David Hay slams media over Auckland climate change reporting: "lazy and hypocritical"
16 September 2016

Auckland mayoral candidate David Hay has criticised the media over its reporting of Victoria Crone's climate change comments earlier this week, and climate change issue generally.

"I have been campaigning on a platform of zero carbon emissions by 2060 or sooner, since November last year." said Mr Hay.

"But when one of the other mayoral candidates said climate change was a contentious debate, earlier this week, not one media outlet asked me for a comment. None commented on my campaign slogan and vision for Auckland, to provide balance in their reporting."

"I appreciate that journalists today are overworked, underpaid, and there are too few of them to provide adequate coverage of all issues and stories. But this is sheer laziness, in my mind."

"It was also hypocritical for journalists to report Ms Crone's remarks, as if they were a matter for concern, but then to largely ignore the problem of climate change itself."

"Over the past ten months the media have ignored the candidate whose concern for reducing carbon emissions and adapting to the effects of climate change are at the heart of his agenda." said Mr Hay.

"I have issued many policy statements and media releases, over that period of time: sensible, practicable mainstream policies on reducing emissions dealing with climate change. Very few, if any, have been picked up and reported in full or even mentioned in passing."

"Climate change, caused by human activity, is the greatest long-term threat facing humanity. Responding to that threat will be the most significant problem facing Auckland in coming decades."

"The decisions that voters make at this election, starting today, will affect Aucklanders' prosperity and well-being for lifetimes to come. People need to be fully and properly informed about the issues, and the choices they can make. But they are not."

"I lay the blame for that at the feet of the journalists and editors responsible for reporting on the issues and candidates in this electoral race." said Mr Hay.

ENDS

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