MEDIA WATCH: Why is Paula Bennett media-shy all of a sudden?
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From December 2014…
A year and a half ago, Paula Bennett showed little hesitation in milking the opening of community housing for a photo-op*;
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Bennett was not shy in using tenants with disabilities as part of her “feel good” propaganda piece.
The Present…
Bennett appears to have lost her willingness to front up to the media and be photographed with the homeless who have been given shelter by the Te Puea Marae;
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According to John Campbell, Bennett refused to appear on Radio NZ’s Checkpoint for an interview.
This is the same Minister who stated categorically on 20 May that New Zealand was not in the midst of a housing crisis;
“I certainly wouldn’t call it a crisis. I think that we’ve always had people in need.”
Five days later, as pressure mounted on National ministers to get off their backsides to do something meaningful, Bennett pulled out a $5,000 band-aid solution to shift the problem from Point A to Point B;
Paula Bennett announces plan to offer $5,000 to homeless Aucklanders and state house tenants to leave Auckland live in provinces;
“I would say to those that are homeless that there is a chance that they could get a house in days if they were willing to look outside of Auckland.”
Bennett is part of an inept “government” that allows worsening homelessness; families sleeping in cars or living in garages; over-crowding; runaway house-prices; and tax-free housing speculation to run rampant – whilst cheerfully announcing $20 billion to be showered over our defense forces;
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If not the military or new ministerial BMWs, National can find other ways to waste tax-payers’ dollars;
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And rather than invest in construction of more state housing, our esteemed Dear Leader has other plans for government spending;
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Homeless New Zealanders are no doubt already counting their tax-cut. An extra $10 a week will be useful to put more fuel in the family car/home, and keep the vehicle’s heater running longer. “Joy” all around.
Poverty in New Zealand has been put under the glare of the media spotlight (at least, by Radio NZ) and National ministers have gone-to-ground. Their inaction on poverty has created a crisis in our society that is no longer possible to ignore.
When ministers of an incumbent government are no longer willing to defend their policies and track-record, and refuse to be held to account by the media, then it is a clear sign they are in deep trouble.
No doubt Bennett’s taxpayer-funded spin-doctors have advised her to keep her head down; refuse all requests for interviews; and hope desperately that this latest crisis for National will blow over.
Unfortunately for Bennett and her parasitic, dogma-driven Tory cronies, they do not realise the tenacity and sense of fair-mindedness from one of New Zealand’s best investigative journalists: John Campbell.
This is what an inept, self-serving politician looks like when the bullshit is stripped away; their spin-doctors have no answers; and they stand revealed in the glare of public attention.
This is what speaking truth to power looks like.
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* Note: The identity of the tenant has been redacted to protect his privacy, and the title of the article removed for similar reasons. Readers are asked not to post information or links which identify the tenants. – FM
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References
Radio NZ: Message of hope at Te Puea Marae
Radio NZ: No housing crisis in NZ – Paula Bennett
Interest.co.nz: Paula Bennett announces plan to offer $5,000 to homeless Aucklanders and state house tenants to leave Auckland live in provinces
Radio NZ: NZ Defence Force to get $20bn upgrade
Fairfax media: Crown looks to trade in its luxury limo fleet
TVNZ News: Saudi sheep farm cost taxpayers millions more than first thought
NZ Herald: John Key hints he’ll fight election on $3 billion package tax cuts
Previous related blogposts
Parata, Bennett, and Collins – what have they been up to?
Bennett & Borrows – where are the jobs?!?!
Paula Bennett on unemployment: spin baby, spin!
How Paula Bennett and National are wasting our taxdollars
Paula Bennett: one strike and she’s out.
Paula Bennett – massive *facepalm*
Paula Bennett shows NZ how to take responsibility
Was Paula Bennett ever drug tested?
Housing Minister Paula Bennett continues National’s spin on rundown State Houses
Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett revealed
Homelessness, Poverty, and the Final Solution
State house sell-off in Tauranga unravelling?
Upper Hutt residents mobilise to fight State House sell-off
Recommended previous related blogpost
Hon. Paula Bennett, Minister of Hypocrisy
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= fs =
By Crikey Dickens, all right… this bullshit almost leaves you speechless… I don’t know if its the squandering of our tax money , the bald faced lies or the sheer gutlessness in fronting up that sticks in the craw the most.
When you heard that interview by John Campbell speaking with T A … if you were a decent person, – that would have made your blood boil.
Eight bloody long years of this shit out of this govt!! Eight bloody years!!!
Anyone need proof of the doublespeak ?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10468960/Aroha-of-McGehan-Close-flees-NZ
Remember that ?… eight bloody long years ago.
