Search Rapua

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Nine to Noon – host spoke to a number of women about their experiences with dowry abuse in New Zealand – allegedly in breach of controversial issues, accuracy and discrimination and denigration standards FindingsStandard 4 (controversial issues – viewpoints) – programme did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – highlighted problem of dowry abuse and presented experiences of a few women – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – complainant did not identify any inaccurate statements – not upheld Standard 7 (discrimination and denigration) – complainant did not identify any group or section of the community – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Radio New Zealand National News – report on the future of superannuation payments in New Zealand – referred to “government superannuation” – allegedly inaccurate Findings Standard 5 (accuracy) – complaint trivial – decline to determine under section 11(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A news item, broadcast on Radio New Zealand National News at 9am on Friday 30 October 2009, reported on the future of superannuation payments in New Zealand. The newsreader stated: The Retirement Commissioner says the country needs to consider the future of government superannuation, with Treasury warning that government debt could balloon to two trillion dollars by 2050....

An appeal against this decision was dismissed in the High Court: CIV 2008-485-1465 PDF165. 64 KBComplaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Nine to Noon – interview with legal commentator about the Ministry of Justice’s review of the Domestic Violence Act 1995 – referred to women when talking about the victims and men when discussing the abusers – allegedly unbalancedFindings Principle 4 (balance) – not necessary to expressly acknowledge that men could be the victims of domestic violence – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast[1] An item broadcast during Nine to Noon on Radio New Zealand National on 27 February 2008 featured an interview with a legal commentator, Catriona McLennan. Ms McLennan discussed a review, published by the Ministry of Justice, of implementation aspects of New Zealand’s Domestic Violence Act 1995....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Insight – first of a three-part series on climate change – presenter said it was an attempt to balance the avalanche of reports that dominate the media – presented viewpoints of those who challenged the “perceived wisdom” that climate change was real and caused by humans – allegedly unbalanced Findings Principle 4 (balance) – programme clearly approached topic from a particular perspective – did not purport to be a balanced overview of the climate change debate – substantial amount of media coverage has been devoted to climate change – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on Radio New Zealand National’s Insight programme reported that a United Nations organisation called the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) had released its latest report....

Complaint under s. 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Nine to Noon – commentator (Hana O’Regan) compared the impact of views of the leader of the National Party (Dr Brash) to those of Hitler – allegedly offensive, irresponsible, unbalanced, unfair and inaccurateFindings: Principle 1 (good taste and decency) – context – not upheld Principle 4 (balance) – another perspective on extensively debated controversial issue – not upheld Principle 5 (fairness) – focus of comparison on process, not policy – not upheld Principle 6 (accuracy) – limited factual comparison accurate – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] Commentator Hana O’Regan was interviewed by the presenter (Linda Clark) on National Radio’s Nine to Noon between 9. 54 and 10. 00am on 11 February 2004....

ComplaintMidday Report – references to Bush administration – comments from UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Iraq – distorted – misleading – inaccurate FindingsPrinciple 6 – misleading to equate coalition with Bush administration – uphold No Order This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] An item about terrorist activities in Iraq was broadcast on National Radio’s Midday Report broadcast on 21 August 2003. The item from an ABC reporter in Washington referred to the “Bush administration” in the United States and included a comment from UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan that “The coalition has made mistakes and we probably have too”....

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]An item on Nine to Noon featured an interview with the CEO of the New Zealand Superannuation Fund. The Authority declined jurisdiction to accept and consider a complaint that this interview did not address issues of corruption within the Fund, finding the complaint raised matters of editorial discretion and personal preference rather than broadcasting standards, and the broadcaster was therefore correct to not accept it as a valid formal complaint. Declined JurisdictionIntroduction[1] An item on Nine to Noon featured an interview with the Chief Executive of the New Zealand Superannuation Fund (the Fund). [2] Allan Golden complained to Radio New Zealand that the segment ‘praised the earnings performance’ of the Fund with no justification....

A complaint that segments on Morning Report which discussed the abortion legislative reform process were unbalanced was not upheld. First, the Authority found the complaint amounted to a ‘formal complaint’ for the purposes of the Broadcasting Act 1989. However the Authority found the items did not breach the balance standard as they clearly approached the topic of abortion legislative reform from a particular perspective and that listeners could reasonably be expected to have a level of awareness of significant arguments in the debate. Not Upheld: Balance...

