M.P.s ‘need news media’

Press, 11 October 1982, Page 6

M.P.s ‘need news media’

PA Hamilton Politicians could not' survive without the news media, said the Senior Government Whip, Mr D. C. McKinnon, in Hamilton on Saturday. He was.guest speaker at a workshop. session on “New Zealand Parliament Today,” at the Jaycee National Convention?

"A member of Parliament is dependent on the news media and will make material available to get his perspective across to a wider audience.”' Mr McKinnon said. *

There was no fear of the news media among politicians, “although you may be annoyed if you are misquoted

or something is taken out of Context,” he said.

He told Jaycees that members’ behaviour would improve if Parliament was televised and though it would not be practical to. have everything filmed, he said it could be useful to have live coverage of question time. It would enable members to develop another form of communication, he said. When in Parliament, members were talking to four audiences.

They were not only debating with the people around them but also talking to observers in the public gallery, news media representatives in the press gallary, and 30,000 radio listeners.

“In doing this you are trying to convince' all four groups of different things — you, are telling the Opposition you are right, the press that you have something to say, the public gallery that you are a good statesman, and the people listening to the radio that you are worth -voting for at the next election.”

The workshop was one of four held at Waikato University and Hamilton Teachers’ College.

The convention was attended by 1300 Jaycees and partners and ended with a jubilee ball to celebrate 50 years of Jaycees in New Zealand.