The Jobs Summit as propaganda

Written By: - Date published: 6:35 am, March 5th, 2009 - 6 comments
Categories: national/act government, spin - Tags:

So, the ideas suck but the jobs summit was never meant to produce recession-busting ideas. The fact is this was a propaganda stunt. A $65,000 propaganda stunt paid for with our tax dollars. And it worked brilliantly because, in a trademark move of Key’s PR team, it communicated different messages for different audiences.

The message for the media, to be passed on automatically to the public, was ‘John Key is a uniter, not a divider, he’s focused on the issues and open to new thinking’. The fact that the media hasn’t even bothered to publish the ‘top twenty’ ideas shows how willing they bought into the PR message over the substance.

The message to business was communicated by the fact that they outnumbered unions and NGOs ten to one, and by the fact that every stream and the summit itself were chaired by businessmen. And that message was ‘business is back in charge, baby’. National/ACT was telling business that the Government’s doors are open to business (and not others) and that policy would prioritise business interests. And that shows in the ‘top twenty’ the businessmen came up with. Ask yourself, how many of those ideas are really going to create jobs? And how many are about putting profits first and people second?

6 comments on “The Jobs Summit as propaganda ”

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  1. infused 1
    5 March 2009 at 7:42 am

    If anyone wants a summary:

    Businesses = Bad
    Employees = Good

  2. DeeDub 2
    5 March 2009 at 9:09 am

    One afternoon a John Key was riding in his limousine when he saw two men along the roadside eating grass. Disturbed, he ordered his driver to stop and he got out to investigate.

    He asked one man, “Why are you eating grass?”

    “We don’t have any money for food,” the poor man replied. “We have to eat grass.”

    “Well, then you can come with me to my house and I’ll look after you,” John said.

    “But sir, I have a wife and two children with me. They are over there, under that tree.”

    “Bring them along,” John replied. Turning to the other poor man he said, “You come with us, too.”

    The second man, in a pitiful voice, then said, “But sir, I also have a wife and SIX children with me!”

    “Bring them all, as well,” John answered.

    They all got in the car, which was no easy task, even for a car as large as the limousine.

    Once underway, one of the poor fellows turned to the Prime Minister and said,”Sir, you are too kind. Thank you for taking all of us with you.”

    John Key replied, “Glad to do it. You’ll really love my place.. The grass is almost a foot high.”

  3. Janet 3
    5 March 2009 at 9:21 am

    There is a very interesting view of the Jobs summit on the NZ autism website http://www.humans.org.nz

  4. Matt 4
    5 March 2009 at 9:41 am

    Due to the overly-complacent nature of the NZ media with ol’ Johnny, dissenting opinions on the summit are totally ignored and many people tend to believe that it must have been all good.

    Good on the OP for pointing out this obvious message! As well, a small but growing group of people are also standing up to the bankers and saying enough is enough; we won’t pay for your crisis!

    http://socialistaotearoa.blogspot.com/2009/02/new-left-ideology-at-door.html
    http://nzagainstthecurrent.blogspot.com/2009/03/what-is-to-be-done.html

    Just because the corportate media machine isn’t talking about it doesn’t mean there are no alternatives 🙂

    Fight back!