Posted by Blogger Name. Category:
David Fisher
,
Dr Jonathan Coleman
,
Immigration New Zealand
,
Kim Dotcom
,
Labour Party
,
NZ Herald
,
NZ residence
The Herald's Dotcom correspondent David Fisher joined a few dots this morning and decided there was "political pressure" to approve Kim Dotcom's New Zealand residence application.
The Herald has published a number of documents, and one of them completely contradicts that line of attack. It is a statement from Immigration New Zealand dated 8 July 2014, just one week ago. Here it is, snipped from the Herald story, and with the addition of highlighting to key passages.
We presume David Fisher has read all the documents his story this morning relied on. Unfortunately for him, the INZ statement blows his, Dotcom's and Labour's argument clean out of the water. Immigration New Zealand is emphatic the decision was made by senior INZ staff, and the Minister was only informed (on a no surprises basis) AFTER the decision was made. Equally, INZ is adamant there was NO political pressure brought to bear by the Government.
That the Herald went ahead and ran the "political pressure" line anyway, despite a categorical denial from those accused of bending to political pressure suggests there is an agenda at play here. Kim Dotcom has made no secret of his desire to bring down the New Zealand Government. He has a willing media plant in the form of David Fisher, and Labour Party politicians who, despite a pledge to campaign cleanly, are happy to participate in spreading serious but incorrect allegations.
However the Herald does itself no credit by publishing as fact allegations which have already been unequivocally denied. Granny Herald was once New Zealand's foremost newspaper. Those who made it that must turn in their graves on days like this.
