Coddington on spin

Deborah Coddington writes:

Despite the article’s intro, stating: “By changing the law to allow private management of prisons, we are giving ourselves a choice, writes Judith Collins”, the Minister didn’t actually write it.

When I checked with her office, a spokesperson confirmed it was written under instructions from the Minister but was essentially her article.

This must be the least surprising revelation of all times – that Ministers do not personally write articles they approve. Next we will learn they also do not write all their own press releases and speeches.  How shocking.

On Monday, the same paper’s political editor, Tracy Watkins, wrote an op-ed political essay, with her photo and byline.

I strongly suspect that if Tracy Watkins hired some underlings to write her articles for her, telling them what arguments to push, then signed off on the final copy before hitting the send button to the editor and claimed sole credit, she’d be fired. As would I, and justifiably so.

That is because Tracy is a journalist, not a Minister. Tracy’s sole job is to write stories. A Minister has around 100 other things to do like set policy, and approve spending. A Minister is not a trained journalist or writer.

But most MPs can’t write to save themselves, that’s why they rely on their staff to do it for them. So are they being honest when they claim sole credit for authorship of stuff they don’t actually write, even if it is their political philosophy?

I don’t think they do claim sole credit. Anyone who follows politics would know staff have a significant role in any written material.

I know from experience how disgustingly busy an MP’s life is, but in 2004 when this organ’s editor offered me this column, his facial expression said, don’t flatter yourself.

I was chosen, he said, because I was the only MP he could trust to write my own material.

Because Deborah is a trained journalist with 20 years experience.

Someone else does the brush strokes, chooses the colours, the MP signs the painting, all hell breaks loose. Someone else writes the sentences, chooses the adjectives and verbs, the MP signs the article.

What’s the difference?

Massive. It’s like not knowing the difference between cheating in an exam, and having someone help you with your homework.