Has the Prime Minister Gone Too Far?

Dane Giraud
Spokesperson
Free Speech Coalition

This week we have a new episode of the Free Speech Coalition podcast. Patrick Corish sat down with Dr Steve Elers, professor of communications at Massey University.

Dr Elers recently published an article criticising some of the claims made by Jacinda Ardern during her press conferences, but more significantly, criticising the journalists in the room for not doing their job and questioning these claims.

This article attracted the attention of the Office of the PM, which issued a correction to the article. However, Dr Elers’ article had no factual errors. The “correction” was simply to restate the PM’s position. While these corrections are issued regularly, it raised some eyebrows to see the PM’s Office “correcting” a factually accurate but critical article.

What makes this all the more concerning, is that it has taken place under the shadow of the $50 million proposed media bailout.

You can read the article in question here, and find his column for Stuff here.

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