ACC ad in Dominion Nov 5 (now with 100% more PDF)

[wingrider]

Mind if I copy and paste to Judith Collins?

Go for it. The more the better.

[Hailwood]

and also emailed Chris Finlayson National MP responsible for my electorate...

[Ixion]

None of this would be possible (or at least it would be extremely difficult) without the 'net. What a wonderful contraption. You can see why less open regimes around the world are so afraid of it (and probably open ones as well!).

The Net IS the world .

[FastBikeGear]

Guys I think National directing ACC's to run a newpaper campaign is both clever and dangerously effective. (I am speculating that National is directing the ACC)

I propose that we aslo place an add in the two biggest papers, The Herald and the dominion post and advise the other smaller papers what we are doing by sending them a free pre press release of our add.

I am happy to make a financial contribution to do this.

[ckai]

Reply from my letter to Phil Goff:

...

That's bloody gold. They obviously know a possible election turn when they see one.

How would have dreamed that a simple "slug the bikies" tax grab would blow up so big.

Definitely. This is getting bigger than even I thought it would be. Really dumb move from ACC. I do like what someone said early (sorry dunno who it was) "if motorcyclists aren't singled out, why is there an ad?"

I love it when shit bites people in the ass.

[Ixion]

You know, it occurs to me that there is something REALLY wierd about this.

Why is ACC , a government department , reduced to buying media space to rebutt us.

I mean, obviously they are pissed off that we are getting a lot of media coverage, and apart from that one train wreck interview on Closeup, they haven't had a single word or line in the media. But, WHY is that?

Usually a government department like ACC, in a matter that is in the news, has no trouble getting media space for a spokesman. But either the media are cold shouldering them , or they are too scared to front up?

Why?

(Sure ACC have bought advertising space in the past. But that's been for public anouncement type stuff , not controversial. As far as I can recall this is the first time ACC - or any government department? has been reduced to paying to try to get their argument across. )

[Mully]

Probably because we've had significant public support since this broke.

And several parties (your good self included) have maintained the foot on the throat and not let themselves get sidetracked.

Gummint policy - divide and conquer. Get the parties fighting amongst themselves and slip the policy change in.

Which is why I've been trying to remind people not to play the National/Labour game amongst ourselves

ACC have simply not been able to get any traction to make their case.

[Ixion]

Yes, but WHY can they not get traction?

They are a government department. comminications specialists, spin doctors in every broom closet.

And normally the media are very happy to give government spokesspokes time to "explain" things.

The media have been approaching us, we haven't gone to them hardly at all.

I don't understand why ACC are reduced to paying for space. It's sort of demeaning, degrading.

Either the ACC refuse to approach the media for time? Or the media won't have them, at any cost? or the media say OK but set conditions that ACC won't accept.

Or - actually i maybe just thought of it . The advantage of buying space is that you can say exact;y what you want, and don't have to worry about anyone asking questions.

So, is buying adverts because ACC dare to front up in a debate (either with a biker spokesspokes or just with a media host) in case they get asked questions they cannot or dare not answer?

If so WHAT ARE THOSE QUESTIONS ?

[Mully]

Or - actually i maybe just thought of it . The advantage of buying space is that you can say exact;y what you want, and don't have to worry about anyone asking questions.

So, is buying adverts because ACC dare to front up in a debate (either with a biker spokesspokes or just with a media host) in case they get asked questions they cannot or dare not answer?

If so WHAT ARE THOSE QUESTIONS ?

Probably this one, if any.

"why are you misleading the public with inaccurate numbers?"
"why won't you extend the deadline for fully funding ACC - which Labour has promised to support?"
"what is your response to XYZ?"

Squirmy squirm.

Can you imagine John Campbell having Nick Smith (or the ACC CEO) on the show without having someone to rebut their lies? It's media GOLD

[Skyryder]

Guys I think National directing ACC's to run a newpaper campaign is both clever and dangerously effective. (I am speculating that National is directing the ACC)

I propose that we aslo place an add in the two biggest papers, The Herald and the dominion post and advise the other smaller papers what we are doing by sending them a free pre press release of our add.

I am happy to make a financial contribution to do this.

Nope ignore this or it will become a sideshow.

Word is that the Nats are pissed off. Smith has gone to some pains to point out that the levies are across the board. The add has re-focused the issue back onto the bikers. Smith does not want to focus on this and it is only due to media exposure from protest rides that bikers are at the forefront of the protest movement.


The add was carefully written and the questions asked in such a manner that it can only be open to one kind of interpretation: that is an attempt to expose the weakness of the biker’s argument to the general and 'motoring' public.

ACC haa deliberately tried to promote a public backlash against us and in doing so have upped the anti in ‘political arena.’ They are now fair game for all and sundry in that they now have their own political agenda where as before this was much harder to define let alone prove. Not any more. The add was a mistake and there are some senior Nat politico’s fuming at Smith for not controlling John Judge. It’s a serious mistake that Smith will have some difficulty in justifying. ACC has weakened him.

Skyryder

[xgnr]

The biker's would be better off pooling some funding together and hiring the best legal representation available. Sue for court costs at the same time, that would pay for a victory BBQ in the main centres.

I would put in $100 for a starter.

[Pedrostt500]

Ok I'm a Born again Synical Bastard, if I was running this from their side of the fence, this is how to start, the next move would be Radio and T.V, ACC has an advertising budget much bigger than we can afford, my geuss would be to get one of the T.V channels to play a Nasty Bikie movie on the weekend of the 14th 15th, and any motor cycle crash that happens for any reason between the 14th and the 17th will have more Media coverage than the second comming of Jesus.

[pete376403]

Don't know if anyone, even a Govt dept, could attempt to influence programming in that manner. Advertising, yes, 'cos they would have to pay for it, nut I think the broadcasters would like to imagine their programming remains independant. Possibly only because of what the competing channels would have to say about it.

[Fluffy Cat]

you want facts for a rebuke.

Fact 1. According to the Ministry Of Transport statistics there are Approx 2.4M registered cars. ( FACT )

ACC's stated cross-subsidies to cars of $77 even after the levy increases would equate to $184M (FACT ). The ACC pay out in claims for motorbike accidents last year was only $62M (FACT ). ACC will be collecting 3 time the money they are paying out (FACT ).

Where is the money really going ?

I think you need to ask the ACC who funded these adverts.

Whoever organized for Phil Goff to be at the Auckland rally should contact Phil Goff and have the question asked in parliament. This will get you extra free advertising debunking the ACC claims.

Also get him to ask why they are placing such ads before the submission process is complete, because until this is done ACC do not have a balanced view ( the reason for the submission process ).

Sorry for the large quote, but you are so right. Why the hell did this advert ever get printed?. Yes this should be brought up in parliament. Pure prejudice. This sort of thing should never come out of a govt agency.

[nrc]

Ok I'm a Born again Synical Bastard, if I was running this from their side of the fence, this is how to start, the next move would be Radio and T.V, ACC has an advertising budget much bigger than we can afford, my geuss would be to get one of the T.V channels to play a Nasty Bikie movie on the weekend of the 14th 15th, and any motor cycle crash that happens for any reason between the 14th and the 17th will have more Media coverage than the second comming of Jesus.

I wonder how quickly they could make a new "safety campaign" ad, similar to the ones showing the benefits of curtain airbags and electronic stability control. Potentially just showing a motorcycle crossing the centre line on a corner and getting wiped out by a completely innocent car driver (with kids in the backseats... who were on the way to feed cute animals... and have a lovely picnic).

Geez, i'm feeling cynical tonight.

NRC.