897
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“I call it a sequel but in fact this is part three of a trilogy. The first book in the trilogy was The Hollow Men, which told the story of what I think was an exceptionally unscrupulous election campaign conducted by the Don Brash-led National Party in 2005…” 110410
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“Unbeknown to people outside the Taxpayers’ Union, Jordan Williams had been leaving a succession of disillusioned former staff in his wake for years. I had not intended there would be a sequel to Dirty Politics but it arrived anyway.” 113511
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“It is ironic, to say the least, that if Jordan Williams had not publicised the non-existent book, these inside sources would most likely never have contacted me and the book we are here to launch today would not have been written.” 323673
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“Over the next two years I interviewed a range of people, some of whom recommended other former staff I could approach as well.” 1864
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“Less than 24 hours after Jordan Williams’ press release the first Taxpayers’ Union source made contact… The second made contact a few weeks later. And so it began.” 113115
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“But I told Toby that the Taxpayers' Union deserved more scrutiny and said I’d be pleased to hear from anyone who could help. I did not seriously expect a reply.” 1966
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“Toby Manhire of The Spinoff emailed to ask if it was true I was working on a book about the organisation. ‘No,’ I replied, it was not true. There was no book being written; no book was planned; I was absorbed in other subjects.” 1926
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Nicky describes what he calls panic at TPU in 2023 about the book. 1690
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“‘It is no surprise the Taxpayers’ Union is Mr Hager’s latest target’, the press release said. ‘He’s coming for us because we are successful.’” 1724
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026“The group’s executive director Jordan Williams sent me a legal letter the same day insisting that any allegations contained in the book must be put to them before the book was published.” 18611
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Nicky: “In July 2023, three months before the last election, the right-wing campaign group Taxpayers’ Union issued a press release saying they had ‘heard from sources’ that I was working on a book about their organisation.” 110012
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Nicky talking now. "We hoped there would be a crowd". 2660
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Burton uncovering the book poster. The poster is revealed giving the title of the new book, Dirty Work: The Taxpayers' Union and New Zealand's Hard Right. By Nicky Hager. Potton & Burton. 316254
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Burten running through all of Nicky's books. Secret Power, Secrets and Lies, Seeds of Distrust, Hollow Men, Other People's Wars, Dirty Politics, Hit and Run. 1625
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026"2026 marks 30 years since we published Secret Power. It was a stunning international first, the first time 5 Eyes was exposed." 1833
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Burton: “Unbelievable to see this level of support.” 1631
Felix Geiringer @barristernz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Robbie Burton from Potton & Burton is speaking. Potton & Burton was formed from Craig Potton Publishing, and those companies have published all of Nicky’s books since Secret Power in 1996. 2775
