Stacey Kirk’s Stuff Up

Written By: - Date published: 9:29 am, March 7th, 2016 - 37 comments
Categories: Abuse of power, articles, Dirty Politics, Ethics, making shit up, Media, same old national - Tags: , , , , ,

Is Stacey Kirk NZ’s nastiest journalist? The Fairfax hack has just been forced to admit that she published an unsubstantiated smear against a group of women dying of cancer.

Yes, you read that right.

The target of her vile attack were the women who went to Parliament last week to try and convince the Health Minister Jonathan Colman to fund the cancer drug Keytruda. At least Coleman had the grace and common sense to acknowledge the petitioners. Stacey Kirk apparently isn’t all that interested in the hard truths these women represent.

Fairfax has posted a ‘clarification’ of Stacey Kirk’s vicious article. The original story repeated a false smear against the women, which alleged their flights to Wellington were paid for by drug company Merck Sharp and Dohme.

Further, Kirk outrageously claimed that some of the cancer sufferers had been given free treatments as an inducement to launch the campaign for Pharmac to fund the life saving drug.

The truth is straightforward. No inducements had been offered by MS&D. These brave women (and their families) paid for their own flights to Wellington. Some of them even chipped in to help fund the flights of others, because paying thousands of dollars a month to stay alive has left little in the bank for many of them.

These slurs against the women were not Kirk’s invention. The lies had been going around for a few days, presumably to back the Governments position at the time that they would not meet the petitioners. However, Stacey Kirk was the only NZ journalist stupid enough to run a story based on the smear without checking whether or not it was true. I’m told that the many of the women concerned were left distraught by Kirk’s bullshit claims.

Back in the day, when our media had standards around truth and objectivity, the golden rule was to get two sources that verified a story. Stacey Kirk has, instead, been caught peddling dirty politics as fact.

I don’t think Kirk should be sacked for this, but a warning is due.  But given that making shit up, or at least reporting on made up shit as if it were genuine news,  is pretty much the de facto position in the modern mainstream media, I won’t hold my breath. At the very least Stacey Kirk’s next article should be a humble, heart felt apology to the women she has harmed.

As well as slagging off cancer sufferers, Kirk also made up a story about internal divisions in the Labour caucus over Keytruda funding.

“It’s understood there is deep disquiet within Labour, over the issue. It’s believed some MPs and wider party members are privately unhappy with the moves to interfere with Pharmac’s purchasing model.”

“It’s understood…”.  “It’s believed …”.

These weasel words are also bullshit. Kirk and her employer may have decided to attack Labour as a diversion from the more obvious hypocrisy of the National Party. In opposition, National bellowed long and hard about the need for Pharmac to fund Herceptin. In Government, they’re happy to watch women die.

Shame on you, Stacey Kirk. Shame on you, Fairfax.

We deserve a free, fearless media, with stories anchored to the verifiable truth.

What we’ve got is Stuff all.

 

Here’s the acknowledgement that Kirk had Stuffed up, as quietly added to the amended story:

Clarification: An earlier version of this story stated that Ms Renwick had been forced to pay for most of the cost of the expensive drug out of her own pocket, but confirmed Merck Sharp and Dohme had paid for the cost of two of the treatments.  Ms Renwick has since clarified that all melanoma patients paying for Pembrolizumab in New Zealand are offered the third and fourth treatments, as well as the seventh and eighth treatments free under the drug company’s cost share programme. 

The programme is advertised on the Merck Sharp and Dohme web site and offered to private cancer clinics. Ms Renwick also confirmed she made her payments for her treatment to her oncologist and clinic, not the drug company.  

The earlier version of the story also indicated that flights down to Wellington for some patients who attended the presentation of the petition had also been covered by the drug company.  This was not correct.  The flights were covered by the patients themselves.  The error is regretted.

 

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37 comments on “Stacey Kirk’s Stuff Up ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. dv 1
    7 March 2016 at 9:40 am

    The error is regretted!!!!!

    HUH Really

    Being found out in the the lie is regretted.

    There fixed it for you.

  2. Ad 2
    7 March 2016 at 9:42 am

    +100 trp

  3. adam 3
    7 March 2016 at 9:45 am

    Well Said Te Reo Putake, I felt sick reading Stacy Kirks piece.

