OPINION
It’s supposed to be the first day of my time off, but how can I resist when Mihingarangi Forbes has dropped one of the most compelling, and impactful pieces of investigative journalism I’ve seen.
There are extraordinary revelations in her latest MATA episode and it packs a punch in under 40 minutes.
Last year, former Prime Minister Jenny Shipley warned that Seymour’s Treaty Bill was “inviting civil war”. Little did she know ..Seymour apparently knew.
We already know Seymour is a good “politician” but Forbes un-peels the layers, not only of Seymour’s Atlas Network connections - but of who he is - his character, personality, ideology and an “authoritarian” leadership style.
The insider view of the ACT party presented in the documentary is consistent with reports over the last years, where a “culture of fear” from within the party has been widely reported, including reportedly, poor treatment of women. Let alone, all those allegations of sexual assault coverups and cutting loose of whistleblowers, conveniently ignored by media, bar Newsroom.
But the revelations in the documentary still blew me away, more than I could have anticipated.
I first wrote about David Seymour’s Atlas Network connection in January 2024. It was a simple research that uncovered the murky lengths of connectivity between figures here, and the libertarian global tentacles of the Atlas Network. I knew then it wasn’t good.
Back then, I was called a crackpot conspiracist and armies of right wing came out to attack me for it, maligning my information and focus.
But it wasn’t until Seymour called Atlas Network a “crackpost conspiracy” on a previous RNZ segment, that the understanding gained traction.
Back then, I spent long days and nights compiling data and connections, money trails, overseas reports, links etc.
In other words, I’m not unfamiliar with the subject matter.
However, Forbes’ report blew me out of the water.
Jenny Shipley: "The voice of Māori, that reminds us that this was an agreement, a contract - and you do not rip up a contract and then just say, 'Well, I'm happy to rewrite it on my terms, but you don't count.'
Forbes composed an eloquent, well researched, well composed investigative report that quenches my thirst for strong, principled, well researched investigative journalism in Aotearoa NZ.
She gives me hope.
Here are the four most extraordinary points to come out of this documentary - a must watch for every Kiwi:
ONE.
David Seymour knew his Treaty Principles Bill, and the actions around that, could cause civil war in this country. He knew it - well before he had even started, and the manner in which he says it in the documentary, as relayed, is chilling to me.
TWO.
Seymour appears to praise the downplaying of Canada’s history of residential schools (Indigeneous) genocide. Those schools were set up by to eliminate the indigenous culture and language, 150,000 First Nations children were sent. For the record, the children who died there number in the thousands. Many more were abused, sexually and physically. In 2021, Canada discovered another 200 bodies of children, some as young as 3 under those schools. There are also at least 1,300 unmarked graves to date…
THREE.
Seymour lies multiple times on the record when Forbes interviews him at Parliament. Viewers can see this clearly - as the evidence has been presented before hand in the documentary. Seymour visibly projects repugnancy, and attacks her multiple times
FOUR.
Seymour appears to sows climate change skepticism, which, according to George Monboit, is a hallmark of all Atlas Network figures - most likely because it’s been reported their funders include Koch Brother and other fossil fuel heavyweights.
Thank you Mihingarangi Forbes. Thank you, George Monboit.
An additional note:
Forbes has been attacked relentlessly since she first raised Atlas Network with Seymour last year around Waitangi Day.
Since then, ‘The Platform’ has dedicated multiple shows to discrediting her. ACT also regularly malign her, as does Seymour.
That’s for doing the job of a real investigative journalist here in Aotearoa.
Frankly, I wish more of our journalists had her kahunas and hopefully her documentary will, as an interviewee notes, allow New Zealanders to see behind the curtain - and make their choice.
Because that’s what democracy is really about - information, transparency, choice.
Please watch her documentary in full - and please share it with everyone you know.
