I’m sorry Shane Taurima, mate you can’t run for Labour

26
7

shane_2

TVNZ report: No bias, but ‘unacceptable’ activities
TVNZ’s former head of Maori programming Shane Taurima failed to adequately disclose his political activities with the Labour Party and was guilty of using the state broadcaster’s resources for political purposes, a review has found.

Listening to the ridiculous defence by Shane Taurima for his terrible use of public resources for Labour just makes his position untenable to run as their candidate in Tamaki-Makaurau.

If Labour want to take the high ground with publicly funded elections, it can’t pick a candidate who couldn’t see the issues of using their position at TVNZ to further political ambitions.

Shane is a great broadcaster, but his decision can’t be defended and even with his broadcasting skills his inability to credibly defend his actions on TV3 tonight mean his selection would be a backward step for Labour.

In terms of who could win Tamaki-Makaurau, I think Julian Wilcox would be an excellent choice.

Sorry Shane, but if you couldn’t see the positron you were putting yourself in, it doesn’t bode well for the judgment necessary to represent.

26 COMMENTS

  1. He didn’t seem very convincing in the 3 News IV. Plus I can see Labour spin wizards groaning over how to defend ‘Secret Squirrel’ if he gets the nod.

    But neither do I see Julian Wilcox (if he chooses to put his name forward should Taurima lose out) as necessarily being a shoo-in for Tamaki Makaurau. Like Taurima, he’s a bit of a parachute – spent most of his media career in Wellington, only lived in Auckland for the last 10 years.

    Compare that to Labour’s opponent from the Maori Party. Tunuiarangi McLean is to South Auckland what Pita Sharples is to West Auckland. Given that the seat will be won in the South (Most of West Akld is in the Tai Tokerau electorate) I would suggest it makes no difference who Labour selects – it’s going to be a tough fight taking it from the Maori Party because of the strength of their candidate.

  2. Isn’t he just a member of the public until he is selected?

    Why does his job at TVNZ mean he must announce his political preferences?

    What if he wants to change his mind on his vote – would he have to let his employer know that too?

    A persons vote is supposed to be confidential – isn’t that why the screens are around the voting booths?

    Excuse any ignorance here, but I don’t have television.

  3. For the life of me … I can’t understand what’s so difficult about a politician not being up-front and honest ? They get paid so well that I find it almost incomprehensible that they’d actually need to lie and it’s usually for more money .

    Was he paid to take a fall ? Ok . That’s absurd . I take that back .

    What was his salary at TVNZ ? How much ? What was he being paid ? If he won the Tamaki-Makaurau candidacy ? What would he be earning ? If he became a Minister ? How much ?
    My question is What the FUCK was he thinking ? He’s handed not only his head on a plate to the scum who’re out there gagging for a chance to point their fat ,grubby , hypocritical little fingers in the faces of those brave enough to champion the truth but he’s just screwed over his career ? Why ? Why do that ???

    Remember dopy bill english getting caught red handed double dipping for entitlements . Why ? He’s worth millions and was drawing down a ministers salary as well ? Why ? What makes people lie and steal when they already have more than enough ?

    All Shane Taurima had to do was to not do what he did . What about that , that’s so difficult ? Perhaps he had a bowl of stupid for breakfast ?

    And he’s unapologetic . He still believes he’d be a good candidate ?

    • When i safe, secure and well paid positions for too long, some lose a sense of reality and also fair judgment, and I feel he just went a bit too far, where he should have known, to NOT go that far.

    • Country Boy asks,”What makes people lie and steal when they already have more than enough ?”
      The word “enough” isn’t in the lexicon of the nefarious rich and powerful, however much they have they want more. Proof of this can be read in the Greg Palast’s reports on the antics of the Koch brothers and Paul Singer.
      P.S. I do realise that the question was probably rhetorical!

      • At the end of the day: “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter heaven.”

        And: “Evil can only conquer, if good does nothing.”

  4. We had Phil Heatley with his credit card fling, Bill English paying back $32,000 in his housing allowance thing, Judith Collins with the awareness of a myopic sloth in a bucket of chocolate custard and Shane Taurima equalling them for plain, blind stupidity.

    I don’t expect our politicians to be superpeople but hell, how come those aspiring to such positions don’t have a basic, ordinary sense of propriety?

  5. Saw his IV on MTS tonight. I don’t think he’ll be a loss if he doesn’t win the nomination. His sincerity is see – through. I can’t see him resonating with many TM voters.

  6. I watched Shane Taurima being intreviewed on Native Affairs tonight. I was not convinced by his comments.

    If the Left is going to be consistent after it’s criticisms of Maurice Williamson and Judith Collins, then the same standards must apply to Shane Taurima.

    Otherwise we stand exposed, naked in hypocrisy.

    This is not just about “making mistakes”. God knows we all make them. I accumulated a truckload in my early adulthood.

    But Shane’s decision to use TVNZ facilities to carry out Labour Party activities was not just poor judgement – but left Labour wide open to charges of hypocrisy.

    In the on-going war against the New Right, we simply cannot afford to be dragged down to their level.

  7. Yes, Shane stuffed up something big, I am sorry to say. I always liked him, found him smart, educated and balanced, but with what we know now, he has shown very poor judgment, and given the government and their supporters too much ammunition to fire at Labour. A true disservice, in hindsight, I feel.

