By Mike Bain/cvnznews.com.
The National Party has filed a formal complaint with TVNZ alleging inappropriate behaviour by its reporters following a week of intense political coverage. Senior minister Simeon Brown said on Facebook that TVNZ journalists pursued National Party whip Stuart Smith into a parliamentary corridor and repeatedly knocked on his door after he declined to comment further on a statement he made earlier in the week.
Brown said the interaction lasted several minutes and that reporters pressed Smith about how he would be portrayed on TVNZ’s Breakfast programme if he did not speak to them. He described the conduct as a breach of Parliament’s rules and called it “unacceptable,” urging that media standards matter and that New Zealanders expect fair and accurate reporting rather than a “media-driven soap opera.”
TVNZ said they have a different view on what happened.
TVNZ rejected that characterisation, saying its journalists were asking questions on behalf of the public and that the story originated from leaks within National’s ranks. A TVNZ spokesperson said the outlet had a different view of events and suggested any formal complaint should be taken to the Speaker of the House, who has authority over parliamentary conduct.
The complaint follows recent scrutiny of TVNZ’s independence after the broadcaster’s board chair raised concerns about a 1News story with the Broadcasting Minister. That episode prompted questions from opposition MPs about potential government interference in editorial matters, and ministers said political discussions about editorial content were inappropriate.
The dispute comes amid wider political turbulence, including reports that Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had avoided requests from Stuart Smith to meet, which fed speculation about leadership stability and led to a confidence vote in caucus.
Has the media’s conduct over the past fortnight — from the storm warnings to the scenes at Parliament and the coverage involving the Prime Minister and others — been acceptable to the public?
