Election 2023: Labour accused of spreading disinformation online as National MP defends climate question
Watch Lloyd Burr's story here. Credits: Newshub. While disinformation has been called a national security threat in recent Government reports, Labour's now being accused of spreading it online. But it's not just Labour dabbling in the realm, National's energy and resources spokesperson's been asking if there really is a climate crisis. Get ready for a weird and wacky election campaign. Labour this week posted a TikTok taking aim at the number of men National had selected for seats. It featured Charli XCX's song 'Boys'. "I was busy dreaming about boys," the song goes. Newshub played to the Prime Minister on Thursday. "It's a video about who National's selecting to be in their safe seats," he said. It's since been deleted but it's Labour's other social media posts that are raising eyebrows. Like one claiming a National/ACT coalition will not only cut fees free for first-year students, but they will also add interest back on all current student loans. "Many people will potentially think that's true. It is not. The Labour Party has an obligation to campaign fairly," said National campaign chair Chris Bishop. The post prompted ACT leader David Seymour to reply: "You may like to take down your post because you shouldn't be spreading misinformation in this election campaign." Asked if Labour's social media team was spreading disinformation about other party's policies, Hipkins replied: "No." Are you sure? "Yes," he replied. But Seymour said: "They are deliberately misleading people." Hipkins said he hadn't been through all of Labour's social media posts. There's also a post where Labour appears to be sharing a news story about military-style guns being back if ACT were in Government. But it was actually just Labour's own press release on the Scoop website. "ACT actually wants to make the restrictions tighter on a fit and proper person who can legally have the firearms and go after all the people who illegally have them," said Seymour. But Hipkins was still reading from his press release. "They want to bring back military-style, semi-automatic weapons," Hipkins said. Seymour said: "It's actually despicable if you think about the events that set off the current firearms policies and politics, the fact they're spreading misinformation about it now is just disgusting." Then there's Stuart Smith, National's energy and resources spokesperson, who asked the Climate Change Minister whether he agrees with Nobel Laureate Dr John F Clauser: "In my opinion, there is no real climate crisis." Smith told Newshub he did believe the climate crisis was real. "I'm not questioning it. I'm questioning the actions people are taking." Whatever that means. His leader, Christopher Luxon, also said the climate crisis was real. What is real and what's not could be the flavour of the election.