Mike Hosking: When media ethics get assaulted from within

Thakur Ranjit Singh

Unquestionably, a casualty of 2017 election in New Zealand has been its media ethics.

FIJI PUNDIT has previously written about an issue that no mainstream media or their journalists wished to raise.

This unfortunately, is largely due to professional courtesy where those in the same profession do not wish to taint their fellow journalists. And it is also largely because of the duopoly of media in NZ, with only two major players.

However, the advent of Social Media has brought a big change. Now, some celebrated journalists in powerful media organisations, with Halo-Effect, cannot dream of being Little Gods, while assaulting the ethics of a profession that provides their bread and butter. It appears that in New Zealand such ethics and code of conducts are only confined to lecture halls of Media Schools.

However, an insignificant David took courage to challenge an award-winning Goliath on an issue about which the mass –media has adopted a stance of deafening silence.

FIJI PUNDIT wishes to raise this issue, hoping it will prick conscience of some media professors and media commentators who can gain nerve to point a rot in their own profession.

Please read on……..


Indeed, this is a David versus Goliath story. This David had earlier shot his sling at some Goliath mainstream journalists who have been shaming the Fourth Estate in the aftermath of 2017 election, unable to digest the results of MMP.

David versus Goliath: When an insignificant journalist, FIJI PUNDIT takes on the Award-Winner celebrated journalist of NZME, the great Mike Hosking, who can never be wrong.

My scepticism with media ethics was further heightened by actions of one particular award-winning journalist of New Zealand Media and Entertainment. NZME is huge media duopoly, owning NZ Herald, Newstalk ZB, among others.

NZME was launched in 2014 as the formal merger of the New Zealand division of APN News & Media and The Radio Network, part of the Australian Radio Network. It operates 32 newspapers, 8 radio networks and several websites in twenty-five markets across the country, and reaches over 3 million people. They are huge and behaviour of some of their celebrated journalists is contrary to what I learnt in media school at Auckland University of Technology (AUT).

The only confidence I get is from Commerce Commission, which is opposing a merger of NZME with Fairfax (Stuff) as this would produce a virtual monopoly in news, and cut quality. We already seem to be experiencing this deterioration from NZME. And that brings me to NZME’s hero, Mike Hosking.

The great Mike Hosking, who circulated a video (see link in article, below), where some of his erroneous claims are challenged. And I accuse him of tarnishing the image of journalists by being a spin-doctor.

He has been circulating a video under the banner of Newstalk ZB titled: “Does Labour want to sink the housing market?” It goes with his comments: “This so called ban on foreign ownership is xenophobic bollocks. It's the work of inexperienced amateurs.”

Is this an advertisement from National Party?

Or is it supposed to be a critique of an award-winning journalist who is expected to apply media ethics when publicly talking about a government which has been in power for merely a week.

He has gone on a tangent, blaming Labour for doing what National has not done in the last nine years. Therefore what has been untested should be allowed time. As a celebrated journalist of almost monopolistic media organisation, he owes a duty of care to be probing, balanced and telling the truth - and the whole truth. It appears he did not allow truth to spoil a good story.

I will only pick two issues from his very partisan video. The first was his undying reliance on government statistics which showed only 3% of buyers were from overseas. We know that National government had failed to keep any credible records, and only did so half-heartedly when forced to do so.

Phil Twyford, now Minister for Housing had warned about the 3% figures from government record as being  useless. Despite this warning and caution from Government officials, Hoskings completely relied on this questionable figure to discredit Labour and its policies. He was miser with facts, which he did not allow to spoil a good spin.

There was a warning from Officials that there were some limitations to the data and it was not an authoritative guide to the level of foreign investment in New Zealand's residential property. (NZ Herald, 10 May, 2016). The then Labour spokesman on Housing (and current Housing Minister) Phil Twyford stressed that these figures were effectively useless because of its limitations.

It also excludes trusts and businesses. A further 45 per cent of the Auckland sales were also excluded because of exemptions for those buying family homes and those who signed contracts before the law came in.

Hence the 3% was a window-dressing and nothing to rely upon. One would have expected greater degree of journalistic acumen from Hosking. In a recent Radio talkback, a director of a leading real estate cited a case where an Asian resident student owned 41 houses. So, you can guess what methods are employed to hide the true picture of foreign ownership.

The other issue in his video was about breach of free trade agreements. If Hosking had cared to read comments of a more credible journalist from NZME’s sister organisation, Fran O’Sullivan of NZ Herald, (02.11.17), he would have been enlightened:

Labour now says it was incorrect to claim the house ban could not be done without breaching other free trade agreements.

