KiwiRail board director linked to NZ First donations
A newly appointed KiwiRail board director is associated with a company which donated to NZ First. Farah Hancock spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.
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RNZ News
20 minutes ago
- RNZ News
Mediawatch: Pandemic probe media focus flipped to politicians
Representatives of pressure group Voice of Freedom addressing the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid-19 response, last Thursday. Photo: Royal Commission livestream "It's the big one. The inquiry into the Covid response kicks off this morning. It looks at lockdowns. It looks at all of the things you hated most," Ryan Bridge told viewers of NZME's streaming show Herald Now last Monday morning . But the public hearings which ran all week turned out not to be such a 'big one' for the media. "I saw the Covid inquiry in the news this morning and I just thought: how long does this have to go on for?" an exasperated Lara Greaves - an associate professor in politics - told Bridge later in the same show. She's not the only one who feels that way. But the hearings were barely in the news after they got under way on Monday. On Tuesday the inquiry was well down the running order in morning and evening news shows, long after coverage of the mushroom poisoning trial in Australia. On Wednesday the possibility of moa being regenerated with the backing of Sir Peter Jackson was a bigger story for most outlets. There was a little more coverage on Thursday when anti-vaccine and anti-lockdown groups appeared, ahead of anti-conspiracy theory group FACT and immunologist Professor Graeme LeGros later on. But by the time they wrapped up on Friday the hearings had virtually vanished from bulletins. And what was said over the five days generated less coverage than questions about whether politicians would appear at hearings in future. As for "the things you hated most" - people hated different things. Asthmatic Annie Collins told the inquiry on the first day she thought lockdowns worked and saved lives, and vaccine misinformation online was the real problem. "I think that was a major flaw in our system. All those social media streams should have been blocked. They were disgusting and they were basically lies," she said. Shutting down social media channels was out of scope for this inquiry, but the chairman Grant Illingworth KC told Ryan Bridge on Monday the big decisions made at the time were certainly not. Employment relations and safety manager Paul Jarvie and Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck. Photo: Screengrab / Covid 19 Inquiry When the Herald Now host pressed the chairman about getting the big political decision-makers in front of the inquiry he said they would be invited to come and give evidence at a second set of hearings next month. When asked if former PM Jacinda Ardern would be one of them, Illingworth replied: "There are issues in relation to our powers when people are out of the country. If she's in the country, we will consider her position." He would not reveal details of specific communications, but he did say "those things are being worked through" and that "we will be fair, open and transparent at the appropriate time." That response was misinterpreted by many in the media as meaning Jacinda Ardern had been asked to attend - and either had not yet responded or that the chair would not say if she had or not. RNZ amended its reporting to make it clear the Commission said no decision had yet been made about who would appear at the August hearings. But Ryan Bridge continued to press for Ardern's appearance on Herald Now and Newstalk ZB. David Seymour - appearing as the acting PM - told Ryan Bridge the former PM should front up to answer questions about "the most significant political and economic event of this century so far." But Seymour was also at pains to point out that the inquiry is independent, and would make its own decision. That was the reason Labour leader Chris Hipkins - health minister during the period covered by the inquiry - gave on Morning Report the next day for not giving a view on Ardern's attendance. Hipkins also dodged a question about whether he'd discussed the issue with Jacinda Ardern herself. On Herald Now on Tuesday, Chris Hipkins confirmed he was cooperating with the inquiry, but equivocated on whether he himself would appear before it in August. He also made it clear he really didn't fancy what he thought had become a political process. "The terms of reference specifically exclude decisions made when New Zealand First were part of the government. So I think that the terms of reference have been deliberately constructed to achieve a particular outcome, particularly around providing a platform for those who have conspiracy theorists' views," he said. NZ First demanded the inquiry when forming the coalition government in 2023. The party even invoked 'agree to disagree' provisions in that agreement when National persisted with the first Royal Commission the Labour government had already launched. The second phase opened this week with new commissioners and expanded terms of reference, which meant that fringe voices opposed to the vaccine mandates, and in some cases the vaccine itself, would be heard this time and heard but not cross examined. "It seems to have been specifically written into the terms of reference that they get maximum airtime," Hipkins told Herald