9 May, 2016

MEDIA RELEASE

Journalists union congratulates journalists’ investigation into Panama Papers

The journalists union, E tū has congratulated the journalists who have worked together to illuminate the New Zealand connection with the so-called Panama Papers.

The Panama Papers reveal a web of trusts and financial management vehicles used world-wide, and focussed on the Panamanian law firm,Mossack Fonseca.

The story, which involves one of the biggest leaks in media history, was broken by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

In this country, journalists from Radio New Zealand and Television New Zealand have worked together with the investigative journalist, Nicky Hager.

Their reports, the first of which ran today, reveal the extent of this country's involvement in what RNZ has called, “the global money-go-round and intricate asset management and protection industry” revealed in the Panama Papers.

E tū’s media organiser, Paul Tolich says the coverage is a great example of a new approach to journalism where the public interest is put ahead of the competitive interest of individual news organisations.

He says: “This is also in the finest traditions of journalists’ Code of Ethics, which always puts the public interest first, alongside reporting issues and events without fear or favour.”

Paul has also drawn attention to the ethical issues involved and the role played by money management vehicles in widening the gap between rich and poor.

The anonymous person who leaked the papers who calls himself John Doe says he acted as he did because of concerns about income inequality.

So far the New Zealand team has examined several thousand of the 60-thousand documents and there is no doubt much more to come.

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