Who are the real crooks?
"Surely there has to be an independent investigation of Destiny’s accounts now," remarked one of my Radio Live colleagues after he read the latest on Bishop Brian Tamaki.
On the face of it, that sounds reasonable.
The Sunday Star-Times, the Herald and its Sunday leaflet, and Campbell Live all ran stories denouncing Tamaki.
You’d assume he was a fraud and a liar.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Tamaki is just an easy target for lazy journalists too gutless to investigate the real crooks.
Where is the investigative journalism on the white-collar crime that’s been bankrupting us?
At least $4 billion has been milked from Kiwis over the past few years but it’s only moderately scrutinised by a media that would have you believe Tamaki is a modern-day Adolf Hitler.
Where is the analysis of the leaders of finance companies like Clegg & Co, Capital & Merchant, Nathans, Blue Chip and, in previous years, merchant bankers Fay Richwhite?
These captains of industry made millions off the backs of good Kiwis and reaped huge benefits from Rogernomics.
Clegg & Co finance director Brian Clegg was recently sentenced to a year’s home detention for providing false information to prospective investors.
A year’s home detention for ripping off poor and vulnerable Kiwis to the tune of $15 million is a disgrace.
It is an example of how white- collar criminals are routinely protected by the authorities.
And who can forget the reforms of the fourth Labour government when big boys, like Michael Fay and David Richwhite, benefited from the privatisation of our assets?
The reality is our media
rarely challenges those with influence.
These are people who hold sway over the markets, economy, government, and, of course, the media itself.
No, it’s far safer to go after Tamaki. Who cares if he’s turned around thousands – gang members, criminals and the worst of the worst in our society?
Who cares if his tax breaks are minimal, that he receives virtually nothing from taxpayers or that his thousands of members give to him voluntarily?
What is most important to the media is that Tamaki is on a big salary, drives a flash car and lives in a flash house.
Yes, he’s just too big for his boots.
Shame on you the New Zealand media.
Auckland Stuff.co.nz, March 11, 2010