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Thursday, February 29, 2024

Professor Robert MacCulloch: Newshub


Is Newshub asking the same people its platform called bullsh*t liars for a bailout? How the wheel turns.

Any news outlet that does the following sort of reporting on its "Nation" show can only expect that it will be shut-down one day - no wonder Warner Bros. pulled the plug:

"Economist Shamubeel Eaqub has slammed David Seymour's comments on Budget 2022, calling them "economically illiterate" and lies about the economy".

"A leading economist says the National Party's revenue estimates on its newly proposed foreign buyers tax are "bullsh*t". Sense Partners economist Shamubeel Eaqub appeared on Newshub Nation on Saturday morning, claiming the party's numbers don't add up".


Calling ACT's Leader, who graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (in Electrical & Electronics) and Bachelor of Arts (in Philosophy) & worked in the engineering sector & the Frontier Centre for Public Policy for 5 years an economically illiterate liar? Describing National's foreign buyers tax (that I thought was sound) as "bullsh*t"? No mainstream media outlet would ever have given me a platform to use those words to describe Ardern, Hipkins, or Robertson, but were happy to give it to the other side. When those folks were in power I wrote an article about RBNZ's money printing program, querying its "competence" - the Herald deleted the line from its published version. Seems that questioning the Ardern's government's competence was no-go, but calling National and ACT bullsh*t liars was fine.

Turns out the politicians who were insulted on Newshub's platform are the ones who won the election. Reports now suggest that Newshub's bosses may be asking those very same people described as bullsh*t liars on its platform for a bailout - arguing they need it to ensure our democracy works. My view is that Newshub's staff were unhappy with the election result, having tried to swing things Labour's way. Now they're claiming to be the upholders of democracy, asking for taxpayer help so they can try bringing down the new coalition? What's the word for it? Ironic?

Sources
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/05/shamubeel-eaqub-slams-david-seymour-s-post-budget-comments-calling-them-economically-illiterate.html
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/09/top-economist-shamubeel-eaqub-slams-national-s-foreign-buyers-tax-projections.html

Professor Robert MacCulloch holds the Matthew S. Abel Chair of Macroeconomics at Auckland University. He has previously worked at the Reserve Bank, Oxford University, and the London School of Economics. He runs the blog Down to Earth Kiwi from where this article was sourced.

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