    Stuff up?

  4. Ffloyd 4
    7 March 2016 at 10:00 am

    THE ERROR IS REGRETTED! Don’t they make you sick? This was obviously not an ERROR. It was deliberate fabrication and she SHOULD be sacked. Sorry for shouting but why are we subjected to these mediocre, substandard hacks when we have so many talented journalists, reporters who have been taken out of media reporting circulation because of their honesty, integrity, and commitment to their trade to inform us in a clear and unbiased manner. Dita de Boni comes to mind. This person (Kirk?) along with Young and Trevvy should read some of de Boni’s work and learn how to a true journalist/writer, not a hack committed to the survival of National and the destruction of Labour. Not looking forward to from now to Election. Expecting the quality of Opinion writers, Editorial writers (usually anonymous) columnists and pet parrots Hosking and Henry to descend even further into propaganda pap in aid of Nats . And ongoing fictional demolition of Labour.

    • Wensleydale 4.1
      8 March 2016 at 6:16 am

      I don’t believe they actually care that it’s a lie. All that matters is that it gets traction, taints the issue in their favour, and then everyone goes, “Oh, it’s political. There’s an agenda here. It’s those dodgy lefties attempting to manipulate our emotions by tugging on our heart-strings again.” They have no compunction about telling bare-faced lies if it serves their interests.

  5. One Anonymous Bloke 5
    7 March 2016 at 10:02 am

    At the very least Stacey Kirk’s next article should be a humble, heart felt apology to the women she has harmed.

    …and an in-depth account of the anatomy of the lie, and the National Party liars who authored it.

  6. Sabine 6
    7 March 2016 at 10:04 am

    oh well, they regret their errors.
    Maybe the Ladies should get together and demand a proper apology for defamation and slander.

    • AB 6.1
      7 March 2016 at 3:29 pm

      No – they regret the discovery of their errors

    • Matthew Hooton 6.2
      7 March 2016 at 8:48 pm

      Read it more carefully. It doesn’t say they regret their error. They use the passive tense: “the error is regretted.” It doesn’t say who is doing the regretting. Diplomats and lawyers use this tense to avoid saying anything meaningful. I would have thought “we regret our error apologise to everyone concerned” would be more like it.

      • mickysavage 6.2.1
        7 March 2016 at 9:07 pm

        Sounds very catholic.

        So you agree that the original article was way over the top, probably motivated by National leaks and as much credence on the claim that Labour was divided on the issue should be placed as on the claim that drug companies had paid for airfares and some of Ms Renwick’s treatment?

        You will understand how this level of crap reporting makes our (lefties) blood boil.

        • Matthew Hooton 6.2.1.1
          7 March 2016 at 9:15 pm

          Claiming specific cancer sufferers were taking the coin of the drug company if they weren’t is pretty outrageous. The reference to Labour MPs briefing against Little’s decisions is accurate though. At least half a dozen letting whoever will listen know they oppose Little’s positions on TPP, student fees and Keytruda.

          [Names or you’re bullshitting. What am I saying! Of course you’re bullshitting. It’s what you do. Still, pony up or piss off. TRP]

      • CnrJoe 6.2.2
        7 March 2016 at 9:10 pm

        I hear hooting…
        “She grew more and more silent about what really mattered. She curled inside herself like one of those black chimney brushes, the little shellfish you see on the beach, and you touch them, and then go inside and don’t come out.” j.F

  7. Reality 7
    7 March 2016 at 10:10 am

    A complaint to the Press Council perhaps? These retractions are always poked away in a corner, while the untrue original article is there with big, bold headlines.

    • Sabine 7.1
      7 March 2016 at 10:44 am

      you can message Stuff.co.nz directly to let them know what you think about their ‘journalistic integrity’, and or leave a comment on the article directly.

      OF course a complaint to the Press Council would also be warranted.

    • seeker 7.2
      7 March 2016 at 1:42 pm

      Correct Reality.The only way the Press Council can act is if they receive a formal written complaint. Phone for info 0800 969 357 or go to presscouncil .org.nz

  8. Sabine 8
    7 March 2016 at 10:42 am

    actually Stacy Kirk should be fired. As a journalist doing basic research is a minimum requirement for her job and she failed miserably.

