This article is for all subscribers.
Note: If you are interested in the video, you can skip directly to the parliamentary footage, timestamp 1:21
Last week, I noticed The Post did a fluff piece on Casey Costello, in which the journalist wrote under a series called, “10 Minutes in the Beehive.”
To be fair to Whyte, she prefaced it with - ‘The Post is putting politics to the side (somewhat, and only momentarily), to ask the people in power how they got there, who they are and what makes them tick.’
Someone needs to do the same with leaders everywhere - Donald Trump, Putin, Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss - there are no shortage of politicians who the Post can try to humanize.
Whyte starts with the positives, and never falls short off that mark, writing, “Costello is quietly spoken, and said by those closer to her to be humble, tough and clearly bright.”
Wait, “bright”? Did you say “bright”, Ms Whyte?
She must have, because it passed editorial checks.
This is the same Minister who says she doesn’t know who wrote the papers she submitted on reducing tobacco taxes. Intentionally omitted $46 billion of smoke free benefits to New Zealand out of her Cabinet paper. It’s a person who is using her ‘smarts’ and advice to override Kiwi interests and preferences.
A large majority of Kiwis overwhelmingly wanted our smoke free laws to remain - at least 60%.
Never mind, I guess. This is a happy space.
Whyte continues in her piece:
“Costello was propelled to third on NZ First’s list before the election, then catapulted into Cabinet as minister for customs and seniors, and associate minister health, immigration and police, beside her leader Winston Peters and fellow MP Shane Jones.”
I concur with Whyte here - Costello’s rise is meteoric. I think of Nicola Willis here as a similar case - she too had a ‘meteroric rise', after she left Atlas Network’s New Zealand Initiative and dropped into National as an MP.
Costello was the chair of tobacco backed, Atlas Network’s Taxpayers Union, and a founding trustee of anti-Maori rights Hobsons Pledge, when she was propelled to success under Winston as New Zealand First’s #3.
Chris Bishop took a little longer after he left Philip Morris to become a top Minister, but made it easily.
Similarities abound.
I recall during the Waikato by-election last year, Peters stumbled on remembering Casey’s name, but he got it in the end. He always does, doesn’t he, old statesman Peters.
Whyte finishes by buttering Costello up more, writing, “Touted as a person who may have a future in a leadership position within NZ First, Costello responds with a laugh and - “ugh”.”
Enough said. And read.
Yesterday, I noticed Casey Costello was gaslighting Labour by accusing them of being “fixated” on tobacco companies, after they asked her about her links with Philip Morris and the significant benefits they’ve accrued under National-ACT-NZ First.
Costello’s rhetoric, policies and choices have long aligned with tobacco interests, and in particular, Philip Morris.
Philip Morris is House Leader Chris Bishop’s ex-employer before joining National and his family links are tight too, with Dear Dad Bishop having helped to stand up Taxpayers Union.
Some coverage here, here and here.
Talking about Philip Morris, check out their latest corporate strategy comments (just in today)
Upshot: Philip Morris are doing well with nicotine sales, but the EU (and Australia’s) ban on heated tobacco is causing less sales volume. However, they are working hard to keep the product working in favourable markets and are gaining product users.
Given heated tobacco products have been called outright “POISON,” and completely banned by Australia and all of the EU etc., perhaps some of our friendly media, besides the excellent work of RNZ, could ask the disappearing, bashful Minister of Heath about it?
How about Reti, then? Luxon?
Mm.
Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House, saying Labour is "fixated on tobacco companies"