    Shane, take some time out, try something new, and do not stand, I suggest, it will not go down well.

    Anyway, Labour need some good alternative talent, also from worker backgrounds.

  8. Agree Shane is damaged goods. An obvious non selection. And…

    …TVNZ has used his poor judgment to ban political involvement by employees and force disclosure of any party memberships.
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/244107/party-membership-ban-for-tvnz-political-staff

    Which is a bit rich given the tory love demonstrated already by the majority of TV presenters and executives. The subtext is that Labour, Green, Mana supporters may henceforth be victimised at TVNZ and tory Nat, ACT, Conservatives given under the table encouragement.

  9. Okay so he hasn’t been granted the waiver so all over for Taurima now. Right decision I think. I guess Labour will probably throw the nominations open again. Try to get Julian Wilcox to run. I hope he thinks long and hard about it. The Maori Party definitely is in the driver’s seat in Tamaki Makaurau.

  10. Hey Bomber!

    Quite frankly, i have felt for a long time that Tamaki Makaurau needed a fresh start. While DLANZ agreed with TV1’s Corrin Dann that, examples of Shane Jones etc, would be a blow to Labour, I don’t agree that it is a blow to The Left’….an altogether misappropriated and misused term…in my opinion

    Marama Davidson from tthe NZ Green, already at No. 15 List, would be a most appropriate and well respected new Electorate MP, for a seat that had been badly let down by current and former MP’s.

    Her Whakapapa and her many good works in the same community is noted, and has been given just recognition by Media outlets, and even the likes of Shane Jones himself While I have great respect for Rangi McLean NZ Maori Party, it is obvious that it still will ‘be the same…steady as she goes’ attitude, which nobody wants.

    If we want Positive Change, and Disabled as like others require the same, then ‘smart voting’ is a key (pardon the pub). Maori are up to their necks in institutional racism as like our Tracey McIntosh / Tuhoe, is copping over Nga Pae o te Maramatanga and the monolithic and ‘Pakeha’ frameworks of Steven Joyce, ‘Peter’ Sharples .and even Tariana Turia herself.

    Maybe a trade would be; Green voters of Waiariki place Electorate (not PartY) Vote to Annette Sykes of Mana Movement. 2 Seats for change…hope this finds you well mate….our Waiata ”Water of Love” Dire Straits….keep smiling

    Doug Hay
    Cordinator DLANZ

    • Marama Davidson is very talented, no question. But I would be wary if I was the Green leadership. TM voters have already been subjected to enough parachuting attempts already. I’m not saying Ms Davidson has no affiliations to TM. She’s raised her family in Auckland. Instead, I’m thinking of the Party and it’s commitment to campaign primarily for party votes. Granted, I believe local Green electorate committees have autonomy to decide whether to put candidates forward. But given what’s happening in TM I wouldn’t recommend it. Could only look too cynical and opportunistic.

  11. TVNZ’s breakfast news reported the reason Labour shunned Taurima wasn’t because of the report. Instead it was because he hadn’t been a Party member for 12 months or more.

    Presumably that will apply to Wilcox?

    • Well it’s easier to say “because he hadn’t been a member for 12 months” – but we know the real reason is because he is not suitable for the position. Good and quick action by Labour to remove a bad seed from the crop.

      I think it will only apply to Wilcox if he stuffs up too, as is appropriate.

      Opinion.

      • Yes, this was only a TVNZ news report after all. I imagine Labour have left themselves more than enough wriggle room for a Wilcox bid.

  12. This isn’t just about Shane, it is also about the Labour Party breeding ground that is TVNZ.

    • Based on such twisted “logic”, you may as well claim then, that the Daily Blog is a “breeding ground” for ACT Party supporters, such as you!?

      Your incessant crossing the line of sensible, fact based debate here can be seen as much as a “transgression” as Shane Taurima’s use of TVNZ’s email system.

      So you have just shot yourself in the foot by trying such bizarre angles.

    • Difficult to claim TVNZ is a breeding ground for any political party. Not when it’s state – owned. But it is a political football for parties to kick around – which Labour and National have an infamous record of doing. In that environment it’s a miracle their News and Current Affairs Dept has been able to practice any sound journalism at all – which it has successfully done, for a very long time.

    • http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/shane-taurima-linda-clark-and-conflicts-interest-left-right-and-centre-dc-156106

      “Taurima had very publicly nailed his political colours to the mast. In doing so he had effectively disbarred himself from any further involvement in News or Current Affairs broadcasting with the state broadcaster. The potential conflict of interest could not have been more clear.

      Television New Zealand apparently did not see it that way. Perhaps they thought that Taurima’s failure to actually win the nomination made all the difference. He had been a would-be Labour candidate, not an actual Labour candidate. (And, as it turned out, would be again.) That rationalisation is so facile as to be laughable. Taurima was politically tainted. He should not have been re-employed in his previous role. But he was.”

      Written by Brian Edwards

  13. Surely Shane, and his supporters, must be able to see that using TVNZ resources was poor judgement at best – just stupid at worst.
    We need politicians who are smarter than Shane, or Judith Collins.
    Maybe in three years………..

  14. Kind of ironic. Will Flavell is the only confirmed Labour nominee for Tamaki Makaurau and he’s got zero publicity. ..

Comments are closed.