And nothing has changed except this immoral govt has become more brash and arrogant and as for our social services they have decimated them.
They’ve decimated state houses to make room for privatization. Why ? – to curry favor with their rich developer mates.
They’ve decimated unions to squash opposition to their shitty low wage economy . Why ? – ask Bill English about why he said we should be GLAD we have a LOW WAGE economy as that encourages FOREIGN INVESTMENT.
They’ve decimated state run schools to facilitate private schools. Why? …again… so as to give the advantage to their rich investor mates.
How about our bloody hospitals being consistently underfunded – that’s right – fucking with peoples lives by under-funding to pave the way for private hospitals. Think of that the next time we cant afford the drugs to keep a relative alive.
And that’s only the tip of the iceberg ! the abuses by this immoral govt have racked up around 430 lies so far to date – and all of them can be verified !!!
And the worst thing about all this? – they haven’t even got the balls or the courage of their own convictions to front up to be questioned when the country comes knocking and asks ” Please explain” .
Have you noticed the countless times the PM and his shit useless ministers always seem able to find some ‘ pressing business’ to attend to when the latest fiasco , scandal or evidence of corruption , incompetence or self serving end goals seem to be exposed?… you noticed how they’re always ‘ overseas’ … or ‘ cant be reached’…
But we get plenty of scrawny little Max Key flaunting his weedy little body all over the bloody press, don’t we now… yes that’s right – John Keys SCRAWNY LITTLE BLOODY SON plastered all over the front pages of the bloody newspapers when we have WHOLE BLOODY FAMILY’S LIVING IN VANS AND CARS because of a govt in denial there’s a housing crisis .
And whats worse??!!… the bloody parents are working and STILL CANT AFFORD THE FUCKING RENT!!!
These are OUR people Key is shitting all over !!! Our people !!! Kiwis!!! Citizens of this country !!!
Vote the bastards out in 2017.
She also refused the Nation today, saying she had no time. Meanwhile I hope she read Jo Moir’s piece in Stuff today.
Thanks, Maria. Here’s the link to Jo’s critical analysis of Bennett and Collins: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/80935371/cabinet-ministers-tipped-as-possible-pm-successors-derail-over-homelessness-and-police
With Third Termitis setting in, it seems the msm are starting to take notice of their policy failures.
If this carries on, expect Key to ditch any further talk of a tax cut during the election campaign next year.
Bennett has lost all credibility, as Social Housing Minister with no clue, and as Climate Change Minister with neither clue nor answers.
I wait for her re-appointment for a lower ranked job at the next cabinet reshuffle.
As for the election next year, it will be HOUSING that will be the absolutely leading topic, followed by the then already sluggish economy, no or low wage growth frustrations, then for sure also immigration and anger at higher fees and associated costs for parents to pay for their kid’s education, including ECE.
This government is gradually falling to bits, and even Stuart Nash will get his moment, exposing more about how crime is actually not dropping, and rising again, with low resolution rates, insignificant drop in re-offending and youth in their thousands ending up without jobs, training or further education.
To answer the headline question … Frau Bennett is doing what FJK does so well. When the going gets tough, say nothing and go into hiding!
It’s called taking the lead from the top!
Unlike dear leader, she doesn’t seem to have obliging narcissistic offspring to distract from the main issues!
Hey hey hey! what a one sided unbalanced story! sheesh .. Cousin Paula, oops I mean Paula Bennet is very busy this weekend wearing her Climate ministers hat so obviously she isn’t available to talk as Minister of Housing, its that simple guys! and she is doing a heck of a job in that role this weekend, just look at the changeable climate we’ve enjoyed .. and isn’t Maxy just the mostest, OMG I actually saw him in the flesh the other day, I almost swooned and I’m a 62 year old male.
“At the end of the day, I am Prime Minister, and you are stuffed”, “at the end of the day, we are in government, and you are stuffed”, “at the end of the day, I will invite my friend Bainimarama and his troops and tell you to get stuffed”, “at the end of the day, I will stay in power as long as Mugabe, whether you like it or not, you are all stuffed”, excerpts from a speech by the PM after election 2017.
Bennett, liar, manipulator, and coward when it comes to facing up to the media.
The sooner she is thrown out of Parliament by National voters, the better. Or do National voters prefer their politicians dishonest?
Not exactly a high bar for ministerial standards, is it?
She’s not credible nor is she impeccable with her word.
She is running scared and has been exposed and no wonder she dodges the media. She avoids appearing like the village idiot out of her league.
She can not be deeply trusted – much like her serial lying leader.
The lies and the BS just keeps getting thicker and more smelly each day.
Meanwhile those in serious need and living on the edge can not depend on her nor her govt. for genuine and reasonable help.