I just got this reply in from Platform advertiser "Harness Financial":
"Dear David,
Thank you for getting in touch. Your comments are noted, and we are discussing this internally.
We want to be clear that we do not endorse Sean Plunket’s recent comments or views. While we’ve advertised on and produced educational content for The Platform listenership, our focus has always been on providing financial education to New Zealanders.
We recognise the suffering of the people in Gaza, and agree that these issues deserve thoughtful and respectful discourse. Furthermore, we have voiced our disappointment regarding Sean’s comment to senior staff at The Platform.
We do not believe that cancelling or de-platforming individuals we disagree with serves the greater good, as this approach removes space for discourse and dialogue that can lead to better understanding and accountability.
It's also important to consider that such actions impact not only the individual in question, but also the staff members and their families who depend on the business for their livelihoods."
I replied:
"Hi Team at Harness Financial,
Noted that you will continue to advertise and support Sean Plunket and The Platform.
Glad your stand means that Sean will be empowered to keep making jokes about starving kids in a genocide.
Oof. “We do not believe that canceling or de-platforming individuals we *disagree* with…” just feels like a slippery way to say that they’re perfectly happy to benefit from the attention-grabbing, racist falsehoods that Plunket is generating. Slimy, even.
Look - I really appreciate what VAST said - genuinely. And I have no reason to think they'd carry Platform ads on their service. But we can watch and see (and we should keep an eye on it). But I also want to extend some goodwill here and hope for the best. I thought their response was really commendable.
David this is excellent work. Fuck Sean, he is beyond conscience and empathy, so shutting him up for a bit is such a win for everyone. And what a creep WWJ is.
Great to know we should avoid the charming family owned business of Steelfort too.
I know it's incredibly *specific* - like, a fringe New Zealand media outlet, and a rich NZ family no-one really gives a shit about - but I think even for Webworm readers out of New Zealand there are enough things to grasp onto that demonstrate a bigger thing - and how this class of people operates.
I find this kind of thing both infuriating and fascinating.
With some glimmers of hope, like in how that one advertiser responded to all this with grace and class. And change.
It is specific, but I think we need to give a shit about the Wright Family and their Foundation. They have had their dangerous fingers in so many important pies in Aotearoa and are potentially our most public example of how those with wealth feel they are entitled to an outsized influence in how our society is shaped. Traditionally in New Zealand, these families seem to have operated in the shadows, quietly pulling strings. But the Wright family and foundation advertised across national television channels. It was a shocking wake up call for me.
The themes are universal- wealth and privilege providing power and platform to those who least deserve it. Its awesome to read anything where that gets called out and tipped in a different direction.
Thanks again for doing this David, really appreciate it.
According to my notes, in 2022, 75% of their income was from taxpayer subsidies. That was over $200 million at the time but I'm pretty sure it's increased since then.
The other thing is WWJ told Duncan Grieve in that same year that the Wright Family are too big to be cancelled, since they own businesses all over NZ e.g. hotels.
Many of David Seymour's legislative changes also benefit the ECE industry and my understanding is Wayne Wright Junior was a big National donor for years (particularly to Louise Upston) and possibly ACT
Anyway I will see myself out - thank you again for diving in on this.
Seymours ‘benefit’ to ECE corporate owners, the likes of and mostly the Wright Family, are about to committing murder of a world renowned education system for our mokopuna.
It is an horrendous move away from education into baby farming.
I went to Catholic schools with the McOviney family in Palmerston North who own Steelfort Engineering. Their father came from Croatia. It appears that very little Catholic theology sank into the dark veins of their business culture. Possibly that's why they wrote the response you reproduced above. I do love reading simplistic analysis like "Perhaps get a comment from our previous Labour Prime Minister , Jacinda Adhern who now lives in the US and managed to successfully destroy much of what made New Zealand so special". They obviously hate her so much they can't even spell her name. I'm also not sure what they thought made NZ so special before Adern?
I can't help picturing a 60-foot-tall kaiju Jacinda smashing up public art in Wellington and putting a scaled and monstrous fist through a lighted sign advertising the All Blacks... Jacinda the Destroyer! Quake in fear at her name!
The current govt and their supporters are bloody obsessed with the red herring fallacy! Our former government has absolutely nothing to do with the inappropriate rage bait views this asshat posted online 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
But it tells us a lot about the people who support the Platform (and probably RCR/VFF). Especially Steelfort boss John McOviney. He was quoted on 1News recently as the grandfather of the pighunters who spotted fugitive Tom Phillips and his 3 children in Taranaki bush. Seems his family will use “untrustworthy” MSM when it suits them.