    Maybe she should go back to Journalism 101 and start all over again.

  9. maui 9
    7 March 2016 at 10:45 am

    Great piece, the people in privileged positions, as in the media who broadcast this crap to hundreds of thousands need to be held to account. I’m hopeful of the day that these vested interests disappear and the truth will reign.

  10. mosa 10
    7 March 2016 at 10:50 am

    Too late the damage is done and the aticle printed for public digestion.
    They can offer all the apoloigies they like but the editor must have signed off on this.
    They ran this story without the facts being an emotional issue and that these ladies lives are in danger is appalling what ever way you look at it and accusing the Labour party of internal dissent over this issue they are owed an apology for false information being printed’
    But that is what FAIRFAX often does is to suggest the Labour party is divided its a deliberate stratgey to make sure the public who hate dissension are fooled into beliveing that if its reported it must be true.
    Its called subversion of the truth and Fairfax arent alone in fabricating the facts for the benefit of the status quo.
    If there was any justice FAIRFAX should be censured for peddling this garbage.

  11. TC 11
    7 March 2016 at 11:05 am

    Crocodile tears and minimal spun retractions as she got caught peddling DP.

    The fact it got through sub editors to publish shouts loudly about the msm true agenda.

    Stacey needs to go back to DP camp for a reboot and get tips from the senior players like hooten and farrar…..sacking is not an option

  12. Mike 12
    7 March 2016 at 11:38 am

    The drug companies fund the lobby groups like the Cancer Society and Melanoma NZ, who in turn provide the ‘support’ and PR to patients to lobby for the drug companies’ products.
    I would have thought writers on the Standard would be opposed to corporate lobbying and PR campaigns rather than supporting them.

    [Got some evidence for that claim, Mike? I just had a look at the Cancer Society’s annual report and I didn’t see anything untoward. They seem very open about where they get their money from and the kind of research that they in turn fund. TRP]

    [lprent: Banning this fool for 6 months for deliberately creating a defamatory smear (despite the weasel word ‘like’) unless he can provide direct evidence of his claim on the two organisations he cites. I expect to see it in auto-spam sometime this week.

    The length of the sentence is directly related to their wording attempt to divert their level of responsibility for making assertions of fact using typical dirty politics weasel language. Trolls need to understand that they need to express their your opinion (which readers will make a judgement on the veracity of) or to make a clear assertion of fact with substantive links. Try to avoid doing either, and I will give a clear impression of what I feel about trying to avoid responsibility while putting this site at risk. ]

    • One Anonymous Bloke 12.1
      7 March 2016 at 11:46 am

      🙄

      I would have thought you’d be able to come up with a better diversionary smear than that; as it is you just look like you’re employing Dirty Politics in a discussion about Dirty Politics.

    • Trey 12.2
      7 March 2016 at 5:02 pm

      HaHa, I was just thinking that not even RWNJ trolls would try to dispute or spin this great post by TRP as what Stacy Kirk has done is totally indefensible but I was wrong. Brilliant.

      • North 12.2.1
        7 March 2016 at 8:00 pm

        Yeah, beautiful Trey…….but nah, bastards always gotta say it’s OK. And say and say. What goes on in their souls ?

    • mac1 12.3
      7 March 2016 at 5:13 pm

      From the NZ Cancer Society website.
      “Daffodil Day 2016 will be on Friday, 26 August 2016. Thank you for your continued support.

      Daffodil Day is the Cancer Society’s annual flagship event and one of the most important fundraising and awareness campaigns in the country. As well as providing an opportunity to raise awareness of cancer in New Zealand, Daffodil Day is a major funding source for the Cancer Society.”

      Last month I took part in a fundraiser for the local cancer society- walked 10 km and paid $40 for the privilege. Last year I attended a fundraiser where photographic prints were sold, donated by a local photographer- $200 for that privilege.

      Local Cancer society staff say that there is no governmental funding. What we raise is what we spend- with huge input from local businesses and people.

      I know. I have used their services in my successful fight with cancer.

