Category: Politics

Source: Radio New Zealand

The new Te Tai Tokerau Party may not be able to contest the election – at least not under that name – because the name could breach electoral rules, a senior government minister has suggested.

Mariameno Kapa-Kingi announced on Monday she is splitting from Te Pāti Māori and launching Te Tai Tokerau Party – named after her electorate – to contest this year’s election.

Senior National MP Chris Bishop was asked on Tuesday whether his party would consider working with Kapa-Kingi’s, and he said it was an “immaterial conversation”.

“I don’t think they’re going to make it because they’re not going to be allowed to call themselves the Te Tai Tokerau party,” he said.

“I think Mariameno’s about to discover that it doesn’t allow her to call herself the name of her electorate.”

The Electoral Commission said for a name to be accepted, it must not be indecent, offensive, excessively long or likely to confuse or mislead voters.

“There’s no specific rule about an electorate name being used as a party name,” it said.

“However, it is something that would be considered in the process outlined above.”

“As the MP’s announcement has only just been made, the party name hasn’t been considered by the Electoral Commission. To date, we haven’t received an application from the party for registration.”

The commission’s board considered party names, and the public could also comment on a proposed name if a party applies to registration, it said.

Kapa-Kingi said the Electoral Commission had not raised any concerns with her about the name.

The party needs 500 financial members to be registered, and Kapa-Kingi said she had already amassed about 200.

Speaking in Whangārei on Tuesday, Kapa-Kingi said she was vying to win the electorate – but the party vote was still an option for voters.

She will stand against Labour’s Willow-Jean Prime and the Greens’ Hūhana Lyndon.

Kapa-Kingi said people had already told her: “‘We want to vote for you as the candidate, because we already see that Hūhana and Willow-Jean are high on the list’, so they’re already in.

“‘But where do we put our [party] vote?’ So I think it provides a genuine choice about Te Tai Tokerau Party, as a party choice.”

She had not yet considered whether candidates could stand in other electorates under her party banner in future.

“Because imagine if Waikato decides to do something similar, or Tai Tonga decides to do something similar, I think that’s exciting, and I think that I would support that completely.”

Kapa-Kingi said her party would be “really Tai Tokerau-centric, but we can also be … game enough and open enough to say, ‘these things also matter to other rohe’.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The government has announced it will change its Climate Change Response Act.

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said the act would be changed to prevent courts making certain types of civil findings of liability for climate change damage caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

The changes would apply to both current and future cases.

Goldsmith said the changes were designed to give businesses certainty.

He said the government’s response to climate change was best managed at a national level not through “piece-meal” litigation in the courts.

“The courts are not the right place to resolve claims of harm from climate change, and tort law is not well-suited to respond to a problem like climate change which involves a range of complex environmental, economic and social factors.”

Goldsmith said the change would not alter the government’s responsibilities under the Climate Change Response Act and businesses had obligations which were still required to be met.

Iwi leader Mike Smith won the right in early 2024 to sue several big emitters. He argued major dairy and energy companies had a legal duty to himself and others in communities impacted by greenhouse gases.

A trial was meant to start in the High Court in April 2027.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Opposition MPs say former TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman was “hounded” into resigning, after a “witch hunt” all while public broadcasters are under “immense pressure” from the coalition.

There has also been an outpouring of reaction from other broadcasters and commentators.

Many were grieving the loss to political journalism, some questioning the support TVNZ gave its reporter and others stating it should not have been a sackable offence.

Others have argued the scrutiny and pressure applied by the media should also apply to its own reporters.

Sherman resigned on Friday following a period of scrutiny over an incident during pre-Budget drinks in Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ office a year ago.

She had used a homophobic slur against Stuff journalist Lloyd Burr in response to “deeply personal and inappropriate remarks”, she said. She apologised at the time and informed her manager.

