Three decisions about Seven Sharp item on outgoing New Plymouth mayor released today
Today we released decisions on three complaints, none of which were upheld. All three complaints related to an item on Seven Sharp in May 2016 about outgoing New Plymouth mayor Andrew Judd, who said he was not seeking re-election due to the backlash from his campaign to increase Māori representation on the New Plymouth District Council.
Two of the complaints alleged that statements made during the item were inaccurate, including the reporter’s statement that ’83 per cent of New Plymouth voters voted “no” to any Māori at the Council table’. The Authority found that while these statements were careless and loose, they were made as part of a longer explanation by the reporter about Mr Judd’s proposed Māori ward and subsequent referendum, so viewers would not have been misled into thinking the reporter was referring to Māori representation generally.
The third complaint related to presenter Mike Hosking’s comments at the end of the item, including that Mr Judd was ‘completely out of touch with middle New Zealand’ in relation to the referendum. The Authority found that, while Mr Hosking’s comments were ‘dismissive of a valid issue in New Zealand’, the right to freedom of expression allows individuals to express their opinion, even if it is unpopular or incorrect.
You can read our media release on these decisions here or by clicking on the Media Releases button below.
You can read more about these decisions by clicking on the link below.