My son and daughter in law are in the process of selecting a day care facility for their daughter and BestStart facilities have been crossed off the list. Even if Wayne Jr doesn’t work for the foundation, the prospect of contributing their money to the profits of a family associated with him and so with Plunket’s staggeringly appalling comments would be too disturbing.
Classy PR response from Wright but the MD of Steelfort - whoah, what a hot mess.
I'm always intrigued by the way such people assert that Ardern "managed to successfully destroy much of what made New Zealand so special" as if it's an objective truth. Makes me wonder just what it is that they found so special about NZ before Ardern came along and wrecked it all for them.
Except the Wright Foundation misspelt Plunket, and Wayne Wright Jr uses American spelling in his response. Perhaps he’s now sharing his play money with his MAGA hero.
It’s baffling how these vitriolic people can place so much blame and hatred on one person! They act as though Jacinda made all decisions unilaterally with no input from anyone else?? I find it so ignorant.
The Wright Family are actually horrendous. I have friends who have worked for best start daycares and they have said avoid them like the plague, they only care about profit. To the point where some centres are chronically understaffed but still accept enrolments. But they are everywhere, literally every new housing development seems to have a best start.
They also support Nathan Wallis whose pseudo science 'neuroscient education' is frankly concerning.
All of that is to say they're awful, Wayne Right Jrs. support of the platform doesn't surprise me, and thank you for doing the mahi to bring this to people's attention!
The Steelfort managers' response exhibits some flawed and illogical reasoning, yet this person felt it was absolutely okay to represent their company publicly in this way. Maybe because they feel safe to do so with big bully boys like Sean Plunkett ( though the poor thing lost his voice so bad he can't even type on X) and Wayne Jr. to back them up. Thanks for your follow-up work, David - their responses to you reveal so much!
Thanks for pointing out that Plunket is an awful person, though I wish you hadn’t. I’ll continue to support him because I’m very opened minded, and just a tiny bit to advance my political agenda (which also happens to be fucking atrocious and so we’re really just two little greasy peas in a pod, but don’t tell anyone).
PS Did you hear that a woman has ruined everything?
FYI it’s spelt Plunket. Seems his biggest fans, the Wright family, can’t get it “wright” either. Bit of a worry for a mega (successful?) early education business.
Because helll yes of course MSM here is influenced by the Anti Right Leftist government....???!! 🙄 Wtaf!? Lol That would have to be the craziest load of bs ever wouldn't it 😆
Right wing bigots in NZ who want to hang on to their ideology always seem to do the same thing and fall back to aUntY CiNDy ruined New Zealand and there’s nothing wrong with free speech especially if it’s a joke you’re just too woke and PC and hail Luxon…..
Thanks for pointing out that Plunket is an awful person, though I wish you hadn’t. I’ll continue to support him because I’m very opened minded, and just a tiny bit to advance my political agenda (which also happens to be fucking atrocious and so we’re really just two little greasy peas in a pod, but don’t tell anyone).
PS Did you hear that a woman has ruined everything?
Had a look to see who followed Sean Plunket on Facebook and found (among the obvious like David Seymour) National MPs Erica Stanford and Catherine Wedd, a local real estate agent, and the Petal Foundation Charitable Trust, "a privately funded specialist home for newborn babies". I've messaged them asking if they're content to continue following and supporting SP in light of his recent appalling comments. Waiting for replies...
I just got this reply in from Platform advertiser "Harness Financial":
"Dear David,
Thank you for getting in touch. Your comments are noted, and we are discussing this internally.
We want to be clear that we do not endorse Sean Plunket’s recent comments or views. While we’ve advertised on and produced educational content for The Platform listenership, our focus has always been on providing financial education to New Zealanders.
We recognise the suffering of the people in Gaza, and agree that these issues deserve thoughtful and respectful discourse. Furthermore, we have voiced our disappointment regarding Sean’s comment to senior staff at The Platform.
We do not believe that cancelling or de-platforming individuals we disagree with serves the greater good, as this approach removes space for discourse and dialogue that can lead to better understanding and accountability.
It's also important to consider that such actions impact not only the individual in question, but also the staff members and their families who depend on the business for their livelihoods."
I replied:
"Hi Team at Harness Financial,
Noted that you will continue to advertise and support Sean Plunket and The Platform.
Glad your stand means that Sean will be empowered to keep making jokes about starving kids in a genocide.
Best,
David"
Oof. “We do not believe that canceling or de-platforming individuals we *disagree* with…” just feels like a slippery way to say that they’re perfectly happy to benefit from the attention-grabbing, racist falsehoods that Plunket is generating. Slimy, even.
Yeah, a giant eyeroll at all of that.
