Dom Post accuses DIA of mislading it

Whale Oil has some documents from the DIA in regards to how theyhandled media inquiries into Winston’s non-returned cars, and they show a Department that stonewalled so much, the Dom Post Chief reporter gets really upset:

DIA staffer Colin Feslier e-mailed his bosses saying:

“I have managed I think to get TVNZ, TV3 and the DomPost to terminate their interest in this non-story.”

Then after the Sunday newspapers lead with the story, the Dom Post Chief Reporter Hayden Dewes e-mails Feslier

“I was extremely disappointed to read in the Sunday Star-Times today (1/2/09) that Winston Peters was still in possession of his ministerial car.

This after two of our reporters had very clear correspondence with you last week, asking about this very issue, to which you responded by giving the very clear impression that the car was “sold back, or under our control”.

I struggle to see how a car that is parked outside a minister’s house, with no clear plans to pick up the keys or get it back to Wellington except to send another driver up to Auckland at some stage has been “sold back or under our control”

The fact is that as of Friday at least, Winston Peters still had possession of his ministerial car. It had not been returned. We asked about this and you misled us.”

Kudos to Whale Oil for submitting the OIA requests to expose this. More bloggers should do the same (including me).