Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Taxpayers' Union: still stupid, cynical and dishonest

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  • MxDEJ,

    That Herald link is 404ing and the story seems to have disappeared. I guess they realised, a little too late, that it was all bullshit?

    Hamilton • Since Feb 2012 • 24 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to MxDEJ,

    Who was the Herald 'journalist' credited with the story?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew Geddis, in reply to MxDEJ,

    Yep – the “story” came down off the Herald website in remarkably quick time. It always was a cross-post from this still extant Newstalk ZB piece (http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/politics/nz-taxpayers-money-used-to-fund-clinton-foundation/ ).

    But I’m guessing that with all the “synergies” and “cross platform content” stuff, editors actually checking that a story is accurate before posting it up takes second place to potential clicks.

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2007 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to MxDEJ,

    Attachment

    That's how it looks, yes.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • MxDEJ, in reply to Sacha,

    Who was the Herald 'journalist' credited with the story?

    Alica Burrow

    Hamilton • Since Feb 2012 • 24 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew Geddis, in reply to MxDEJ,

    Alica Burrow

    She isn't a Herald reporter - she works for Newstalk ZB.

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2007 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to MxDEJ,

    Alicia Burrow

    Who I presume works for NZME. I don't want to bash a single journalist, though. This is really systemic.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    They know this is aid money for an ongoing development project and they know quite well they’re constructing fake news

    They should also know that successive New Zealand Governments have been done this in partnership with non-governmental organisations for decades – and many which weren’t even close to being as thoroughly audited and scrutinised as the Clinton Health Access Initiative. But yeah, dudes, don’t let your Hillary Derangement Syndrome – and let’s be blunt that’s all this is – get in the way of a good story. Or actually save lives, even if they’re black people you don’t really give a shit about.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Ah. Turns out NBR reported the same story more accurately last September – but still missed the fact that the project had been announced by all parties two years before.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    I don't want to bash a single journalist, though. This is really systemic.

    Yes I realised after I wrote that. Main problems are pressure on often junior journos to file stories fast - and lax, unethical oversight from editors and publishers.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    Presumably, the Taxpayers’ Union noticed that New Zealand was on the list and on Noveber 11 fired off an OIA request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

    Or presumably they were fed the story by the Israeli embassy, given the shoe horned in cheap shot at our recent security council resolution? The Israeli government has vowed to ’punish” us, I expected all sorts of planted fake news stories like this from Israel’s astroturfing Quislings and dupes to start popping up all over the place.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    The Herald has replaced the original story with a rather more seemly one, attributing, rather than endorsing, the TU's claims.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Brent Jackson, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    Or possibly they were fed...

    Fixed that for you ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 620 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens, in reply to Brent Jackson,

    Gawd that is what I meant to say!

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • eszett, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    Hanlon's Razor: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity,"

    I don't think we should distract from the farce that the TPU is by peddling some obscure conspiracy theories, which will only be used by them to obfuscate any criticism

    Since May 2009 • 10 posts Report Reply

  • eszett,

    Curious whether DPF will push the story.
    As the "founding father" of the TPU he quite likes to push the "scandals" they have uncovered.

    Since May 2009 • 10 posts Report Reply

  • SHG,

    I don't get why this is an issue again in January 2017, especially featuring words like "it has been revealed" as if this was some dark secret that we've only just learned. The CHAI donation and discussion of it was covered by the NBR at least THREE TIMES last year:

    https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/taxpayers-will-continue-funding-clinton-foundation%E2%80%99s-flagship-jw-p-194939

    https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/government-should-have-never-funded-clinton-foundation%E2%80%99s-flagship-%E2%80%93-seymour-jw-p-194952

    https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/mfat-under-fire-donations-clinton-linked-charity-jw-p-196621

    Hell, even the nutty conspiracy sites had blown their loads by the first week of November:

    http://uncensored.co.nz/2016/11/05/nz-taxpayer-funds-pledged-to-shady-clinton-charity/


    Why is this a thing in the Herald now in the second week of January?

    nup • Since Oct 2010 • 77 posts Report Reply

  • Anne Elliot,

    I similarly could not believe my eyes this morning when the NZHerald had this as their top news. I was really angry the media would post this in the first place, but especially without their own commentary. This is hardly journalism. There was no place to make a comment. Interesting to see it gone on a flash! Clowns on both sides: the charming Mr Williams and a NZ Herald journo.

    Middlemarch • Since Jan 2017 • 1 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Anne Elliot,

    It's her editors, to be fair. That piece of copypasta crap should never have been published if media were still operating to any professional principles.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Taxpayers’ Union follow-up, triumphantly nickel-and-diming the side issue of CHAI’S relationship to the Clinton Foundation – and not even attempting to defend the original wild claims about aid money being “diverted” for political ends.

    Jordan Williams then told me on Twitter that he didn’t have to defend any claim about the use of the aid budget because “given the brouhaha in the US, I don’t need to.”

    I think it’s pretty clear that these people don’t give a shit what they say.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to eszett,

    As the "founding father" of the TPU he quite likes to push the "scandals" they have uncovered.

    Sheesh. Who do you think creates them?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Of course not. You can see why people might resort to physical violence against privileged establishment shitheads like that.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Ignoring the timing of funding commitments and election campaigns may be convenient for evil astroturfers but don't training courses still instil the basic 'Ws' in journos?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Greg Presland, in reply to Russell Brown,

    I think it’s pretty clear that these people don’t give a shit what they say.

    They seem to think that Trump's success allows them to review what is morally acceptable.

    Waitakere • Since Nov 2006 • 7 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Russell Brown,

    I think it’s pretty clear that these people don’t give a shit what they say.

    And they're still no less selective about their targets. Wonder how they'll react when Trump gets a tad too crony capitalistic and statist for their liking?

    That said, the media deserves brickbats for even giving them oxygen to start with.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

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