I just got this reply from the managing director of Insulmax New Zealand:
"Insulmax cancelled all advertising with The Platform yesterday."
VAST Billboards PR person knows how to write a response; that closing was classy as hell.
Totally. And they took action! A glimmer of hope in the cesspit.
VAST Billboards won’t advertise on The Platform now but will they also stop The Platfform advertising on VAST Billboards?
Look - I really appreciate what VAST said - genuinely. And I have no reason to think they'd carry Platform ads on their service. But we can watch and see (and we should keep an eye on it). But I also want to extend some goodwill here and hope for the best. I thought their response was really commendable.
David this is excellent work. Fuck Sean, he is beyond conscience and empathy, so shutting him up for a bit is such a win for everyone. And what a creep WWJ is.
Great to know we should avoid the charming family owned business of Steelfort too.
Thanks, Beck. I appreciate that.
I know it's incredibly *specific* - like, a fringe New Zealand media outlet, and a rich NZ family no-one really gives a shit about - but I think even for Webworm readers out of New Zealand there are enough things to grasp onto that demonstrate a bigger thing - and how this class of people operates.
I find this kind of thing both infuriating and fascinating.
With some glimmers of hope, like in how that one advertiser responded to all this with grace and class. And change.
It is specific, but I think we need to give a shit about the Wright Family and their Foundation. They have had their dangerous fingers in so many important pies in Aotearoa and are potentially our most public example of how those with wealth feel they are entitled to an outsized influence in how our society is shaped. Traditionally in New Zealand, these families seem to have operated in the shadows, quietly pulling strings. But the Wright family and foundation advertised across national television channels. It was a shocking wake up call for me.
Undue influence, like Federated Farmers, Sensible Sentencing Etc who are a tiny minority with a big voice per NZ Herald, Stuff and TV1.
The themes are universal- wealth and privilege providing power and platform to those who least deserve it. Its awesome to read anything where that gets called out and tipped in a different direction.
Thanks again for doing this David, really appreciate it.
According to my notes, in 2022, 75% of their income was from taxpayer subsidies. That was over $200 million at the time but I'm pretty sure it's increased since then.
The other thing is WWJ told Duncan Grieve in that same year that the Wright Family are too big to be cancelled, since they own businesses all over NZ e.g. hotels.
Many of David Seymour's legislative changes also benefit the ECE industry and my understanding is Wayne Wright Junior was a big National donor for years (particularly to Louise Upston) and possibly ACT
Anyway I will see myself out - thank you again for diving in on this.
Seymours ‘benefit’ to ECE corporate owners, the likes of and mostly the Wright Family, are about to committing murder of a world renowned education system for our mokopuna.
It is an horrendous move away from education into baby farming.
I went to Catholic schools with the McOviney family in Palmerston North who own Steelfort Engineering. Their father came from Croatia. It appears that very little Catholic theology sank into the dark veins of their business culture. Possibly that's why they wrote the response you reproduced above. I do love reading simplistic analysis like "Perhaps get a comment from our previous Labour Prime Minister , Jacinda Adhern who now lives in the US and managed to successfully destroy much of what made New Zealand so special". They obviously hate her so much they can't even spell her name. I'm also not sure what they thought made NZ so special before Adern?
Seems MD John McOviney and Steelfort can afford a fancy website, but not a spin doctor who can advise them to at least get that right? 🤭
I can't help picturing a 60-foot-tall kaiju Jacinda smashing up public art in Wellington and putting a scaled and monstrous fist through a lighted sign advertising the All Blacks... Jacinda the Destroyer! Quake in fear at her name!
I agree..finally . I was surprised to read he has a partner
The current govt and their supporters are bloody obsessed with the red herring fallacy! Our former government has absolutely nothing to do with the inappropriate rage bait views this asshat posted online 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
Yeah, I think that advertiser's comments are a good insight into the sorts of people backing Sean's ventures.
That response from STEELFORT is a mess. Whoever answered that e-mail should have their keyboard taken away.
I love that he CCd in other people from the company, too. Do they read that and go, "Good job, Steve!"
Just a train of thought, rambling on.
But it tells us a lot about the people who support the Platform (and probably RCR/VFF). Especially Steelfort boss John McOviney. He was quoted on 1News recently as the grandfather of the pighunters who spotted fugitive Tom Phillips and his 3 children in Taranaki bush. Seems his family will use “untrustworthy” MSM when it suits them.
