Clark's media acid reflects NZ campaign bitterness
Title -- 3729 REGION: Clark's media acid reflects NZ campaign bitterness
Date -- 17 August 2002
Byline -- by Audrey Young
Origin -- Pacific Media Watch
Source -- NZ Herald, 17-18/8/2
Copyright -- NZH
Status -- Unabridged
Post a comment on PMW's Right of Reply: http://www.TheGuestBook.com/egbook/257949.gbook
CLARK'S ACID REFLECTS CAMPAIGN BITTERNESS
www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=2349932&thesection=news&thesubsection=general
By AUDREY YOUNG
SUVA (Pacific Media Watch/NZ Herald): New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark appears to find journalists disagreeable at present, especially if they are Australians.
A reporter from the radio station 2UE covering the Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji politely asked her at a press conference yesterday: "Miss Clark, can I ask you a question on your opinion about Australia trying to put up an Australian as secretary-general of the forum?"
Apparently not. "No. I'm not entertaining questions like that from the Australian media."
The New Zealand Herald reporter then asked the same question, and a pleasant response was forthcoming.
But Helen Clark is not feeling well-disposed towards journalists.
She is reported to have spent much of her first post-election caucus attacking the media, and Labour strategists blame the media for the party's dramatic loss of support during the campaign.
The consensus among the Australians yesterday was that Helen Clark was still smarting about the ABC interview by David Hardaker, also during the campaign, which she terminated by walking out.
He had raised questions about her sexuality and the so-called Paintergate affair.
Her abruptness was not confined strictly to Australians yesterday.
To a question about whether island states had legitimate cause to feel the forum was being dominated by officials, she said bluntly: "It's entirely up to leaders whether they want to be run by officials. I've never suffered from the problem myself."
PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH is an independent, non-profit, non-government organisation comprising journalists, lawyers, editors and other media workers, dedicated to examining issues of ethics, accountability, censorship, media freedom and media ownership in the Pacific region. Launched in October 1996, it has links with the Journalism Program at the University of the South Pacific, Bushfire Media based in Sydney, Journalism Studies at the University of PNG (UPNG), the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism (ACIJ), Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, and Community Communications Online (c2o).
© 1996-2002 Copyright - All rights reserved. Items are provided solely for review purposes as a non-profit educational service. Copyright remains the property of the original producers as indicated. Recipients should seek permission from the copyright owner for any publishing. Copyright owners not wishing their materials to be posted by PMW please contact us. The views expressed in material listed by PMW are not necessarily the views of PMW or its members. Recipients should rely on their own inquiries before making decisions based on material listed in PMW. Please copy appeals to PMW and acknowledge source.
For further information, inquiries about joining the Pacific Media Watch listserve, articles for publication, and giving feedback contact Pacific Media Watch at:
E-mail: delaro@clear.net.nz Fax: (+679) 30 5779 or (+612) 9660 1804
Mail: PO Box 9, Annandale, NSW 2038, Australia
or PO Box 78028, Grey Lynn, Auckland 1002, New Zealand
Website: www.pmw.c2o.org