Ardern has announced the Government's chosen mechanism is to introduce an amendment to the Overseas Investment Act to classify residential housing as "sensitive".

While the previous government has been sleeping on the job, Labour has found an escape clause within 5 days of coming to power, to bring necessary changes without breaching overseas trade agreements.

Perhaps if that was not understandable to Hosking, he needs to read article by another colleague from sister organisation at NZ Herald (05.11.17). Heather du Plessis-Allan, under the heading “Labour's new broom lightweight, but sweeping clean”, had relevant revelation for Hosking:

The first to go was the notion New Zealand should be for sale to the world. National refused to ban foreign house buyers, claiming it would breach our free trade deals.

        Except, it turns out it won't, which is why Labour did it              within five days of taking office.

 Foreign buyers should have been banned years ago. Ignore the data that suggests it wasn't a problem. It was.

      The data goes nowhere near capturing what was really               happening in the housing market, especially Auckland's,            where some foreign buyers were snapping up houses sight         unseen.  

       The fact is, if we put this country on sale to the world, our          citizens will end up being outbid by foreigners every time          because we don't have their kind of cash.

What is evident to other journalist is missed by Hosking. He was very emphatic on questioning government’s objective on banning foreign buyers. You do not need to be a rocket scientist to know the reason why.

The new prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern achieved in halting house-sales to foreign speculators in 5 days in government which National could not achieve in 9 years. Where there is a will, there is way.

Whose interest is he safeguarding? The foreign buyers?

Or is he more worried about National's rich cronies being able to sell their overpriced properties at extremely high prices and untaxed profits to foreign buyers? Like Sir John selling his Parnell mansion for $20m to a Chinese buyer?
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As a responsible, credible and conscientious journalist, it is one thing to be ignorant about issues.

It is quite another to use your position in an influential media to degenerate journalism to spin-doctoring.

[Thakur Ranjit Singh is a Political Observer, Indian Newslink columnist and Media Commentator and runs his Blog, ‘Fiji Pundit.’ He lives in Auckland. Email: thakurji@xtra.co.nz]
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Labour Government:The first week of a Government with a heart

Thakur Ranjit Singh

Numerous histories were made when Jacinda Ardern’s Coalition Labour/Greens/NZ First coalition government was sworn in in Wellington, New Zealand on Thursday 26 October, 2017.

She was the first millennial PM– which is children of Baby Boomers, generally born between 1980 and 2000. A very young one at 37. The other was the carnival atmosphere at the beehive that was unprecedented for a swearing-in ceremony.

And most important history of all - a very formidable, strong and, heavy opposition in form of the National Party, which have more members than Labour. The past government was rejoicing its economic performance, its surplus and bestowing benefits to its elite supporters. However, many of their policies were bereft of compassion, generosity and heart for the vulnerable. 

The new Labour -led coalition, comprising Labour/Greens and NZ First. The government made heart-felt ripples and compassionate decisions within a week of coming to power.

No sooner had the Labour coalition government come on board, than they made ripples which reached the suffering and vulnerable public within the first week. They heralded a big culture-change in government - listening to people, being sensitive to their feeling and being a caring government. 

Among others, these are some actions of the government with a heart within a week of taking office:

Sagar Narayan- temporary stay of deportation

Sagar Narayan is an intellectually disabled son of a New Zealand citizen, who has no relatives to take care of him in Fiji. He was supposed be deported a day after the new government was sworn in. However, newly-sworn Associate Minister of Immigration Kris Faafoi confirmed he will complete an in-depth review of Narayan's case. Until then, the 20-year-old will not be deported.

Sanil Kumar, a Fijian who was "sentenced to death' by a heartless National Government which deported him to Fiji, where he died because of inadequate facilities. In contrast, Sagar Narayan's "death sentence" was averted by a Government with a heart.

This case is in contrast to Sanil Kumar tragedy in 2014 under a National Government which lacked compassion. This issue has already been covered by FIJI PUNDIT. National’s Associate Minister for Immigration, Nikki Kaye refused to budge. Sanil’s plea to NZ authorities that Fiji did not have proper facilities, and he was being sent to certain death, fell on deaf years. His prediction came true and he passed away in Fiji. National has blood on its hand.

Fortunately, we now have a government with a heart, that will not sentence sick people to death.