Now , adding that some of those given a platform had inspired the occupation of Parliament in 2022, where platforms for gallows were built - including one with his own name on it. One of the groups that prompted the occupation was the anti-vaccine, anti-lockdown group Voices for Freedom. The group's Facebook page was taken offline in 2021 for what the platform said was "misinformation that could cause physical harm." "You seriously expect the people of New Zealand to accept that deaths being reported internationally (in 2020) were not genuinely from Covid?" Grant Illingworth KC asked them on Thursday. "We're not disputing that there were deaths. We're simply saying that it gets very complex, especially when people are being funded in order to tick a box to say that a death was caused by Covid," VFF co-founder Claire Deeks replied. Voices for Freedom is also promoting a Face the Music campaign pressing the inquiry's commissioners to summon Jacinda Ardern and others and "hold them accountable for their COVID abuse." Their online petition depicts Jacinda Ardern, Chris Hipkins, Sir Ashley Bloomfield all shoulder-to-shoulder in a courtroom dock. It's not exactly in tune with the evidence-gathering and non-adversarial approach of this Royal Commission's mandate. But others in the media weighed in behind the idea. "It is actually bizarre that we are having a Covid inquiry without Dame Jacinda's participation. She owes it to Kiwis to front up," Stuff's 'good news' correspondent Patrick Gower declared on Wednesday. That was triggered by Sir Ian Taylor's open letter to Jacinda Ardern last weekend - also published by Stuff - accusing Ardern of turning her back on the nation of five million for "a waka for one." But the same day The Post had reported a spokesperson for Dame Jacinda Ardern said she would provide evidence to the Covid-19 inquiry if asked - and "discussions were ongoing about the best way for it to occur." "Fact: Ardern has agreed to give evidence to phase two of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Government's response to Covid-19," The Herald's Fran O'Sullivan stated bluntly this weekend. "There is room to examine all of this dispassionately - not try to (figuratively) hang her again as the more deranged attempted when they wheeled out their noose on Parliament's grounds." For all the urging in the media, the story has actually been the same since March when the inquiry issued a minute , making it clear it could not take a legalistic or adversarial approach. "The commissioners expect that individuals will be prepared to attend interviews with them and or officers of the inquiry on a voluntary basis," the minute stated, regarding interviews with decision makers. "The interviews may be conducted online or in person, recorded and may be transcribed for the public record." In the end opinions about a point that was mostly moot overshadowed the coverage of what the commissioners were actually told in five days of public, livestreamed hearings. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
ACT rally to focus on supermarkets, free speech, economy
FOR SUNDAY AM ACT is holding their annual rally on Sunday in Auckland. Shown: ACT leader David Seymour at last year's rally in Auckland. Photo: RNZ / MARIKA KHABAZI The ACT Party is hosting its annual "Free & Equal" rally in Auckland, as it takes stock of the first half of its term in government and unveils a policy to help competition in the supermarket sector. ACT leader David Seymour said the Sunday event was a chance to look back at what had been achieved, as well as forward towards "what New Zealand needs from us and from the government over the next 15 months". But speaking to RNZ, he rejected the notion it marked the start of the election campaign, saying the best campaigning is simply doing "our job in government". The rally will feature policy updates from ACT ministers and MPs, as well as a keynote speech from Seymour, currently deputy prime minister, and an international guest speaker that is causing concern for a group in Pōneke. ACT MP Cameron Luxton will MC the event, and ACT ministers due to speak are Brooke van Velden, Nicole McKee, Karen Chhour, Andrew Hoggard and Simon Court. Updates will include outlining progress on crime, economic reform, and reducing regulatory burdens, as well as on the government's policy programme. This will be an opportunity for the party to outline to its supporters the progress made while in government, and look ahead to the second half of the political term. The party will also outline its policy to tackle the lack of competition in the supermarket sector, which will likely look at cutting red tape to help overseas players get a foothold. Seymour said the coalition was elected to tackle the cost of living, crime and co-governance, and added that the country now faces a "challenge with health." But he said in each of those areas the government could point to "significant progress", while acknowledging there were still "substantial challenges" - particularly around the cost of living. "Our challenge is to see economic growth occur so that salaries grow in a real way, keeping up with the increase in prices they've faced." Asked whether - like NZ First - the halfway point was an opportunity to turn into campaign mode, Seymour said no, because it was "important that we do our job in government." "That's the best campaigning that you can do," he said. Seymour acknowledged there