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Political editor Audrey Young blogs from Parliament
Corrections, retractions and rubbish
3:24PM Thursday March 6, 2008
There is a certain amount of rubbish being pedalled by the Engineering Printing and Manufacturing Union about the Herald's involvement in the saga over whether or not John Key told the Bay Report in Northland he wanted wages to drop.
National secretary Andrew Little is entitled to ask questions but they should be based on facts.
Amid many questions in a press statement today headed "Has National muzzled the press?" he asks why the Herald is publishing a "correction" ahead of a Bay Report "correction" on the story.
That is false.
A story appeared in today's Herald under the joint byline of Claire Trevett and myself. It is not a correction but a legitimate follow-up on a running story.
It was the result of me having observed in the House two things: John Key on Tuesday, and Bill English yesterday, saying that the paper in question, the Bay Report, would be retracting, and Michael Cullen saying that Key had tried to bully the newspaper into sacking the reporter.
Those comments were worthy of further inquiry and I asked Claire to make them. She did and wrote that part of the story that appeared in a joint story on Key cock-ups this week.
The Herald was actually first to cover the claims about the John Key and lower wages story after Labour had been on the case for a few days, and that was at the suggestion of the Herald editor.
Something else to keep a little perspective on this saga - what was run today in the Bay Report itself was a "clarification",not a correction or a retraction.
It would suit National, Labour and the EPMU if it were a correction, but any fair reading of the "Point of clarification" would see that the paper is not disowning the reporter's transcript. It is is saying that if what Key had said left the impression he wanted to lower wages, that would be incorrect.
There is quite a difference.
"From an examination of the interview, and the context of the comments made by Mr Key in relaitons to the loss of skilled workers from New Zealand to Australia, the Bay Report now accepts that was not intended and that impression would be incorrect."
No correction. No apology.
There wouldn't be a journalist or news outlet in the country that has not been lobbied by politicians about a story they have taken exception to. Labour does it too.
I have it on very good authority that Broadcasting Minister Steve Maharey rang the chief executive of Radio New Zealand (yes, management) last year because he was so pissed off at an interview conducted by Sean Plunket.
The problem with this Key wages story from the start is that the transcript of what Key said appears to be contradictory. Key does say he wants to see wages drop but in the next breath he says he wants to see them rise.
Key was recorded by the Bay Report reporter in a Kerikeri cafe last year as he was talking to the Kerikeri District Business Association President, Carolyne Brooks-Quan. Key knew he was being recorded by a reporter. The political backdrop is that Key has repeatedly said he wants New Zealand wages to rise.
What the transcript says it this (the tape has been wiped):
Brooks-Quan: There's been a lot surrounding the exodus of people to Australia that are lured by higher wages. There are some calls here for employers to pay more. What's your take on that?
Key: We would love to see wages drop. The way we want to see wages increase is because productivity is greater. So people can afford more. Not just inflationary reasons, otherwise it's a bit of a viscous circle as it come back to you in higher interest rates. We really want to drive that out.
Not what you would call and open and shut case, is it?
Comments
Excellent, Audrey. Nothing like getting the direct quote (although I doubt he said 'viscous'). He is right about the productivity. Election year is going to be full of misquotes and mud-raking no doubt - especially if Labour follow the advice of Matt McCarten. It is really easy to tell those who are committed to democracy and genuine freedom as opposed to ideology. They don't advocate 'spin', confusion and character assassination as a way of influencing the electorate but rely on policy and the facts of daily life. Keep it going.
For goodness sake - we've all read the article and can see quite clearly Key's statement that he 'would love to see wages drop'. And we know that the paper / journalist stood by the story initially but have since been gagged. And if not gagged, then let's hear from them, for the sake of fairness and balance .
This has gone from what looked like a story about Key blundering and revealing old National party ideology is alive and well - and then blundering by offering various excuses for the statement (he mean't Aussie wages [spare us], he couldn't remember etc.) - to something much more serious. Gagging of journalists after Key has a word to the APN? If Key had come out with one, straightforward response to the article initially - the sort of thing that is quite easy when you are telling the truth - this story may never have picked up quite the traction it has. I think it would be fair to assume that not all journalists are forelock tugging lapdogs - and that Key has likely bought into a bit of trouble with any who take the notion of freedom of the press even halfway seriously.
What a mess this man makes of things.
Some advice for the EPEU.
Caught out by EFA snafu,
when making leg'slation,
for Nat spiflication,
make sure it ain't aiming at you.
Andrew Little should concern himself with the facts before making a fool of himself.
MEL: to be fair to the EPMU, the press release refers several times to the fact it represents journalists. In fact Andrew Little issued the press statement as the head of the journalists' union.
TIM: thanks for the compliment. I totally agree about Clark's skill in the global arena. She is not only way ahead of what Key would be, with her experience, she is one of the best in the world.
zPete: Who knows? There is plenty of scope for the unions to rip into Key on what he has actually said, rather than something we'll never know about.
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