Government bars Journalist for asking tough questions
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12:39 pm, November 11th, 2024 - 28 comments
Categories: Gerry Brownlee, Media, media abuse, national, Parliament, same old national -
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Someone should tell the Free Speech Union. The Government has barred a Newsroom reporter from attending the Crown apology for victims of abuse in state care for taking too active an involvement in the issue.
From Tim Murphy at Newsroom:
Parliament’s Speaker has barred leading investigative journalist Aaron Smale from attending the official Crown apology at Parliament to victims of abuse in state care.
Smale, who has covered for eight years the abuse of children and others in state institutions, and the Crown’s legal strategy to exhaust survivors legally to save money and reputations, will not be accredited to report for Newsroom on Tuesday when the apology is made.
The decision has offended one prominent abuse survivor, known as Earl White, who says: “It is a disgrace that the Government is penalising someone who uncovered the fact that so many people in power covered up sexual abuse like my own.”
Another survivor whose case has been a milestone in the quest for survivor justice, Leoni McInroe, says the exclusion is “a clear example of the crown wielding its bullying power imbalance tactics to control the narrative of redress for the torture of the children of Lake Alice.”
A lawyer who has pursued justice for survivors for years, Sonja Cooper, told Newsroom: “What Aaron Smale has done in exposing the lies and cover ups by the Crown should mean he has a front row invite to the apology, not effectively a muzzling order.”
Speaker Gerry Brownlee declined the accreditation application, which met the Press Gallery’s usual criteria, after Newsroom had received repeated queries from Beehive officials about Smale’s likely attendance and previous interactions with ministers.
This is outrageous. Smale has performed outsanding work in the area. Just read any of his recent articles to get a gist of the quality of work that he has performed.
He has accused the Crown of engaging in a cover up and has made a pretty compelling case that this is so.
His writing is obviously motivated by anger but so it should be. Having read some of his articles too I am angry as well. That kiwis were treated in the way they were treated and that there has been this attempt to hide and avoid what is a really terrible past.
Smale deserves a medal, not exclusion.
Shame on the Government.
Update: The Government has reversed the decision after an impressive Twitter onslaught. But this will take away some of the good will it had hoped to achieve from the apology.
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The press conference that offended baldilocks.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/523015/watch-pm-christopher-luxon-lead-minister-erica-stanford-respond-to-abuse-in-care-report
I remember Winston threatening Jack Tame. Now it is Luxon not fronting certain journalists, and finally banning those who know too much. Leader?? Don't make me laugh!!
The trend is down, and hopefully out for this rueful arrogant anti-democratic lot.
Keep on confronting them!! Their deluded ideas are turning people off. Out of touch, and soon to be out of Parliament.
Thanks for those links to Smale's "Crown cover-up?" articles. Good reads and I can see why they are getting under Luxon's thin skin, but the Speaker barring Smale from attending the Crown apology beggars belief.
https://newsroom.co.nz/author/aaron-smale/
So an occasion of questioning of a Minister in Palmerston North, not in the parliamentary environment, is the "cause" for the Speaker?
Sounds more like blacklist of journalists being referred to the Speaker.
A question should be asked in the House whether such a blacklist exists. And what is the premise (grounds) required to be so proscribed.
Karen Chhour strikes again.
Background
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/nz-press-gallery-appealing-speakers-regrettable-decision-to-bar-journalist-from-state-abuse-apology/VHUQXGKX6NBPRMPZSQEEZWZLIY/
The Speaker taking directions.
Noted that Luxon is saying not his fault.
The Speaker's fault for banning Smale.
Reading the various reports on this, it is absolutely clear that the instruction comes from the top, the PM's office. It would be naive to think otherwise.
Poor old Jason Walls bust be feeling conflicted on this.
As Press Gallery chair he must criticise this massively corrupt overreach by the National party, but as a National party brown-noser he must also protect them from criticism.
Big test for young Jason…
His nose will stay sticky
It's entirely in character for Luxon, who is the most thin-skinned PM in modern history. He really can't handle tough questioning (and compared with politicians in other democracies, he hardly faces any).
It's also an extraordinary own goal. Until now the current government could legitimately say that the abuse horror stories were from a previous era, and they were doing the right thing by bringing them into the open ("sunlight best disinfectant" etc).
Instead they have created new mistrust, for no good reason, no political gain. They have undermined their own response already. So stupid.
They have built on their own disadvantage – it was Labour who launched the process, not National.
Lux is an empty CEO like many of them with imposter syndrome (justified)
Update, on RNZ news at 2.30, Brownlee has lifted the ban.
Bullies are too thin-skinned to deal with public humiliation
They are living the cliche, a low-grade mob movie:
Boss Chris: "Make this problem go away …"
Henchman Gerry: "I took care of it, boss. He won't bother us no more."
Boss Chris: "You idiot! I didn't tell you to kill him! Now it's been traced back to me!"
Gerry gonna sleep with the fishes.
It makes me think that there is something else to be discovered.
Brownlee's
5point turnU turn happened after various groups questioned the reasoning for his decision.It would be great if there was more digging.
"Update, on RNZ news at 2.30, Brownlee has lifted the ban."
…. but Mr Smale has to have a Newsroom journo with him as well to hold his hand and smack his bum if he misbehaves.
Another example of why Luxon is a rotten leader, sometimes you have to put yourself in the firing line – hell! even Andrew Bayly had the guts to front up a grilling by journalists on Checkpoint!
Nobody blames Chris Luxon personally, anymore than Jacinda was blamed for the Christchurch mosque massacre.
But he is the leader now, and there is where the buck stops.
He needs to step up and grow a set.
Really? It is he who gets pissed whenever he is found ignorant and fluffs answering questions. Not one of his minions or Gerry.
Well, this episode well and truly killed the myth of the Speaker being an impartial arbiter of the House rules.
Man you are always good for a laugh Incognito.
I wonder if we are witnessing the beginning of ruling based on polling, like the Donkey government.
That shit show ended with to many people FUBAR.
Yay to the reversal!!
This is the first sign of Captain (Smith) Luxon caving in from an arrogant standpoint.
I was starting to wonder if next there would be a door to door collection of Dirty Politics followed by a book burning.
Next will be David Seymour who has said "(Sigh) if I must I must" to meeting the Hikoi party, only to be snubbed and told no one wants to meet him.
Luxon continued to malign Smale yesterday before their U-turn:
This is how I see it: CoC ‘Cowardice of Christopher’ Luxon and his fellow toads instructed the Speaker who subsequently realised the enormity of his cock-up after conversations with Newsroom. CoC Luxon and his shambolic gang cannot wash their hands off this turd that exploded in their faces.
“exploding turd…” it’s a Lol from me.
Banning journalists seems a rather authoritarian tactic.
I guess this little saga exposes the Nats true colours to those bothering to look.