Shedding light, but not like this

Despite the name, the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is less a union than a Right-wing political lobby group dedicated to exposing what it sees as excessive government spending. There is nothing wrong with that, of course. The more light that can be shone on public spending, the better.

But it seems fair to say some of the union’s causes are more petty than others. A recent press release on the Christchurch City Council’s catering and entertainment spending stated that the council spent ‘‘an astounding’’ $51,572 on milk in the year 2017 alone. Either the mayor was taking milk baths, the union declared, or Christchurch’s ‘‘army of council bureaucrats’’ had become bloated.

It was a catchy headline but the release failed to note the council employed 3260 people at the end of 2017. A milk spend of around $16 per employee per year hardly seems profligate.

While it is a minor example it seems indicative of the sometimes selective approach taken by the so-called union. The Taxpayers’ Union has been in the news this week because it appears an organisation that expects transparency from others has been less than transparent itself. It is not a good look. The NZ Herald discovered it used false names in Official Information Act (OIA) requests to government research agency Callaghan Innovation and only came clean about the practice after it was exposed by reporters.

The union was determined to find out how much Callaghan Innovation spent on entertainment and travel. As many as 14 names were quickly invented and a rash of information-seeking emails sent under these pseudonyms. Union founder and executive director Jordan Williams says this became necessary when the institute began ‘‘stonewalling’’ its requests, and compared it to journalists going undercover.

Most journalists who use the OIA regularly will have had similar suspicions that certain individuals or agencies are not being as prompt or helpful as they could be. Bad OIA stories are shared with relish by New Zealand journalists.

But using false names is frowned upon. One of the principles of the New Zealand Media Council is that ‘‘information or news obtained by subterfuge, misrepresentation or dishonest means is not permitted unless there is an overriding public interest and the news or information cannot be obtained by any other means’’.

While the information the union sought may have been in the public interest, it is unlikely deception was the only way to obtain it. The claim that it is akin to going undercover does not stand up.

It can be a frustratingly long-winded process but an appeal could have been made to the Ombudsman. More ingenious journalists have even used new OIA requests to chase up existing ones.

Nor does it help Williams’ case that he has some form in this area. Stuff reported in February his personal email address was connected to an anonymous website that backed Judith Collins during a National Party leadership challenge. The site was registered by ‘‘Raquel Ray’’, which appears to have been a false name. Williams denied the link.

Such strategies cast a pall on what has sometimes been important and useful work from the Taxpayers’ Union. If it wishes to be taken seriously and seen as a fair and credible source of information, it must play with a straight bat.

‘‘More ingenious journalists have even used new OIA requests to chase up existing ones.’’