Last week, the media couldn’t get enough of attacking Ray Chung. They dug up two-year-old emails like they were explosive revelations. This week, it’s Maurice Williamson in their firing line. The NZ Herald, clearly out of ideas and desperate for drama, ran a headline screaming “Exclusive: More explicit rumours about Tory Whanau – this time from Auckland councillor Maurice Williamson.”
The so-called bombshell is a Zoom recording of Williamson allegedly repeating a sexual rumour involving Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau. According to reports, Williamson claimed someone he trusts told him Whanau was caught in a sexual act.
In 2023, Stuff gleefully reported that he had left his microphone on during a remote meeting while on another call, and his private conversation involving the Tory Whanau rumours were broadcast. He immediately apologised, and the issue was settled. Yet here we are again, with the media scraping the bottom of the barrel to reignite outrage over something that was already resolved.
The real story here is how blatantly the media is being weaponised by Whanau and her political allies. Old incidents are being dusted off and fed to sympathetic reporters to discredit anyone who poses a threat to the status quo. It’s a coordinated effort to protect Whanau from criticism while framing any scrutiny as misogyny or racism. The narrative is set that she’s a “young wahine toa” who’s constantly under siege from conservative men. The reality? She’s a lightweight, middle-aged leader with no real achievements, whose biggest claim to fame is quitting drinking - which she needed to do, because she was an embarrassment on the turps.
This is how low our media has sunk. Instead of holding power to account, they act as the attack dogs for those already in power. Just watch as the OIA requests will start flying, internal emails will be leaked, and every personal conversation will be twisted into an “exclusive.” It’s pure character assassination disguised as journalism, and it only ever seems to target people on the right.
The media goes into a frenzy over a crude rumour repeated in private by Maurice Williamson, but has nothing to say about past Prime Ministers who allegedly destroyed their marriages through affairs with staffers. Or current MPs whose names are linked to swinging circles and sex scandals. The silence is deafening. The message is clear, if you’re on the left, the media protects you. If you’re on the right, they will try and destroy you.
The public is not stupid. People are waking up to how manipulated the news cycle really is. If this is how the left wants to fight, then they should be prepared for the same treatment. Closer to the election, it might be time to remind the country of everything the media has conveniently swept under the rug. This campaign of smears and selective outrage has only just begun, and it cuts both ways. Those articles have already been written and scheduled - watch this space.
Matua Kahurangi is just a bloke sharing thoughts on New Zealand and the world beyond. No fluff, just honest takes. He blogs on https://matuakahurangi.com/ where this article was sourced.
In 2023, Stuff gleefully reported that he had left his microphone on during a remote meeting while on another call, and his private conversation involving the Tory Whanau rumours were broadcast. He immediately apologised, and the issue was settled. Yet here we are again, with the media scraping the bottom of the barrel to reignite outrage over something that was already resolved.
The real story here is how blatantly the media is being weaponised by Whanau and her political allies. Old incidents are being dusted off and fed to sympathetic reporters to discredit anyone who poses a threat to the status quo. It’s a coordinated effort to protect Whanau from criticism while framing any scrutiny as misogyny or racism. The narrative is set that she’s a “young wahine toa” who’s constantly under siege from conservative men. The reality? She’s a lightweight, middle-aged leader with no real achievements, whose biggest claim to fame is quitting drinking - which she needed to do, because she was an embarrassment on the turps.
This is how low our media has sunk. Instead of holding power to account, they act as the attack dogs for those already in power. Just watch as the OIA requests will start flying, internal emails will be leaked, and every personal conversation will be twisted into an “exclusive.” It’s pure character assassination disguised as journalism, and it only ever seems to target people on the right.
The media goes into a frenzy over a crude rumour repeated in private by Maurice Williamson, but has nothing to say about past Prime Ministers who allegedly destroyed their marriages through affairs with staffers. Or current MPs whose names are linked to swinging circles and sex scandals. The silence is deafening. The message is clear, if you’re on the left, the media protects you. If you’re on the right, they will try and destroy you.
The public is not stupid. People are waking up to how manipulated the news cycle really is. If this is how the left wants to fight, then they should be prepared for the same treatment. Closer to the election, it might be time to remind the country of everything the media has conveniently swept under the rug. This campaign of smears and selective outrage has only just begun, and it cuts both ways. Those articles have already been written and scheduled - watch this space.
Matua Kahurangi is just a bloke sharing thoughts on New Zealand and the world beyond. No fluff, just honest takes. He blogs on https://matuakahurangi.com/ where this article was sourced.
5 comments:
This is another example of the media finding any excuse they can to attack conservative local government politicians. It will heat up as we approach October.
If Tori was a conservative politician there would be full exposés of her Cuba St antics, with photographs and a full investigation of what really happened in the Havana Bar.
This email has been safely locked away for a suitable time to be released. Ray is obviously seen as a danger, especially to someone as lacklustre as Andrew Little. So out it comes, Labour showing it's true colours. With plenty of support from those wanting to ride on his grubby shirttails.
Excellent. Who owns the corporate state media, controls the narrative.
Indeed, and have we seen or heard any denial that that purported behaviour didn't take place by Ms Whanau? And no phone or other device present recorded what might have happened for posterity?
Bussygate
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