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Secrets and Lies (Hagar)
Encyclopedia
Secrets and Lies, subtitled "the anatomy of an anti-environmental PR campaign", is a 1999 book by Nicky Hager
and Bob Burton.
The book documents the public relations
information put out by Timberlands West Coast Limited
in order to win public support for logging of native forests on the West Coast
of New Zealand
.
The material is based on a large amount of documentation leaked by a staff member from the local branch of Shandwick (now Weber Shandwick Worldwide), a global public relations company, which had been hired by Timberlands to run a secret campaign against environmental groups such as Native Forest Action
between 1997 and 1999.
The book describes its tactics of surveillance of meetings, monitoring the press and responding to every letter to the editor, greenwashing, the use of SLAPPs, cleaning anti-logging graffiti and blotting out campaign posters in public places, and managing to install its pro-logging educational materials into schools.
The book alleges that almost every pro-logging letter or article was organized by this campaign.
During a general Parliamentary debate in November 2006, when the book The Hollow Men
had an injunction against its publication, the MP Gerry Brownlee
said of the author and the book:
The Hollow Men documents behind the scenes activities of the National Party
, of which Brownlee was deputy leader at the time.
Nicky Hager
Nicky Hager is an author and investigative journalist born in Levin, New Zealand and now resides in Wellington. He generally writes about issues involving intelligence networks, environmental issues and politics. He has degrees in physics and philosophy...
and Bob Burton.
The book documents the public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
information put out by Timberlands West Coast Limited
Timberlands West Coast Limited
Timberlands West Coast Limited is a New Zealand state-owned enterprise based on the West Coast.It was formed to manage the native and exotic forests on the West Coast of the defunct New Zealand Forest Service....
in order to win public support for logging of native forests on the West Coast
West Coast, New Zealand
The West Coast is one of the administrative regions of New Zealand, located on the west coast of the South Island, and is one of the more remote and most sparsely populated areas of the country. It is made up of three districts: Buller, Grey and Westland...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
The material is based on a large amount of documentation leaked by a staff member from the local branch of Shandwick (now Weber Shandwick Worldwide), a global public relations company, which had been hired by Timberlands to run a secret campaign against environmental groups such as Native Forest Action
Native Forest Action
Native Forest Action was set up protect the publicly owned native forests of the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand from logging....
between 1997 and 1999.
The book describes its tactics of surveillance of meetings, monitoring the press and responding to every letter to the editor, greenwashing, the use of SLAPPs, cleaning anti-logging graffiti and blotting out campaign posters in public places, and managing to install its pro-logging educational materials into schools.
The book alleges that almost every pro-logging letter or article was organized by this campaign.
During a general Parliamentary debate in November 2006, when the book The Hollow Men
The Hollow Men (book)
The Hollow Men is a 2006 book written by Nicky Hager about the election strategies used by the New Zealand National Party during New Zealand's 2005 parliamentary election...
had an injunction against its publication, the MP Gerry Brownlee
Gerry Brownlee
Gerard Anthony "Gerry" Brownlee is a New Zealand politician. He served from 17 November 2003 to 27 November 2006 as deputy-leader of the National Party – during that period the second-largest party in the New Zealand Parliament, and thus forming the core of the Opposition...
said of the author and the book:
The Hollow Men documents behind the scenes activities of the National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
, of which Brownlee was deputy leader at the time.
External links
- PR watch article including large excerpts from the book.
- Detailed rebuttal of the book by Chris Perley a New Zealand forestry and agriculture consultant.
- Wilderness Society webpage for the book