The United Chinese Press newspaper is potentially facing prosecution under the Electoral Act after it ran adverts on the day of the Botany by-election supporting New Citizens’ Party candidate Paul Young. The paper, the party, and the bidders for the Crafar Farms all appear to have strong links each other and the Chinese government.
We’ve been following the story of these organisations for a while on The Standard. All three sprung out of nowhere. They seem to share personnel and all place an emphasis on strong links with the Chinese government and are campaigning for more Chinese investment in this country.
Now, there’s nothing new about parties, industry players, and media outlets being linked.
There’s National’s links with various business bodies like the EMA and Business Roundtable, and its long-time media friend, Granny Herald.
Labour, of course, was birthed by the unions and the labour movement used to have its own newspaper, The Standard (or, as we call it, v1.0).
But the shadowy relationship between the New Citizens Party, Natural Dairy New Zealand (formerly called China Jin Hui Mining Corporation and owned by the Chinese government), and the United Free Press smells like an orchestrated attempt by the Chinese Government to influence our politics. The fact that the New Citizens Party leadership held a meeting in Beijing attended by Natural Dairy New Zealand only heightens these concerns. (the new bidder for the Crafar Farms after Natural Dairy’s was rejected is also Chinese with heavy government links).
Free press and new political parties are great. Foreign government sock-puppets are not.
This latest incident, which appears to be a deliberate flouting of our electoral laws does little to reassure me.
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