Two days ago we were all wringing our hands with despair over World Health Organisation data that showed Auckland had New Zealand’s worst air pollution, double that of Sydney.
We read yesterday that the data has been withdrawn, and new data will show that Auckland is only slightly worse than Sydney and Dunedin, which the previous day was said to have had the cleanest air in New Zealand, now has the worst.
Perhaps all the data is fine, and the problem is that the WHO, for all the flags it flies, does not know where the RWC is being held, or at least where our various cities and towns are geographically located.
Thank goodness Environment Minister Nick Smith had his people challenge the WHO data. But spare a thought for those spokespersons who rushed to judgement on the earlier data and started berating us about the use of cars as the cause of this pollution – not buses, trucks, diesel trains, but cars!
Once again, the earlier WHO statement reinforced the importance of the advice I received many years ago, when as a reporter covering the work of the ambulances following horses around at the local race meeting. In my naïve way I suggested to the driver that perhaps we were too far behind the galloping nags, and should close up a bit. The crisp but polite response was: no good being there until the jockey has stopped bouncing!
Sound advice for communications people in any crisis, me thinks.
What are your top tips for ensuring that in haste you don’t get the wrong end of the stick?
