Acute observers may have noticed that Council of Trade Unions (CTU), Association of University Staff (AUS) and Post
Primary Teachers Association (PPTA) press releases do not appear on Scoop while they do appear on another New Zealand
political news web-site.
For the past three months Scoop has been trying to encourage and cajole the unions to provide us their releases – we
simply want them emailed to us – to no avail.
During this effort Scoop spoke to Ken Douglas, Angela Foulkes and Peter Harris of the CTU and we e-mailed Rob Crozier
and Jane Kelsey of the AUS giving an explanation of our position.
No explanation has been given for the combined trade union’s position on not appearing on Scoop inspite of numerous
requests to provide one. The only explanation provided by Peter Harris of the CTU is that the respective Unions are
“happy with their existing coverage” on the internet.
Scoop appreciates it is a matter of discretion to whom an organisation sends its press releases.
However, we are also of the opinion that the decision of the unions amounts to censorship in that it is the equivalent
of saying: “We are happy with our coverage in the Evening Post and therefore we will not send press releases to the
Dominion.”
We would encourage readers who consider the decision of three of NZ’s major trade unions irrational to tell them so.
Maybe you – our readers – may be able to succeed where we have failed.
The Scoop Team…