A rare mis-step

My views on the Greenpeace 40% campaign are well known. And its use of celebrity endorsements, rather than rational arguments, for its campaign represents all the worst aspects of what should be a serious public policy debate.

How-ever it was an “unforced error” for John Key to tell Keisha Castle-Hughes to “stick to acting” even though I am sure he said it with a smile. Greenpeace should be the target of criticism for their celebrity driven campaign, not so much Castle-Hughes who is advocating for something she believes.

Part of this is common sense. The PM vs a young mother is a fight you can not win. Also the main outcome from it, is to give more publicity to Castle-Hughes and her advocacy. As I said I call it a rare “unforced error”.

I saw the interview with Castle-Hughes on Close Up and thought she composed herself well, and resisted taking shots back at the PM – instead focusing on the issue. Having said that Sainsbury did give her the kid gloves treatment and didn’t ask her questions about the economic impact of a 40% target, what would she say to farm workers who would lose their jobs etc etc, what her views were on flexible land use rules for forest replanting, why she advocates 40% not 35% or 45%, how she thought methane emissions from cows should best be reduced etc etc.

A reader reminds me to quote the Team America movie, and questions whether Keisha will be asked to join the Film Actors Guild, quoting their spokesperson Janeane Garofalo:

“as actors it is important that we read newspapers and then say what we read on television like it is our own opinion”

Heh. That was a great movie.