David Farrar – A Question for you please?

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With revelations in Nicky Hager’s book, “Dirty Secrets“, that far-right, blogger, Cameron Slater, has blogged-for-money and has not publicly disclosed his activities, the time has time to scrutinise the activities of another right-wing blogger – David Farrar.

Both men are closely aligned with the National Party and both have been working in cahoots with Jason Ede – John Key’s political advisor.

Slater has been blogging on behalf of tobacco companies for payment, but has not disclosed this commercial relationship. (If a Labour-aligned blogger had done such a thing, you could be assured that Slater would be all over him/her with a rabid attack.)

David Farrar has also posted blog-stories that are critical of government intervention in the liquor industries, and advocating for a more laissez-faire approach and de-regulation.

The down-side to a free market , unregulated approach to liquor and tobacco is that both are drugs and both cost the tax-payers billions annually in increasing healthcare, lost productivity, and impacting on the justice system with booze-fuelled crime.

None of this, of course, troubles right-wingers, for whom profit is paramount.

A couple of recent blogposts by David Farrar advocate on behalf of liquor  interests. The following two blog-stories were posted on his site on the same day, within one hour of each other;

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One wonders why Farrar would be so concerned at putting a health warning on alcohol?

After all, if he is a moderate drinker, it would have little effect on him. One has to ask – are his concerns philosophical or bought-and-paid for?

If the former, his “philosophy” seems very limited to immediate individualism – and not the wider needs of the community. Alcohol abuse accounts for a $4.9 billion dollar drain on our society/economy, according to a 2009 BERL report.

If the latter, he has most certainly not disclosed any financial transactions with his blogging.

Is he being paid, whether directly or indirectly by the liquor industry for his pro-alcohol blogging?

One hopes Mr Farrar can shed some light on this subject.

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References

NZ Herald: Book alleges dirty National Party politics; Key ‘not fit to be PM’

NewstalkZB: Hacker will be hard to track

TV3 News: Nicky Hager’s new book Dirty Politics will ‘shock readers’

Kiwiblog: British MPs want tobacco style warnings on wine!

Kiwiblog: Is Labour going to whack up alcohol price and the purchase age?

Alcohol.org: Alcohol Facts

Previous related blogposts

When Stupid meets Hypocrisy, the result is David Farrar

When Stupid meets Hypocrisy, the result is David Farrar – *Update*

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Above image acknowledgment: [?]

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State propaganda on TVNZ – pssst, just don’t mention the war! Er, Election!

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TVNZ’s Breakfast on 12 August, went from it’s scurrilous mis-reporting of the effigy burning, to sheer, naked propaganda. This time, Key put on a performance as a typical all-blokey cook-in-the-kitchen.

The programme host, Jeanette Thomas, opened with this statement – in-between eye-lash fluttering and schoolgirl giggling;

“We’re cooking with the Prime Minister, John Key. And this is alllll about getting to know yooou, and all the stuff that you do kinda behind the scenes, ’cause we’re not allowed to talk politics today…*giggle, giggle*”

 

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Yeah, yeah, giggle, giggle, flirt…

However, one sharp-eyed viewer made this comment on his facebook page soon after the show was over;

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Not quite the ordinary, blokey “man-of-the-people” after all, eh?

Question is, will TVNZ’s ‘apolitical’ Breakfast show allow equal time to Labour leader David Cunliffe? And will it be hosted by ‘impartial’ host, Rawdon Christie…?

Which brings us back to this slightly-more-serious-matter…

11 August – TVNZ Breakfast Show:

Note the  Breakfast host’s chatty “interview” between Rawdon Christie and Dear Leader John Key. Rawdon is all smiles and let’s Key speak without interuption;

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12 August – TVNZ Breakfast Show:

The following day, TVNZ allowed Internet Party, Laila Harré, to respond. Note the combative/defensive stance  by host, Rawdon Christie;

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Laila’s “right of reply” included at least thirteen interruptions as Christie spoke over his guest within a five minute period.

It was left to the State broadcaster’s competitor, TV3, to publish a ‘retraction’ by John Key,

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No apology from  Key, of course. Dear Leader does not ‘do’ apologies – unless it is “serious”.

It appears that media can broadcast or publish any old garbage with minimal recourse. Even when the target of a deliberate smear is given an opportunity to correct misinformation, the broadcaster’s representative will fight tooth and nail to justify their own misconduct.

We’ve seen it with the NZ Herald and the Donghua Liu Affair.

Interesting though that when Rawdon Christie first interviewed Key on this issue, on 11 August, he said,

“Another stunt, which may cause you slightly more concern, and that is on Cameron Slater’s WhaleOil site, recently…”

It should come as no surprise that Key and Christie were more than willing to take the blogger’s story at face value;

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As Claire Trevett wrote in February this year,

“[Key]...would not confirm it was Mr Slater, but said he did speak to Mr Slater “every so often,” and had called him earlier this week during which they briefly discussed Kim Dotcom. He said that did not mean he agreed with everything Mr Slater wrote on his blog. “I speak to lots of blogsters [sic].”

Such is the unholy relationship between the National Party and far-right, sleaze merchant, Cameron Slater – along with media connivance for an “easy story”.

Though this time I suspect Key and TVNZ may have ended up with some egg on their faces.

Anyone for some fried eggs’n’effigies?

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References

TVNZ: Good Morning –  John Key in the kitchen

TV3: John Key admits effigy video not linked to Internet Mana

Facebook: Hugh Fletcher‎ – Good Morning

TVNZ: Internet-Mana denies involvement in PM burning effigy video

Fairfax media: Internet Mana anger over Key effigy claims

TVNZ: Good Morning – Laila Harre attacks PM for effigy video ‘slur’

NZ Herald: PM hints tip-off came from Cameron Slater

Previous related blogposts

The Donghua Liu Affair – Damn lies, dirty tricks, and a docile media

The Donghua Liu Affair threatens to unravel – PM and NZ Herald caught up in a dirty trick campaign?

The Donghua Liu Affair – the impending final act and curtain-fall in this smear-campaign

The Liu Affair: The first step to a complaint to the Press Council

The Donghua Liu Affair: responses from NZ Herald and Prime Minister’s Office – Is the PM’s office fudging?

The Mendacities of Mr Key #6: When apologising to a victim of violence is not considered “serious”

Other blogs

The Daily Blog: Just spoke to Electoral Commission – there’s been a complaint re the Planet Key satire song, they will declare if it’s banned this afternoon

 

 

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Above image acknowledgment: Francis Owen/Lurch Left Memes

This blogpost was first published on The Daily Blog on 13 August 2014

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