In this age of ‘post-truth politics’ (which, by the way, must be one of the greatest tautologies of all time) I guess all truths can be relative.

North Korea is magnificent because Gareth Morgan told us so. Our state houses are contaminated by methamphetamine because why would experts lie?

In between the gratuitous Olympics coverage, and hopefully-but-probably-not ironic coverage of the Real Housewives of Auckland, there have been some more shockers in the media these past couple of weeks.

Let’s start with the heart-warming news that the Herald insists will make New Zealand athletes jealous.

All 87 of Venezuela’s Olympic athletes will win an extra prize. Even the losers who didn’t win medals.

Courtesy of the government, they will all receive a free house, so that ‘…the athletes will feel the love of their country’.

Good for Venezuela. And all thanks to the socialist revolution.

What the Herald forgot to mention was that getting a free house in Venezuela is a bit like getting a free supply of tap water from Havelock North. The Olympians might receive a house but that is poor compensation when socialism has made the country a terrible, terrible place to live.

New Zealand athletes might be jealous of their Venezuelan counterparts, but only if they’ve never picked up the international news section. Feeling the love of your country is nice, of course. I’d argue that access to food, toilet paper and essential medicines is probably higher on the priority list for most.

The truth isn’t any safer closer to home, either. Last week we learned about the plight of the Saitu family, whose story of abject poverty in South Auckland was apparently being ignored by those in government.

You might not have heard that the Ministry of Social Development has responded to the accusation that they are not doing enough. The Ministry points out that in fact they have granted support, and they are working hard to accommodate the family’s specific and complex needs at short notice.

Now, I understand that ‘Ministry of Social Development doing their best with a complex case’ probably doesn’t make the best headline. But I’d hate to think there are people who could walk away from the news thinking the Venezuelan government is great while the mean, cold-hearted New Zealand government is turning a blind eye to real need.

Hopefully those who are simple-minded enough to jump such conclusions can be distracted by the copious Real Housewives of Auckland coverage.