The grim irony of prohibiting a journalist who has shown such tenacity in the face of an obstructive state.
The story of abuse in New Zealand state and faith-based care is a long and sorry dirge of ignominy. To which can now be added: the decision to deny Aaron Smale attendance at the official apology in parliament.
According to Newsroom, the publication for which Smale last month wrote a series of exemplary, exhaustive and harrowing reports that went deeper than any other journalism on the Royal Commission report published in July, he was denied press gallery accreditation by the speaker of parliament, Gerry Brownlee, after “repeated queries from Beehive officials about Smale’s likely attendance and previous interactions with ministers” who had expressed “concerns over the style and manner of a reporter’s questioning”.
Newsroom co-editor Tim Murphy says the site had earlier received complaints about Smale’s interactions at a press conference that followed the tabling in parliament of the Royal Commission report. They had cited “persistent and forceful questioning of the prime minister, with suggestions it was rude and police at the event had been watching the reporter”.
The response from Newsroom to concerns over that and Smale’s questioning at another press conference, with children’s minister Karen Chhour on the subject of boot camps, was that his approach had been “forceful and unforgiving but not more than that, and ministers should not expect to be protected from feeling ‘uncomfortable’ by media questioning”.
It beggars belief that Smale, who has reported for almost a decade on New Zealand’s odious history of abusing wardens of the state, Māori especially, should be barred. Alongside his work for Newsroom he has covered the story in reporting, analysis and opinion writing for The Spinoff, for Newshub, for RNZ, for E-Tangata, Stuff and more. The sheer scale of research is such that he took on a PhD in history to continue and deepen his understanding.
Smale is tireless and tenacious. I don’t doubt that, if he’s trying to get answers out of you, he must be a real pain in the arse. But, you know, get a grip. It should hardly need saying, in this context especially, that the machinery of state must be constantly and doggedly challenged. Across decades, officialdom has obfuscated, fabricated and blocked any redress to a history of shame. Challenging that immensely powerful machine of state has taken an enormous and exhausting effort from victims, from their supporters, from a range of advocates, from a handful of politicians and a handful of journalists, Smale chief among them.
The decision to bar Smale is a disgrace, as is the impulse to seek it. It is an insult to survivors. But don’t take my word for that. Newsroom has their testimony directly.
“Aaron has fought to tell the truth about my case for almost 10 years,” said Earl White. “He has given a voice to some of the most vulnerable people in our society … This decision offends me and should offend all survivors”.
Another survivor, Leoni McInroe, deplored “a clear example of the crown wielding its bullying power-imbalance tactics to control the narrative of redress”.
Christopher Luxon gave a powerful and moving speech upon receipt of the Royal Commission report. He concluded by saying: “I will never lose sight of what you have endured to bring the truth to life.” Luxon is also a student of political history. He should be appalled at the idea that Smale would be prevented from attending and reporting on such a historic day for New Zealand, and acutely aware of the role a demanding – sometimes discomfiting – media play in a democracy. He should denounce the decision to bar Smale and appeal directly to the Speaker to overturn it.
I suspect, meanwhile, the last thing that Smale would want is for this episode to overshadow the historic apologies to be formally offered tomorrow. It can instead do the opposite, and light those stories up. Stories of anguish and cruelty, of betrayal, survival and state duplicity. Such as this. Or this. Or this. Or this, or this. If you haven’t already, go read them now.
Update: At around 3.30pm it was reported that the Speaker has reversed the decision to refuse Smale accreditation.