The resignation also came after a suspension from Parliament due to breaching parliamentary rules by pursuing an interview with National’s chief whip Stuart Smith, during a period of scrutiny on Luxon’s leadership.

Prior to her resignation, veteran journalists Richard Harman and Audrey Young had both written in support.

Harman told The Post there was a “bit of a public beat-up of Maiki going on at the moment” and that TVNZ should back its reporter.

Young wrote in her column on the NZ Herald at the end of April the level of hate against Sherman was “just incredible” and “clearly goes well beyond journalistic critique”.

The day the story about the incident in Willis’ office broke in a blog written by Ani O’Brien, Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour told reporters if the content was accurately reported, “it’s absolutely disgraceful”.

“But the fact that it hasn’t been a story for nearly a year is in itself a disgraceful double standard, and I think we should all just be glad that one woman with a substack actually made it a story, because we all know that in the same circumstances, a member of Parliament would have got wall to wall coverage night after night after night, don’t we?”

At the time, he suggested Parliament’s speaker should consider Sherman’s access to Parliament.

Opposition politicians speak out

Labour MP Willie Jackson said Sherman had been hounded into resignation after she made a mistake.

He acknowledged her as a “trailblazing” wahine Māori broadcaster, and despite a “number of run ins with her over the years” was very proud of her.

“It’s a shame TVNZ let her down so badly, deciding obviously with pressure from this government, that her position was untenable.”

Green MPs Hūhana Lyndon and Steve Abel also spoke out.

Lyndon said the right “came out hard to hunt her down” and suggested considering the context where public broadcasters under “immense pressure and threats” from ministers of the coalition government created a “chilling effect”.

Abel called it a “witch-hunt” and said something was “rotten” in New Zealand with right wing politicians targeting journalists.

He also said TVNZ bosses needed to be questioned, because Sherman’s statement implied she no longer had the backing of her employer.

“Why would the bosses in a public media institution whose duty is upholding the principle of free and independent media not be backing a journalist who has clearly been targeted for political reasons.”

Te Pāti Māori MP, and former broadcaster, Oriini Kaipara also took to social media, calling Sherman’s treatment “deeply upsetting to witness”.

“Maiki is one of the sharpest political journalists in the country. Intelligent, fearless, composed, and uncompromising in holding power to account.

“Her rise mattered. Not just professionally, but culturally.

“So many Māori, especially wāhine and rangatahi, saw themselves in her. Many only turned the news on or anticipated any political story because of Maiki.”

Kaipara said it felt “personal” and reeked of “foul play”.

Voices from outside Parliament

There had also been an outpouring of support, including from Māori broadcasters, and questions about double standards.

Scotty Morrison gave a mihi during Te Karere’s show the day the news broke, acknowledging the loss for TVNZ and the brilliance of Sherman’s work.

Miriama Kamo wrote on social media, acknowledging the pressure of the high-profile job while Sherman juggled being a mother to six kids as well. Kamo also questioned how TVNZ had supported its reporter, and how it planned to “address the vacuum her departure has left”.

Moana Maniapoto said “somewhere someone is raising a glass,” and the resignation was not good news for the public in election year.

Former Māori Party chief of staff Helen Leahy wrote the relationship between the press gallery and politicians was never an easy one.

“But you don’t get the breaking news by sitting noho puku [sitting still]. You don’t get a leader opening up and being vulnerable without mutual respect. Maiki would persevere.”

Political commentator Liam Hehir queried a double standard, asking why comments of a prominent journalist at a work-function were “inherently off limits”.

On X, pollster David Farrar wrote the resignation was “sad”.

“I don’t think one regrettable moment should cost you your job. We need less cancel culture, not more.”

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark wrote that at a party in the Minister of Finance’s office, “where one assumes alcohol flowed”, there was an exchange between journalists.

“The aftermath – one was later hounded from her job. The other wasn’t. All in the context of public media being undermined. Shameful.”

