Stopping Taxpayers’ Union and Hobson’s Pledge from spreading disinformation hate isn’t a free speech issue

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The Taxpayers’ Union and Hobson’s Pledge have both had their misinformation adverts pulled from the NZ Herald, the hysteria this is generating amongst the astro-turf Free Speech Union and Taxpayer’s Union is glorious.

Feast on their snowflake tears…

New Zealand Taxpayers' Union Inc.

Hi Martyn,

This note is longer than usual, but a really important issue to do with the Taxpayers’ Union’s ability to do its job and communicate with the public.

- Sponsor Promotion -

I know a lot of New Zealanders are concerned about media ‘bias’ or capture. It’s become clear that it’s now affecting not just newsrooms, but the advertising arms of our large media companies – almost all of whom take taxpayer money. We think the only solution is a Parliamentary Bill to stop editorial preference being applied to paid advocacy or political advertising. We are fundraising so we can instruct our lawyers to draft a bill and to campaign for MPs to pass it.

They went for Hobson’s Pledge, now the Taxpayers’ Union is having ads censored

Ads cancelled

As a result of the brouhaha about the “one law for all” group, Hobson’s Pledge, placing an advertisement in the NZ Herald, the ability of the Taxpayers’ Union to book advertising with NZ’s largest newspaper company – and speak directly to the public on matters the media aren’t necessarily covering – is under threat.

…stopping Taxpayers’ Union and Hobson’s Pledge from spreading misinformation and disinformation in the NZ Herald is NOT a freedom of speech issue, it’s an advertising issue.

Advertising is covered by a standard, these adverts do not meet the standard.

It’s funny that there is more regulation in the adverts the NZ Herald can use vs the toxic copy they publish!

Attempting to claim this is a Free Speech issue shows what easily triggered snowflakes the Taxpayers’ Union and Hobson’s Pledge have suddenly become because they can’t get their subjective falsehoods published in the paper and just have to rely on the editorial instead.

Boo hoo.

This isn’t Free Speech, it’s Paid Speech and the Taxpayers’ Union and Hobson’s Pledge don’t have a leg to stand on.

 

22 COMMENTS

  1. Didn’t think anyone read the herald very much these days, and advertising on these platforms I would’ve thought would be a waste of money.

    • Good still expose these cunts for the persistent Maori disinformation they’ve been peddling since their inception into our country 1863 promoting the Waikato invasion.

  2. The herald loses here.
    The left hate them for running the advertisement, now the right hate them for playing political games.
    They were happy to run union attack ads against Luxon in the election.

    Another nail in the coffin of a failing entity.

    • The line ZB Trolls like KeepCalm are using is a false one.

      Hobsons Pledge and Taxpayers’ Union were spreading misinformation – the Union advert turned out to be completely true

  3. Maori party citing a holocaust/genocide of maori with ridiculous rhetoric because of a policy or two reigning in tax payers money, from maori departments.
    Or is it only dis/misinformation if uttered by non-maori?

    • You forgot the word “unchallenged” which is probably the main reason for the ads, you can’t rely on the media to call out blatant bs from TPM etc any more.

      • you could say the same about ACT .NZ F AND NATIONAL for the last 3 years .HAD you been listening instead of hating you would not have the current situation .Fuck me they even spent two years signaling that they would fuck the economy as well but every one was too busy taking an overdose of race bait .

    • Pakepakeha, historic literacy isn’t your stick I get it because of typical comments sprayed around by your ilk is creating distortion & disinformation than repeated.

      • And your history is non existent, oral only and subject to *cough cough* embellishments (known as lies)
        No written language till the liberators arrived and stopped (saved!) maori from self genocide in killing and enslaving each other.
        Lucky…lucky…maori!

        • Well aren’t you a sanctimonious arsehole. Are you suggesting written history isn’t embellished? Like the British sailed around the world to save the Māori? Please. Is this the same Brits who had a rather German tinge to their ‘divinely appointed’ royal family only to be involved in multiple conflicts ,with their cousins, that literally killed millions upon millions? Why don’t you actually think before you make such stupid comments.

  4. The so-called ‘Taxpayers Union’ is a terrorist organization advocating the interests of international bankers. All involved should be in jail.

    • Whereas Hamas are an organization only focused on the safety, welfare & wellbeing of all humankind, and the reuniting of lost puppies with their owners?

  5. I despise these manufacturers of consent for the rule of the rich, or divide-and-rulers. They creep, they creep, up on the consciousness of the ignorant. Only defence of course is to deliver to the people. Which of course is unimaginable.

  6. Advertising is an ugly feature of capitalist society. Ideally we would not have it at all, and the media would cover all issues and points of view fairly and comprehensively. However that doesn’t happen and advertising remains a last resort for progressive, democratic and humanitarian voices when they are denied access to the news and opinion sections of the media. So the same arguments for allowing freedom of opinion in publishing and broadcasting content also apply in the realm of advertising. We are all safer in a publishing environment where any opinion can be put than we would be in one where either the state or private actors can censor content. Hobson’s Pledge are a bit of a joke really. They grievously mis-translate te reo Maori, come up with “facts” which are pure invention, and use a logic which would bring shame to a five year old. Banning their fatuous advertisements accords them a status they don’t deserve and makes their opponents lazy. Neither outcome can be good for us.

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