Firstly the headline is mis-leading. National never said that they would sell the airport. They said as long as National considered AIA a strategic asset and as long as 51 per cent of it remained in New Zealand hands, if his party had received the same advice as the Government “then we would let it proceed”. They can’t actually sell it because it isn’t theirs to sell it is the shareholders, but of course the news media don’t want that as the message do they?
Next we find out that the ministers making the decision went against official advice. The ministers said it wasn’t in New Zealand’s interst and the OIO said the sale would have substantial and identifiable benefits to New Zealand and recommended the sale be approved.
So what is it, not beneficial to New Zealand as Cosgrove and Parker suggest or substantial and identifiable benefits as the OIO has said. Clealry theu weren’t that substantial nor that identifiable as the two ministers couldn’t seem to find them, that is if they even read the report.
As much at home writing editorials as being the subject of them, Cam has won awards, including the Canon Media Award for his work on the Len Brown/Bevan Chuang story. When he’s not creating the news, he tends to be in it, with protagonists using the courts, media and social media to deliver financial as well as death threats.
They say that news is something that someone, somewhere, wants kept quiet. Cam Slater doesn’t do quiet and, as a result, he is a polarising, controversial but highly effective journalist who takes no prisoners.
He is fearless in his pursuit of a story.
Love him or loathe him, you can’t ignore him.
To read Cam’s previous articles click on his name in blue.