Please, please keep us updated on responses from sponsors….. I love boycotting businesses…. Gives me a tiny little minuscule sense of power x
I will update this piece with any changes. So yeah, keep an eye on the live article: https://www.webworm.co/p/thewrightfamily
My son and daughter in law are in the process of selecting a day care facility for their daughter and BestStart facilities have been crossed off the list. Even if Wayne Jr doesn’t work for the foundation, the prospect of contributing their money to the profits of a family associated with him and so with Plunket’s staggeringly appalling comments would be too disturbing.
GOOD.
This stuff matters.
Boycotting that BestStart monopoly is a great start.
Classy PR response from Wright but the MD of Steelfort - whoah, what a hot mess.
I'm always intrigued by the way such people assert that Ardern "managed to successfully destroy much of what made New Zealand so special" as if it's an objective truth. Makes me wonder just what it is that they found so special about NZ before Ardern came along and wrecked it all for them.
It's amazing how their hatred for women is just bubbling beneath it all. That swerve into Jacinda was just.. yeah, wow.
Except the Wright Foundation misspelt Plunket, and Wayne Wright Jr uses American spelling in his response. Perhaps he’s now sharing his play money with his MAGA hero.
Or it was (re)written by AI, so often see that with AI output.
I doubt it. I’ve seen US spelling in previous comments by Wayne Wright Jr, in his reasons for funding The Platform.
It’s baffling how these vitriolic people can place so much blame and hatred on one person! They act as though Jacinda made all decisions unilaterally with no input from anyone else?? I find it so ignorant.
The Wright Family are actually horrendous. I have friends who have worked for best start daycares and they have said avoid them like the plague, they only care about profit. To the point where some centres are chronically understaffed but still accept enrolments. But they are everywhere, literally every new housing development seems to have a best start.
They also support Nathan Wallis whose pseudo science 'neuroscient education' is frankly concerning.
All of that is to say they're awful, Wayne Right Jrs. support of the platform doesn't surprise me, and thank you for doing the mahi to bring this to people's attention!
Thanks for this extra context, Rhiannon.
What’s wrong with Nathan? He’s been helping parents in my region for about 20 years. I found him very helpful.
Yes I would also like to know what's wrong with Nathan Wallis too.
He's always seemed quite reasonable whenever I've listened to him on the radio.
Admittedly, I'm just a lay person in the early childhood education and psychology fields so i may be missing something
Thank you so so much for this. I am really hopeful people will contact advertisers but more importantly speak up by not ever using these businesses.
The Steelfort managers' response exhibits some flawed and illogical reasoning, yet this person felt it was absolutely okay to represent their company publicly in this way. Maybe because they feel safe to do so with big bully boys like Sean Plunkett ( though the poor thing lost his voice so bad he can't even type on X) and Wayne Jr. to back them up. Thanks for your follow-up work, David - their responses to you reveal so much!
Patrick had this wonderful interpretation above:
"Hi David,
Thanks for pointing out that Plunket is an awful person, though I wish you hadn’t. I’ll continue to support him because I’m very opened minded, and just a tiny bit to advance my political agenda (which also happens to be fucking atrocious and so we’re really just two little greasy peas in a pod, but don’t tell anyone).
PS Did you hear that a woman has ruined everything?
Best,
Steelfort"
FYI it’s spelt Plunket. Seems his biggest fans, the Wright family, can’t get it “wright” either. Bit of a worry for a mega (successful?) early education business.
Because helll yes of course MSM here is influenced by the Anti Right Leftist government....???!! 🙄 Wtaf!? Lol That would have to be the craziest load of bs ever wouldn't it 😆
Right wing bigots in NZ who want to hang on to their ideology always seem to do the same thing and fall back to aUntY CiNDy ruined New Zealand and there’s nothing wrong with free speech especially if it’s a joke you’re just too woke and PC and hail Luxon…..
You summed up perfectly what we are dealing with here.
Oh man fuck that STEELFORT guy to hell. What a deranged response from a Managing Director.
Just a big, rambling mess of a thing, huh.
From the desk of Steelfort Ltd
Hi David,
Thanks for pointing out that Plunket is an awful person, though I wish you hadn’t. I’ll continue to support him because I’m very opened minded, and just a tiny bit to advance my political agenda (which also happens to be fucking atrocious and so we’re really just two little greasy peas in a pod, but don’t tell anyone).
PS Did you hear that a woman has ruined everything?
Best,
Steelfort
d y i n g
This is his brain. This is it.
Had a look to see who followed Sean Plunket on Facebook and found (among the obvious like David Seymour) National MPs Erica Stanford and Catherine Wedd, a local real estate agent, and the Petal Foundation Charitable Trust, "a privately funded specialist home for newborn babies". I've messaged them asking if they're content to continue following and supporting SP in light of his recent appalling comments. Waiting for replies...