Why is STEPHEN FRANKS being interviewed about a knife-killing? (Oct. 18, 2012)

18 October 2012 at 4:57 pm

Why is STEPHEN FRANKS being interviewed about a knife-killing?
The Panel, National Radio, Thursday 18 October 2012
Jim Mora, Andrew Clay, Rosemary McLeod

First topic for the day: the killing of Christie Marceau by Akshay Chand. Who better to discuss this than a couple of lightweight Panelists and someone from the pro-knife-killing Sensible Sentencing Trust?…

JIM MORA: We’re going to talk to Wellington lawyer Stephen Franks about this “Not Guilty by reason of insanity” verdict.

ANDREW CLAY: [blithely] I’m a liberal left kind of guy but on this issue, I’m happy to say I’m quite right wing!

ROSEMARY McLEOD: [gravely] I’m surprised that you are having someone on who is an expert on the law rather than on human relations.

STEPHEN FRANKS: [disgustingly] REDACTED FOR REASONS OF MORALITY AND TASTE.

Franks is such a repellent character that we are unable to physically transcribe his garbage. However, it is noteworthy that Franks, who, remember, is a shameless supporter of the S.S. Trust, used the word “wickedness” four times, including once in the phrase “mad wickedness”. He also mocked the “pious wishes” of what he called “liberals”. This prompted another McLeod outburst….

ROSEMARY McLEOD: [gravely]It’s these counsellors I am concerned about. Who exactly are these counsellors? Curious middle class women who enjoy interfering in other people’s lives.

ANDREW CLAY: A hur hur hur hur!

ROSEMARY McLEOD: Sniff. I find it all quite odd, really.

Appalled, I dashed off the following e-mail to Jim Mora….

Dear Jim,

Stephen Franks works for the Sensible Sentencing Trust, and is a close colleague of Garth McVicar. After the 2008 knife-killing of a boy in Manurewa, the SST expressed vehement support not for the victim, but for his killer. For weeks and months after the killing, they spoke out in support of the killer, and compounded this by pouring abuse and scorn on the memory of the dead boy and his grieving mother.

Could you explain to your listeners why you chose to interview Stephen Franks, of all people, about a knife murder?

Yours sincerely,

Morrissey Breen
Northcote Point

• Paul26.1

  18 October 2012 at 7:34 pm

  Well noted Morrissey.
  A question for RNZ.
  Why do you use so many ex- ACT MPs as representative of NZ opinion when they have have less than 1% of the vote? Jim Moira in particular asks the right wing of Natioanl + ACT a lot onto his ‘panel’.
  • Rogue Trooper26.1.1

    18 October 2012 at 9:03 pm

    deaf to RNZ for years
  • BLiP26.1.2

    18 October 2012 at 9:18 pm

    .

    Its not Jim’s fault. He’s just the “talent” – the “Ted Knight” of “Afternoons”.

    The weakness lies in the RNZ management system whereby idiots are employed to soothe funder concerns. This results in “shows” being filled-up with people who promote themselves and, thus, save staff having to do any work or otherwise think about who might be suitable and/or interesting. The problem is compounded by the Wellington social-circuit where “media darlings” are courted by apparently sincere people who can “help” with “access” to “opinion leaders”.

    Its a shame, really. What’s missing from the public dialouge is that bitter truth derived from cynicism that used to exist in the media. Now its all about “networking”.
    • Paul26.1.2.1

      18 October 2012 at 9:27 pm

      Really interesting Blip – especially the points about the RNZ management system and the Wellington social circuit.
      Can I ask you, if you were the boss of RNZ for a week, which more varied opinions would you invite to challenge funder concerns?
      Was Malcolom Bradbury removed from the Panel for these reasons?
      • BLiP26.1.2.1.1

        18 October 2012 at 10:39 pm

        .

        Can I ask you, if you were the boss of RNZ for a week, which more varied opinions would you invite to challenge funder concerns?

        If I were The Boss of RNZ for a week I wouldn’t worry about the details. First off, I would double the advertising rates for all the commercial channels and leave them intact. On the free-to-air channels I would devolve the network down to local channels, no more than, say, 10,000 listeners and involve community activists wishing to address that audience – plus play excellent music and re-run The Goon Show.

        So far as the spread-sheet is concerned, I would sack anyone earning more than $100,000 and direct that savings into the provision of a more effective community and national news service.

        But … yeah, the funder. I guess there has to be a slant towards patriotism and heritage and an abiding respect for parliament and the courts, our kaumatua and our children. There’s a need to “stay positive” and bouyant but also speak truth.

        (Also, while The Boss, I would get my expense card out and thrash it every night of the week shouting the staff free drinks/meals/art/training and taxis home. When the media come to ask me about it I’ll say: “yeah, so what?”)
    • Rogue Trooper26.1.2.2

      18 October 2012 at 9:43 pm

      Love the Ted Knight characterisation

      -Lou (Ed)