would be a different set of issues in 2026 than what was present in 2023, and if that wasn't the case, "it means that we haven't done a very good job of addressing the tasks they gave us". "So we do need to start thinking about the next election, but it's not here yet." In terms of what ACT supporters had been indicating the key issues were, Seymour said there had been "six years of long trouble" starting with the terror attacks in 2019, the Covid-19 pandemic, then inflation and high interest rates, recession and unemployment. "Now we face, probably the most uncertain geopolitical situation in several generations. "What we need is some hope to stop scapegoating, to start problem solving, really rally together as the pioneering nation that we can be so that we can address some of those long term problems around productivity, healthcare, cost of living, and really just having a sense that now we're getting somewhere." Last year, the rally was sold out and broadcaster Paul Henry's keynote speech had more than 200,000 views online. ACT described its annual gathering as an opportunity to connect with supporters, outline the party's policy direction, and foster open debate on the country's future. The latest RNZ Reid research poll, taken after the release of the Budget in May, had ACT down 2.8 points to 6.8 percent . More recently, the Taxpayers' Union-Curia Poll, published on Thursday, showed ACT on 9.1 percent , unchanged from their last poll in June. There will also be an "international guest keynote" from Dr James Lindsay, an American author, mathematician, and "prominent advocate for free speech". "Dr. Lindsay is one of the world's leading lights in challenging ideological extremes," Seymour said. "His insights on defending free expression and liberal values are especially relevant in New Zealand today." The Pōneke Anti-fascist Coalition has raised concerns about the ACT party hosting Lindsay, claiming he peddled harmful conspiracies and held radical views. The group was founded in 2022 following the occupation at Parliament. Since then they've organised various rallies and community events to show opposition to "far right ideas". A member of the group, Anne Campbell, said she was concerned the party had invited Lindsay to "rark up their base" and pointed to an article on the Southern Poverty Law Centre website outlining claims by Lindsay. The SPLC was established in 1971 to carry on work from the civil rights movement in the United States of America. Its website states it works in partnership with communities to "dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all people". The SPLC article highlighted statements by Lindsay, including reference to the pride flag as "the flag of a hostile enemy": Screenshots show a tweet under Lindsay's handle @ConceptualJames. Lol what? It also highlighted a post on social media by Lindsay from 2023, saying "Drag Queen Story Hour is an initiation rite into the cult of Queer Gnosticism". Drag Queen Story Hour is an initiation rite into the cult of Queer Gnosticism. The tweet linked to a podcast on Lindsay's website stating "Queer Theory is the doctrine of a cult". The synopsis for the podcast told listeners to join Lindsay to "understand our danger." "This discussion will not only lay Queer Theory bare for the social-spiritual cult belief system that it is, but it will also make sense of the destructive phenomena like sexual graphic novels in our school libraries, Drag Queen Story Hour, and the relentless push for queer and trans everything into all aspects of our culture. Join him to understand our danger." Campbell said it was "really troubling" to bring these ideas into New Zealand and further "stoke that kind of hatred". She acknowledged Lindsay may not directly be "doing damage to minorities himself" but said it was "poisoning the well of political discourse and turning it further right". Seymour told RNZ he admired Lindsay's book Cynical Theories and met him while he was in New Zealand earlier in the year. "We got together, and we hit it off, and I think he's a very thoughtful and decent person." The Free Speech Union hosted Lindsay for a speaking tour earlier this year , where he also appeared on TVNZ's Q+A . In response to the concerns of the Pōneke Antifascist Coalition Seymour said he did not agree with the description of the pride flag as an enemy flag. "I march in the Pride Parade most years myself, so I wouldn't say that I agree with this. I wasn't aware that James Lindsay had said that. "If he has, it doesn't really bother me, because I've got lots of friends I disagree with, and I think it's healthy. "If I agreed with everything that everybody I associated with had ever said, we'd have a very boring place or maybe no friends." In regards to the claims about Drag Queen Story Time, Seymour said parents could decide for themselves who read stories to their children. "I don't really know why anyone else would think it was their business." The concerns were coming from a "pretty obscure extreme left so-called Anti-Fascist group," Seymour said. "They're entitled to their view, but I'm certainly not going to let them define what I think," he said. "People are a little tired of cancel culture and ideological purity tests." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
The House: The other MPs at Youth Parliament
