From infonews.co.nz:
National list member of Parliament Tau Henare, has been banned from Wikipedia after going online to edit recent uncomplimentary comments referring to him as " having a reputation as a carpetbagger". Mr Henare also removed references to the Northern Clerical Union and its subsequent demise referred to in a report from the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions linked to his page.
The CTU report noted in its report that the union had fought and lost several lengthy battles over the lack of democracy in the union and, in particular the application of the unions rules. In one case the Union relied upon a draughting error in the Labour Relations Act- which erroneously removed the power of the court to order the union to comply with union rules.
In another, memberships were revoked after several groups sought to put a motions at the AGM that the officers of the union were not properly representing the majority view, after Syd Jackson attempted to forge links with Kaddafi's 'administration in Libya.Mr Jackson was instrumental in transforming the mainly white women's union into a militant force and his nephew Willie Jackson and Mr Henare had their first introduction into politics via that union.
Two edits removing these references were recorded by Wikipedia as having been made by HenareT which is Mr Henares own login and under Wikipedia policy anyone who as a living person edits their own page receives an indefinite ban.As far as I can see, Henare hasn't been "banned" (I don't think it's possible for a person to be banned from using the website), but instead has been blocked from making further edits.
The Wikipedia entry is here. Henare's edits are here and here. The original CTU report is here.
It's not the smartest move the National MP has made, though his career has been blighted by moves that probably weren't the smartest. It helps to explain the current party list placing of Mr Henare.
Update: See the comments below. It sounds as if some of the reportage in the above article might be questionable. It also seems that Mr Henare may be able to reverse the block. I love it when a non-story becomes even more of a non-story!
Having a look at the edit history, I think this story might be way off the mark. It seems the user HenareT was blocked for being the same user as Jcreser, who was previously blocked from editing the page.
ReplyDeleteJcreser added the carpetbagger line in the first place, and HenareT didn't make the edits the story claims - he just made edits correcting a few names and dates. Something seems a little off with this story...
Anon, please use a name or moniker next time. See my comments policy.
DeleteThe point I'm interested in is that Henare appears to have been blocked for editing his own page (whatever the reason for that might be). I'm less interested in why. Not smart, if it's true.
Kia Ora folks, yes I did edit "my" page. I edited theses facts, my great grand father served from 1914 to 1938 not 48, my actuall name is Raymond Tau Henare (check birth cert) I was never involved with Mana Motuhake. I wouldn't have the faintest idea about the Union edit as I never edited anything about that. no biggie. I see they have gone back to the original error, all good, my family know their own history.
ReplyDeleteTau
I am the admin who performed the blocks. A user repeatedly added a slur to the article on Tau Henare with only a blog as reference. Blogs are not considered reliable sources on Wikipedia. After discussion and warnings, he continued adding the slur and other information which was not supported by the references he added, and was blocked for a week. A new account named HenareT then made edits which had some similarity, and I blocked it as being probably the same person avoided the first block.
ReplyDeleteIf the HenereT account really is Tau Henare, and not the same as the earlier editor, then he can add an unblock request on his Wikipedia user talk page. Adding a link to this discussion might be useful.
Gadfium, can I talk to you about this,
ReplyDeleteJournalist: kate.shuttleworth@apnz.co.nz
I have emailed you.
DeleteWas the Northern Clerical Union comprised of priests and ministers? I thought they had other ways to intercede with their employer?
ReplyDeleteScott
ReplyDeleteOther Wikipedia own-goals:
Bernie Napp Senior Policy Analyst at Straterra editing the Mining In New Zealand page
tagged as {{WP:non-cryptic user name}}
The presumably eponymous user Business New Zealand editing their own wikipedia page
tagged as {{WP:boring user name}}
Just for the record-
ReplyDeleteThe carpetbagger comment was from the observations of two well known bloggers & the NZ Herald after googling Henare & Carpetbagger references from Hansard also popped up..no surprises there. After discussions with Gadfium as to the use of carpetbagger, I removed the words "well deserved" which I accept were POV, however due to the number of carpetbagger references and indeed the ability of the word to sum up Tau's career in one word, I left it there.
I advised Gadfium that material regarding the NCWU would be posted to reference the entry. Originaly Tau's involvement was simply listed as a union member, gadfium then removed the reference to Union activities as an organiser altogether.The beaut thing about wiki is that its still all up there.. and I went back and had a look and found that its Gadfium who removed the union reference...wonder if he works for jonkey?
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI have deleted the content of your comment, because in your comment you made a reference to someone being responsible for a theft. I don't know any of the history of that matter, but on the face of it the comment is defamatory and I don 't wish to be sued for defamation.
DeleteUnfortunately the blog platform I use doesn't allow me to edit comments to remove troublesome content. I can either allow comments through in their entirety or delete them. So this means I've been forced to remove all of your lengthy comment.
I understand your position Scott, but for the record, those comments relate to prosecutions that were stayed and everything I've posted is on the public record already...its just never been aired in a courtroom,I will publish everything on the forum at nzjustice.com over the next week or two. Thanks sorry about the anon thing but you know who I am.
DeleteCheer JC
BTW I reckon its the wiki guy that's' got egg all over his "Gadfium"- not my good mate Tau
ReplyDelete1) G banned me cos he thought I was Tau!
2) G banned Tau cos he thought he was me!
3) Tau and I both added his first name"Raymond" to the profile and G removed it
4)Tau blamed me for removing the references to the NCWU when in fact G removed them.
5) And don't forget,the brand new reference in the media to Tau as s "carpettbagger" on TV3
Which leaves us with the question, who is Gadfium, is he linked to the Greens or jonkey as I've suggested? & what will Wiki say about a clesr cut case of S.N.A.Fuitis, with the censor turning publicist.(I feel another edit in the controversy box comin on)
Thanks again JC
Cheers JC