First we heard they wouldn't attend the public hearing and give public evidence because they were worried about how the public might react - that some might use their videos to spread misinformation.
The Inquiry itself basically said this was nonsense because the public interest in them appearing outweighed the risk of some nutter altering their testimony video and sharing it on Facebook.
Then Hipkins fronted for a stand-up with another reason - I already answer these questions on a daily basis.
Which, again, makes no sense. If you were worried about videos being doctored of misinformation being spread, would it not apply as much to those comments in the media —which are of course videoed and published— as it would to video livestreamed from a public inquiry?
Then there's the excuses provided to Inquiry itself. They were worried about blowback from the public online, that it might turn into some sort of which hunt.
This is, perhaps, the most egregious and insulting one.
During the Covid years, they were more than happy to troll members of the public from the podium of truth.
They were more than happy to engage in a little witch-hunting of their own, be it Charlotte Bellis, the border crossers, the river of filth.
They used the media to hammer their opponents as conspiracy theorists, anointed many public enemy number ones while they were in control of the narrative.
And that's really what this is about.
Controlling the narrative. The wall-to-wall coverage and 1pm podium sermons cynically helped secure them an historic majority in 2020.
As the old saying goes, you can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.
These guys know they've been found out - most recently by that embarrassing Treasury report.
And now that they can't control the narrative, it looks like they're running for the hills.
Ryan Bridge is a New Zealand broadcaster who has worked on many current affairs television and radio shows. He currently hosts Newstalk ZB's Early Edition - where this article was sourced.
5 comments:
There should be no choice, they must attend. Many of us had life changing events during those years, all due to the decisions these politician made, they MUST be forced to front up !!!!!!
I am just so angry, they carry on their lives, all profiteering from history, its just so disgusting
I find it interesting, that "today" with A Covid Enquiry in motion, that there is a sudden interest in what those Labour Party MP's, who held Cabinet Posts in the "dying days of the Ardern Govt" and what they will and/or will not do when it "comes to answering questions put to them, on their actions during the covid period.
Why do I find it interesting, well the reason is simple -
" Why did the NZ Media then, not apply sharp questioning, whilst Labour MP's (including Ardern) stood at The Podium of Truth and spouted forth as to what New Zealanders will do (not might, could possibly) - WILL DO - to mitigate this viral issue".
OR did that same Media, then, because they had money placed in a bank a/c decide, then that such questioning would not be tolerable to the Govt, as they were 'doing' their best to counter/contain this virus"????!
Does ONE not find it interesting, that now - the media is "questioning" - just like Ryan Bridge has here, with his written opine.
No that NZ will be told this, but in America, they have 'dug deep' into what took place with how covid was managed there.
Initial findings indicate that another "player" may have had a hand in ensuring the management of covid, was to "their" betterment - ensuring the "nothing to see here factor".
I wonder if that "yard stick questioning" could/should be applied here in NZ?
Ryan you are correct in you applied thoughts, pity it was not earlier.
Covid was used by Labour for social engineering. Close the border and stop immigration, driving up the cost of everything.
The $66Billion was the cost of this experiment and it failed badly.
When the crisis was over Labour kept it going because they needed to buy time to make the changes work.
Unfortunately, they discovered that you can’t just turn a bricklayer into a software engineer or an Engineer into a nurse.
Covid was the perfect cover for the social engineering and that’s what they don’t want to admit.
Giving the finger to the N.Z. public. Grant Illingworth should issue subpoenas for all of them and have arrest warrants issued if they do not appear.
Re the media, the question is: why has the Coalition - since Day 1 in 2023 - continued to allow its biased and destructive reporting?
Why was the media not cleaned out as priority task no 1?
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