Matthew Hooton is so far right he sneeringly derides the National Government as communists. But on human rights and social issues we are fellow travellers. We chatted on the morning of our usual Thursday panel with Radio Live hosts Willie Jackson and John Tamihere. Matthew was incensed over what he believed was Willie and JT's attitude to the predatory behaviour and almost certain rapes of girls by the Roast Buster gang.
I had only listened to one taped interview of a teenager identified as Amy and read a few print reports. None of it was good.
Unlike print and television, talkback radio is live. Hosts never know what a guest will say. On most occasions there is no time for editing or planning an interview. Given the outrage over organised girl rape parties, any questioning of this girl needed careful sensitivity.
In the interview, there was much emphasis on mitigating circumstances for the males and little for the girls. What matters if they snuck out at night or what they wore? You could feel stunned disbelief in radio land when JT asked Amy at what age she lost her virginity.
There is no mitigation for males providing drinks to stupefy 13-year-old girls into sex. It's called rape. Filming it and public gloating is doubly violating.