  13. Jenny Kirk 13
    7 March 2016 at 1:50 pm

    Please note that Stacey Kirk journalist is absolutely NO relation to me !

  14. mac1 14
    7 March 2016 at 4:17 pm

    “It’s understood…”. “It’s believed …”.

    Indeed these are weasel words.

    They can only have credibility if the writer has the readers’ trust. This journalist has lost any trust with her unfounded assertions. Can we believe her when she says “It is believed?”

    With this journalist, her credibility can only be restored by hard, verifiable fact, annotated, referenced.

  15. UncookedSelachimorpha 15
    7 March 2016 at 8:50 pm

    An open and honest article on the sources and motivations of Ms Kirk’s misinformation would be some great public interest journalism, and would go a long way towards her rehabilitation. Too much to hope for probably.

  16. North 16
    7 March 2016 at 8:54 pm

    Don’t know why but I googled Stacey Kirk images and there’s this young woman. Then I read her Red Peak article and yeah nothing remarkable. Then……this…….. #@%&@#*!

    I reckon young Stacey’s got herself all cutey az with a set which is all Parnell White House or aspirational towards…….Glucina-ish if you know what I mean.

    Someone Stacey trusts or needs to ingratiate with feeds shit and wow what scoop and la la la la in our little arrogance…….coz we don’t need to check our ‘mates’ do we ? Cos’ that’d say we’re not fucking Parnell White House.

    I’d love love love to see the anatomy of the lie as some one said. Starting at gestation. This is not just ‘Stupid’.

  17. North 17
    7 March 2016 at 9:02 pm

    Then of course in the 7 photograph of result for Stacey Kirk images a pic of Judith Collins. So I could be wrong. But I think Stacey is the youngest one imaged. Poor young girl. Sucked in what ! Not having the journalisimo (invented word) to prevent that.

  18. peterlepaysan 18
    7 March 2016 at 9:06 pm

    “It is understood….it is believed” ? Whatever happened to editorial (let alone sub editorial) scrutiny?

    The chatterati are sinking into their own execrement.

    They will do anything to make headlines that sell advertising.

    They will do nothing that might reflect badly on the National Party (and the accompanying leeches).

    Fat cat business interests fund the National Party.

    The Herald, Fairfax are going to threaten their cash flow?

    I do not think so.

  19. Observer (Tokoroa) 19
    7 March 2016 at 9:55 pm

    .
    .Stacey did it for the Herald. And for the Minister of Health.

    The Herald clarified it. But what does that mean? Another Herald piece of devious poison.

    But what intrigues me is National’s ability to find a good supply of quite heinous and less than honest females. Some of them in Parliament. Some in television. Some in the Herald.

    Ungracious women, dragged from obscurity and replete with zero empathy and dark attitude. Whether its a Judith Collins or a Paula Bennett, or a Tolley or a Hekia. Felines with claws and little else.

    Why is National so shabby? Why does the Herald support every weakling within the National coven? Is it all due to the strange behaviours of John Key and Matthew Hooton et al?

    Or is it a wealth and status disease within the entire Party. Within the Media too. A kind of wealth and status syphilis?

    • Jenny Kirk 19.1
      7 March 2016 at 9:59 pm

      Certainly a type of sickness, Observer, and it appears its contagious….hopefully it won’t spread beyond the N Party and its media sycophants.

  20. Observer (Tokoroa) 20
    7 March 2016 at 10:17 pm

    .
    Yes Jenny Kirk

    This young Journo Stacey, has followed the models and the very catwalk of the women senior to her.

    Mean; cruel; dishonest; expedient.

    That’s the disgusting sickness of the Government we live under.

  21. Smilin 21
    7 March 2016 at 11:52 pm

    its all the same to Key and those who do his dumb dirty work
    Never let the truth get in the way of a well spun lie with all the credibility of a fascist- well I better not say it but Jez how long before the country revolts at this Key.
    Uno he can feel satisfied hes done a good days work for his masters when a 100 people are fired by him
    Suppose its the same when people die from not getting the best medicine or rights to it because of AUSTERITY
    And funding a govt that is over capitalised with public money to spend on PR and fuckin nothing for whats needed
    Clean your clock Key Imperialist squattocracy cunts like you died at the end of WW1.