Teina Pora

Teina was wrongfully jailed for murder and rape of Susan Burdett in 1992. He had been behind bars for 22 years of his life. His conviction was quashed by Privy Council in March, 2015. National government approved a compensation of $2.52 million dollars. This was challenged by his team which rightfully sought the interest element for the gross injustice. This was denied by National Government.

Teina Pora, an innocent person who was wrongly convicted, and served some 20 years behind bars. National Government denied him inflation-adjusted compensation. Andrew Little, as the new Justice Minister, approved some $1m dollars for inflation.

New Justice Minister Andrew Little has revealed in his first day on the job that Teina Pora's $2.5m compensation for wrongful imprisonment will be increased to match inflation.

A government with a heart.

Pike River

The Pike River Mine disaster happened on the afternoon of 19 November 2010, in the Pike River Mine, 46 kilometres northeast of Greymouth, in the West Coast  of South Island of New Zealand. This disaster killed 29 men. Their bodies have not been recovered, and remain in the mine. The past National government refused re-entry and would have poured cold concrete at mine entrance to permanently seal it. It was saved through gallants actions of some concerned people.

Most of those who perished in Pike River disaster (27 out of 29). Their remains are still in the mine. The entry, announced and approved by Andrew Little, to be made in April will attempt to retrieve their remains and present closure to the family.

The new Government has announced entry, which among others will collect evidence as to what went wrong and retrieve any bodily remains of the miners that may be up there. The family wants closure, truth and accountability, and able to perform the last rites with the remains that would be retrieved.

The minister responsible for re-entry into Pike River, Andrew Little, hopes to get people in to the mine by April next year.

Pike River mine entrance which the past Government wanted permanently sealed

A government with a heart.

Ban of House sale to overseas buyers

What National government could not do in 9 years, Labour Coalition achieved in 5 days in government by seeking to amend laws that would stop overseas buyers speculating on our housing market without breaching trade agreements?

Where there is a will, there is a way.

Living wage

Minimum wages to gradually go up for the lowest paid workers to meet the living wage rate.

New Dunedin Hospital, Ignored Christchurch and mental health

Labour has announced new Dunedin hospital where Government will take full control and costs, and thrown out National’s public private partnership (PPP). It has announced construction in its first term.
In the aftermath of Christchurch earthquake, the city felt ignored and mental health issue was also ignored. The new Government has taken immediate new initiates to address the ignored issues. 

Satellite towns

The new Minister for Housing Phil Twyford immediately went into action and announced three satellite towns in outskirts of Auckland to decentralise the and spread out Auckland’s population. 

There was not much talk-just actions
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Phil Twyford, new Minister for Housing and Transport - a minister with very heavy portfolios. The Action-man from Te Atatu (like yours truly), has immediately gone into action to tackle housing crisis which the past government denied even existed.

Finance with a heart and conscience

The new Minister of Finance Grant Robertson emphatically mapped out finance and economic policies of the new government by announcing that it will not be about statistics that put feather in government’s caps, but action on the ground that affects the life of common citizens. 

Economic cake shared by all.

Other events after a week

- A very rewarding and successful whirlwind visit to Australia.

- Paid parental leave to gradually increase from its 18 weeks to 26 weeks by the term of this parliament.

- Teina Pora’s interest element determined to be near a million dollars additional.

Rock star Economy?

Subsequent to some of the actions above, especially extension of paid parental leave, a Newstalk ZB talkback host quipped that Labour was moving towards a socialist regime.

Whatever you call it - benefits to common people and ruling with a heart is miles better than a rock star economy which means little to poor suffering down the economic ladder.

Star of this economy had been overseas housing speculators, multi-house owners and the elite -while the rock burdened and stifled the cries of vulnerable poorer people, suffering from a government showing surplus, but under-funding basic needs like education, health and housing, among others.

The flanker and Queen-maker, Andrew Little (left) who gave the Hail Mary Pass to Jacinda Ardern who did a winning touchdown. A selfless leader, Andrew passed the baton to the lass from Morrinsville, who has done miracles in just a week of coming to power. Jacinda has established her position as Leader of a Government with heart and compassion.

This government will not take pride in economic statistics but social responsibility statistics that has been shaming our country as a developed nation.

Indeed, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity delivered to us on Diwali Night will shine light and give economic equality and social justice to all its citizens.

If the first week is a guide, then this nation is blessed with a government with a heart.

[Thakur Ranjit Singh is a Political Observer, Indian Newslink columnist and Media Commentator and runs his Blog, ‘Fiji Pundit.’ He lives in Auckland. Email: thakurji@xtra.co.nz]