"Journalists need to be very independent, always questioning, always probing always saying, why? That’s the journalist's creed.”

Whereas people like Nicky Hager (author of Dirty Politics & many other books) who stands up and asks questions then states the facts, and is painted very effectively as a troublemaker and stirrer - a left wing radical by the government when in reality he is just doing good journalism - that is all he is doing even if the facts are 100% true, he is dismissed as a radical, out to bring down the government.  

Is our government becoming so contemptuous of people? Dita states that if the National Party put people before all other considerations, she would be far more favourable to them, but people across the board are seemingly being factored out of the equation in favour of monetarist considerations. Putting people at the centre of what they do, is the foundation of how Dita wishes to see governments govern - without compromise.

If a Govt minister is standing up and saying something that a room full of industry people would applaud, they are saying the wrong thing … (in Dita’s opinion).  It is just simple things like that. She states she is not a left wing radical or anything like that, being focussed on questioning, probing asking why, and following the journalist's creed.

She acknowledges that ‘certain interests’ are polarising people - painting any criticism as negative and unfriendly and that what they are conveying is ‘hating NZ’  and that you are not being patriotic - and it’s very decisive.

This is causing problems within our society, not bringing community together when we need to engage in discourse, and work towards far more cohesive relationships.

On journalistic coverage across the nation, once there were  reporters from Wanganui, Hawkes Bay and Dunedin in the NZ Herald, now there looks like there are going to be are only 3 cities of NZ covered, being Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch thus how can we get a real current snapshot of NZ community across the breadth of our nation, with such a sketchy coverage?

So no full some coverage of issues and news.

Also, journalists are being told to look at what people are clicking on - on line and this is skewing in many ways the reality as young ones are the ones who a mainly online … if the Kardashian’s have a hiccup, this obviously influences many young …

Today, it’s market speak, money and viewers/readers are what it’s about it's not real and we are not understanding what is real, (especially as we are living on a planet with ever mounting challenges to address).

Subjects Covered:

Numerous regions in NZ are being hollowed out …and suffering terrible economic downturns. Resulting in the young and professionals not wanting to go to these communities, as no infrastructure - work etc.

Also, censorship by omission which is very prevalent in NZ and increasing … Where mainstream media, omit to cover contentious topics, that gets surreptitiously sidelined, when this information/news needs to be conveyed to the NZ public.

Education and loans to assist students but, also get you in debt. Dita, was able to have one year of free education to go to university, when govt policy changed offering loans to students that many today find such a huge burden to pay back, due to the difficulty in find an appropriate occupation.  

The TPPA where mainstream media push this as the best thing for NZ, but do not deeply question, probe and ask why?  

Why are NZers so complacent and conservative …?

Can a Jeremy Corbyn of the UK or a Bernie Sanders in the USA - like figure, here in NZ, be able to tune into the needs of the people, in a world that is totally unrepresented and ignite the youth in politics, which would be a game changer if only youth got on board. This was the question Dita asked.

That it is not about left or right, it’s about a new economic system.

For example, the property market in Auckland that’s a product of an economic system that is totally out of balance, has segregated people in Auckland, where once we managed to live side by side with rich and not so rich, and from different countries, now the rich tend to live in very well off neighbourhoods and the poor living in designated areas and also immigrants living in their areas too.

Our NZ mental health system is in trouble, an absolute fundamental thing that is required is that it has to be driven by empathy and compassion. Dita expressed concerns about the privatising of health and our hospital system.

What kind of world are we leaving our children?

She said that a person who goes into politics sole aim needs to be based on how to make the country better for everyone - this is an absolute.

This interview covers many other insights as to how Dita sees life as a journalist and as a mother.

This was a lovely chat where Dita could feel relaxed enough to express her values of showing her compassionate and empathetic side of how a journalist feels about her connection to people and the community.  

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/dita-deboni-privacy-right-is-not-a-when-q17795.html

Search for Dita’s current articles on TVNZ.co.nz and also her large number of stories in www.nzherald.co.nz