Some Media give the rest a bad name

If Jo Moir was correct on RNZ Morning Report yesterday when she claimed that Christopher Luxon had acted early to nip things in the bud, rather than allowing issues to drag out like she claimed Labour did - then why did Luxon wait for four weeks after Chris Hipkins called upon him to sack Penny Simmonds from his cabinet?

Moir's narrative does not square with the facts.

On 19 March 2024, Nicola Willis called in Simmonds along with officials for an urgent briefing after carers for those with disabilities were blindsided by news of cuts to respite care.

This came after Labour and TPM had asked Simmonds what she would say to people who had written to them about this.

The next day 20 March, 1 News reported that Chris Hipkins said :

"One of the most "reprehensible" things was Simmonds' comments yesterday where she "belittled" disability support carers. Suggesting that they are living the high life using that funding that is provided for those with disabilities on themselves instead of caring for those who have the disabilities." - Chippy

Chippy said he hoped Simmonds would reflect on the comments and apologise to carers.

At this point around 20 March 2024 - if Luxon had sacked Simmonds - then Jo Moir's remarks may have had some credence. The sacking would have been early and before any calls were made for Luxon to act, but Luxon did no such thing.

Instead on 20 March Luxon repeatedly dodged questions about whether the Minister for Disability Issues asked for more funding to meet the shortfall by claiming there was a budget process coming up...and Gerry tried to help Luxon to get away with not answering.

Jo Moir must have known about this evasion by Luxon ( hiding behind a budget process ) at the time, along with the rest of the Press Gallery but there was no coverage about this - certainly no headlines.

The week dragged on until on 27 March, it took Labour's Chris Hipkins to call for the slack and evasive Luxon to sack Simmonds like he damned well should have earlier.

The 1 News Headline screamed on 27 March 2024 :

"Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds should be cut from Cabinet, Labour leader Chris Hipkins said this morning, slamming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's handling of a row around recent changes made to disability funding." - 1 News.

Jo Moir must have read that, along with Claire Trevett and Audrey Young, Thomas, Duplicity Allan and all the rest of the Luxon pom pom team who now claim Luxon acted early and sent a strong message.

If Luxon was nipping things in the bud early - then he would have already have acted - or at least acted in the following days in late March 2024 - but what did he do?

Luxon stood by Simmonds and nothing about her portfolio became any more complex than it already was in late March.

The Press failed to ask Luxon anything about Simmonds in Post cabinet press conferences on 18 March and 25 March but on 8 April - the media were concerned about an alleged closure of the Suicide Prevention Office and asked Luxon about the shocking lack of communications :

" Media

This is the second time though, that something’s happened - it happened with Penny Simmonds and the disability carers allowance. Are you happy with what’s happening, the communications with the Ministers and the ministry?

PM:

Yes, we’ve got a big Government with lots of programmes and lots of expenditure and lots of change happening, and I think our Ministers are doing a very good job of actually being on top of the detail of it. "

Hardly a strong leader, acting early to nip things in the bud, more like how he actually rolls and fails to lead.

Luxon headed to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines on 14 April - 20 April, along with Fran and others and media praised his energy levels as he returned empty handed to a ticker tape parade of praise from the pom pom team.

Luxon waited a further four days till Wednesday 24 April - the day before Anzac Day - to act about Simmonds nearly a month after Chris Hipkins had first called for him to do so.

NZME wasted no time dressing this up as strong and fast and early - and surgically removed Hipkins remarks about Luxon being slow and late to act - while Audrey awarded Hipkins a brickbat for daring to criticise Luxon for sacking Simmonds - when Hipkins had called for it himself.

Audrey seemed to have deliberately misconstrued the issue and hidden the matter of late timing as nearly all the pom pom team joined a chorus about how Luxon had acted swiftly and early.

Joe Moir speculated yesterday about what Luxon probably thought when making the decision - and her imagined suggestion was "not to be slow like Labour" and how he probably saw that - and got in much earlier and got it done.

Moir said it sends a message that bad behaviour is a sackable offence - but not for coalition partners as she remarked that Jacinda never tackled Winston neither.

In the same chat on RNZ - Trevett fluffed up Goldsmith saying he has started off well by giving a patsy interview to the NZ Herald in which he did not say much and how has has a level head on his shoulders and has experience in commerce ( don't mention the $$Billion holes ) - and how Lee was sacked cos her paper did not pass muster - and how with Goldsmith the whole of Government will have to agree.

Stuff reported most things pretty well, 1 News have improved but still have a bad day, Newshub - although a bit self interested have hit the mark most of the time - but woe is the NZ Herald and woe is Joe Moir at RNZ...

Just stick to the facts

It's all the public are asking for

Some media are dragging down the trust in the whole media and now trust is in free fall as just 30% of New Zealanders trust media.

The neoliberal NZME chaired by Barbara Chapman needs to get it's Act ( no pun ) Together - and the NZ Initiative needs to keep it's fingers out of the media landscape.

Some Media give the rest a bad name

Morena

G