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1991-037:Ngaei and Radio New Zealand Ltd - 1991-037 PDF727. 04 KB...

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1993-128:Colina and Radio New Zealand Ltd - 1993-128 PDF392. 47 KB...

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1992-032:Clements and Radio New Zealand Ltd - 1992-032 PDF331. 3 KB...

An appeal against this decision was dismissed in the High Court: CIV 2004-485-2035 PDF1. 53 MBComplaint under s....

The Authority has declined to determine a complaint about a news item on RNZ National. The item included a brief comment of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from his first televised address following the deaths of key Hamas leaders which the complainant alleges was in breach of multiple standards. The Authority declined to determine the complaint finding it relates to a matter of editorial discretion/personal preference and identified no harm sufficient to outweigh the right to freedom of expression. Declined to Determine under s 11(b) of the Broadcasting Act 1989: Offensive and Disturbing Content, Children's Interests, Promotion of Illegal or Antisocial Behaviour, Discrimination and Denigration, Balance and Fairness...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Checkpoint, Nine to Noon and Sunday Morning with Chris Laidlaw – extended interviews contained discussions about an incident of escalating violence in the Gaza Strip in the context of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict – allegedly unbalancedFindings Standard 4 (controversial issues) – incident of escalating violence in the context of ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict amounted to a controversial issue of public importance – broadcaster made reasonable efforts to present significant viewpoints, including the Israeli perspective, across numerous news bulletins and programmes – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Introduction [1] Five selected items reporting on an episode of escalating violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Gaza Strip were broadcast on Radio New Zealand National....

Te Raumawhitu Kupenga declared a conflict of interest and did not participate in determination of this complaint. Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ] An item on Morning Report featured an interview with a Social Policy Advisor at the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), who discussed CAB’s experience assisting the public with income support applications to Work & Income New Zealand (WINZ). The Authority did not uphold a complaint from the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) that this interview was unbalanced, unfair and inaccurate. The Authority found that because of the nature of the item – which comprised a brief interview with one individual, who approached a widely reported issue from a clearly identified perspective – audiences would not have expected to hear MSD’s response to the comments made....

Warning — This decision contains references to sexual violence. The Authority has not upheld complaints an interview on Saturday Morning between Kim Hill and Dr Kathleen Stock, a gender critical philosopher, breached broadcasting standards, including the discrimination and denigration, balance and accuracy standards. The broadcast discussed Dr Stock’s perspective on gender identity and her experiences resulting from voicing her perspective, having resigned from her position following a student campaign that accused her of transphobia. The Authority acknowledged the potential harm of the interview, but ultimately found the importance of freedom of expression outweighed any harm caused. The broadcast was clearly signalled as presenting Dr Stock’s perspective, to which she was entitled, and throughout the interview Hill challenged Dr Stock’s views, leaving the audience with a more balanced impression on the issue....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 National Radio – Nine to Noon – joint interview with organiser of anti-racism march in Christchurch and leader of National Front – complainant alleged that interview on National Radio gave National Front credibility and legitimacy – item allegedly unbalanced and unfair as National Front not legitimate commentator on immigration issuesFindings Principle 4 (balance) – programme presented both sides of debate – not upheld Principle 5 (fairness) – programme not unfair to identifiable person – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] During Nine to Noon on 10 May 2004 the presenter (Linda Clark) conducted a joint interview with the organiser of an anti-racism march in Christchurch, Mr Lincoln Tan, and the organiser of a National Front counter-march, Mr Kyle Chapman....

ComplaintConcert FM – news item on cannabis use – report that decriminalisation would lead to increased use – and heavy use could lead to criminal behaviour FindingsPrinciple 4 – long period of current interest for the decriminalisation of cannabis debate – explored in other media – Guideline 4b (ii) – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] A submission that the decriminalisation of cannabis would lead to other criminal and anti-social behaviour was referred to in a news item broadcast on Concert FM at 8. 00am on 23 July 2001. It was reported that the submission had been made by the Police Association to a Parliamentary Health Select Committee inquiring into the harm associated with cannabis use. [2] David Currie complained to Radio New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the news item was misleading....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1991-024:New Zealand Aids Foundation and Radio New Zealand Ltd - 1991-024 PDF711. 93 KB...