Kotuku & the Goebbelisation of the Media

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Actively supporting NZ’s endangered wetland birds

Kotuku at Ratanui Rd wetland - adjoining expressway excavations

This is a photograph of one of New Zealand’s iconic birds, the very rare and endangered kotuku. It is thought to have established here from Australia a few hundred years ago, and was nearly hunted to extinction by both Pakeha and Maori when their breeding ground was discovered in Okarito Lagoon, South Westland (south-west coast of the South Island). Their plumage, like the extinct huia’s had become a fashion accessory.  They have recovered to around a hundred birds and a stray is sometimes encountered along this Kapiti coast. It is the breeding season so this one may be an immature juvenile. There is only one colony of these birds in New Zealand and it remains a mystery as to why they haven’t established further colonies in the manner of the Royal Spoonbill. 

Kotuku beside Expressway excavations Dec 5 2014

It is the location of this bird however, that has set alarm bells ringing, for this impressively large animal was found resting after feeding at the Ratanui Rd wetland about 30 metres from where excavation work was being carried out on the expressway.

So what are our concerns?

Juvenile dabchick - Ratanui Rd wetland 2013

They centre on two areas: the first on conservation issues,  the second on the way the NZTA has set out to propagandise itself. We recently contacted the organisation (like the Hydra it now consists of about four different entities – perhaps more) – to ask how it manages encounters like this and whether adequate pollution controls exist to prevent run off into this wetland, which is one of our most important outside the Waikanae estuary. There were two broods of NZ scaup raised here last year and a juvenile dabchick was also seen feeding here. 

We couldn’t find pollution monitors and are waiting to be reassured. And we are still waiting for our concerns over the NZTA monitor and the pollutant in the Wharemauku to be addressed in writing, though they seem happy enough to talk on the phone and in private meetings; which raises the second issue and that is the slick management of our media by the NZTA.

In a recent post on snowjobbing, we discussed the Government’s plans to muzzle the scientific community by feeding its commentary’s through media managers, the leverage for which comes through the government funding that most of these scientists rely on. This system is in place in the management of the expressway by the NZTA. The environment manager’s emails for example appear to be vetted by their media managers, while incoming emails also appear to be routed through a media central CONTROL, before being passed on. We also have a steady stream of partisan stories appearing in the local press.  Three puff pieces appearing in the week before the election however, has effectively compromised the NZTA’s professional independence along with that of its environmental managers.

The NZTA media strategy is laid out in a manager’s job description

Role & Key Responsibilities:

• Develop communications and community engagement strategy, channels & budget. • Develop tender docs and negotiate for best communications services & solutions including film, graphic design, conceptual design & advertising. • Establish regular communications channels for locals, national road users and media. Including radio, press, web, social media, digital newsletter and others.  • Create local event events series and seed positive engagement projects with local schools, iwi, artists, community groups etc. • Manage external project brand in line with NZTA Alliance guidelines. • Develop internal brand to support Alliance culture of high performance. Launch brand, assets and channels across an organisation that has grown from 60 to 300 people in just over six months.  • Manage all channels (internal & external) and a team of contractors.  • Seed positive media stories and support NZTA media manager with media issues.

Here lies revealed the Goebbelisation of the media.     

So what does this mean for a local conservation community intent on trying to protect and enhance the lives and habitat of the native species that still remain here? Simply that it is impossible to work openly and share information freely with such organisations without being sucked into their propaganda apparatus. In effect you’ll be damned if you collaborate; then damned again when you don’t –better by far to treasure your integrity.

Track we were listening to while posting this – John Rowles heartsickness for home Cheryl Moana Marie which more than matches our own for what’s going on down here at the moment. 

In the sleepy little town

Where soft breezes blow

There's a lovely little Maori miss

I used to know

Someday I will find my way

And I'll return from over the sea

To where my island sweetheart

Waits for me

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