Photo: VNP/Louis Collins Despite being a non-sitting week, last week Parliament was brimming with political intrigue and drama due to Youth Parliament, which occurs once each Parliamentary term, and involves each and every real MP selecting a young person from their electorate to represent them at the event in which participants recreate Parliament. Minister for Youth James Meager described the event as an opportunity for youth to "learn about effective advocacy and how they can play a role in the decision-making process in the country". Some may dismiss Youth Parliament as a tokenistic charade for swotty debating students. After being a fly-on-the-wall for the two days, it is clear that the event's impact runs far deeper. You can listen to The House's audio story from Youth Parliament at the link above. Youth MPs experience a number of Parliamentary procedures. Among them, the General Debate probably makes for the best watching. This isn't your typical secondary school speech competition about uniforms in schools or whether pineapple belongs on pizza. Instead, these speeches are often well-researched, compelling, and have a raw, unfiltered passion. Tanvi Upreti, Youth MP for National's Tom Rutherford, decried the lack of civics education in New Zealand schools, which she said led to young people making uninformed decisions at the polling booth. Photo: VNP/Louis Collins "Voting without understanding is not empowerment. It is a cause of silence. It is a manipulation. It is an illusion of our choice," Upreti said. Photo: VNP/Louis Collins Although strictly speaking, Youth MPs are non-partisan, representing their community rather than a party, it was clear some of them shared similar concerns as their older counterparts. One such example was Youth MP for Labour's Ginny Anderson, Tautalaleleia Sa'u. If you closed your eyes, you could have easily been listening in during a strong General Debate speech from any given sitting week. Photo: VNP/Louis Collins "Tax cuts for landlords, tax cuts for tobacco companies. But who's paying for it? People like my parents. People living in garages, cars, and overcrowded homes. We are paying for it with our dignity. Cost of living? No, it's the cost of breath, cost of seeing tomorrow, cost of the future, cost of who's going to eat and who isn't. Mr Speaker, at what cost will rangatahi have to pay to live a simple life?" Photo: VNP/Louis Collins At every Youth Parliament, there seems to be some sort of controversy. You may recall a hullabaloo about mask wearing during the 2022 event, and action for lowering the voting age. This time, the contention was over what some participants perceived to be censorship of speeches by the government (through the Ministry for Youth Development). Photo: VNP/Louis Collins A recent fixture of Youth Parliament is the Youth Press Gallery, a separate group of 16-24 year olds who get soundbites on the tiles and cover proceedings from the gallery. "I definitely have enjoyed just seeing the behind-the-scenes, it's kind of humanised a lot of the MPs," Youth Press Gallery member Jonathan McCabe said. Photo: VNP/Louis Collins It seemed it wasn't just the Youth MPs who had concerns around censorship. Youth journalists Reuben Smith and Aleksandra Bogdanova said, "[it's] felt like every story… that we have to publish, we have to send over to the ministry to have a look over. And though it's intended to help us, it does come with some consequences." Photo: VNP/Louis Collins Smith and Bogdanava are students of the NZ Broadcasting School at the Ara Institute of Canterbury. Both said their brief taste of press gallery life had reinforced their interest in being a part of the fourth estate. "It's a reminder of the democratic importance of free… journalism. Not something that is funded and sieved through the government." Photo: VNP/Louis Collins When asked about the accusations of censorship, Minister for Youth James Meager called it a bit of a misunderstanding, adding that "all of the Youth MPs and the Youth Press Gallery were entitled to say what they felt like they needed to say. Part of our role and part of the Ministry's role in running this programme is to make sure that all the participants are safe in what they do and say. And look, they don't have the protections in the same way that politicians do in terms of privilege and in terms of protection from legal action. So just trying to support them and guide them and provide recommendations about what they might want to do, to amend their speeches here and there, but ultimately it's up to them as to what they say." Photo: VNP/Louis Collins Youth MPs also had a go at scrutinising the government through a mock Question Time session, which Meager was involved in. Youth MPs weren't afraid to express dissatisfaction if they thought an answer wasn't up to scratch. Photo: VNP/Louis Collins While there was probably just as much back and forth shouting in the chamber as there is in Parliament proper, several of the MPs I talked to noted the collegiality of their colleagues, telling me that arguments were almost always made in good spirit. Youth MP for Catherine Wedd, Chris Proctor, said "the biggest thing I learnt is that politics isn't always like what you see in the media. I feel like sitting in the house. We felt a lot more unified than what it could look like from the outside. I think everyone's in there for the right reasons, representing their community." *RNZ's The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament's Office of the Clerk. 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