Accusing someone of rape is a serious thing, and difficult to withdraw. Parliament Speaker Trevor Mallard must be regretting that mistake, especially now when he's being bombarded by media articles demanding he resign. But that is not the point of my story. My focus is on the media and society, not Mallard. I'm wondering why the media has gone so far overboard on Mallard's fumbled rape charge when there are so many more important issues facing the country. I doubt it was a moral or human rights concern, although it would be nice to think so. It seems more likely a pursuit of a nice sexy honey-pot story that attracts readers and pleases advertisers, and for at least two of them, the NZ Herald and NewstalkZB, it provides another chance to attack our left-centre government.