Former political editor Duncan Garner wrote after nearly 20 years inside Parliament, he knew how the place worked.

“The rules were broken all the time. By journalists. By MPs. By ministers. By people who later got promoted, protected, forgiven, knighted and sent off to cushy jobs.

“So why Maiki?”

And O’Brien – who posted the original blog breaking the story said for years journalists and commentators – including Sherman – had “enthusiastically participated in a culture where politicians and public figures were subjected to career-ending moral scrutiny for comments or conduct less severe than this”.

“The modern media class has normalised the idea that professional ruin is an acceptable and even righteous outcome for personal failings.

“It is difficult now to object when that same standard is turned inward.”

Politik blog writer Richard Harman posted online saying this was the “most hostile environment within which to be a political journalist I have known in my 55 years as a journo”.

“The mob is ruling at the moment. They have tasted blood. Who will they turn on next?”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Retailers and truckers back the government’s more simplified, high-trust fuel rationing system, but Labour says it is simply not credible.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Fuel Security Minister Shane Jones unveiled what happens at the higher-level Phases Three and Four of the national fuel plan on Monday.

Where the earlier approach had rationing at both levels, the updated plan would have Phase Three focus on voluntary limiting of supply, with additional diesel reserves able to be released.

Rationing would be limited Phase Four – the highest level – with sectors qualifying for different levels of usage depending on sector.

Critical users would face no limitations, while the next level down – food and freight – would need to come up with plans on how to reduce usage.

Road Carriers Association chief executive Justin Tighe-Umbers told RNZ that would carry some complexity – with fuel use being quite seasonal in some industries – but overall would be “fairly straightforward”.

“A fuel plan for a freight operator, if we did enter Phase Four, would be to look at their fuel consumption over the last 12 months, and the government would give a tasking on that fuel consumption.

“So depending on what the situation was, they might say right there’s a 10 percent reduction on your fuel use, you now need to move to a model where you’re using 10 percent less fuel.

“Yes, there’s work involved, but it should be fairly straightforward.”

It was an improvement over the government’s earlier plan.

“It was overly complicated,” he said. “If you’ve got a food manufacturer who on a processing plant needs a part delivered, is that part considered essential freight? Is it part of an operator who’s allowed to deliver essential freight? How does that actually work?”

He noted if New Zealand reached Phase 4, diesel prices would be expected to be very high – which would curb demand.

Under the third category, which includes retail, companies and community groups would also develop plans but with bigger reductions.

Retail NZ chief executive Carolyn Young had previously called for food to be at the highest priority, but was not disappointed with the changes.

She said freight and food being in the higher priority would help those relying on their supply chains – and agreed the new system was an improvement.

“I think it would be fair to say that hospitals, ambulances, fire service, police – they are in a different category.

“Freight and food … we know that everyone needs to buy groceries … and to eat to be able to survive. So it’s not that you’re not going to get groceries delivered across the country, but there might be, you know, maybe there’s one less variety on the shelves or something.

“We don’t want to bring the whole country to a halt and for families that have got children that are growing and they’ve got needs – new clothes or you’ve got to get a heater for the house or whatever it might be – you want to know that you can go and get those products.

“If those businesses [are] not allowed to have freight going to their sites, it will mean that, you know, the public will start to panic.”

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the plan was “simply not credible”.

“Their fuel plan amounts to: do nothing; do nothing; do not very much; panic,” he said.

“I think the bones of it are there, but the idea that it’ll just run on goodwill without really clear detail about how it’s supposed to operate is just very naive.

“Families are having to make some really tough choices between going to the supermarket or going to the petrol station, and this government’s message is very clear to those families: you’re on your own.”

He refused to say what Labour would do differently, saying the plan was “what this government is supposed to have been working through, and they don’t seem to have answers”.

Tighe-Umbers, however, had high hopes a self-managed approach could work.

“If we’ve got to Phase Four, Kiwis have shown that we’re good at pulling together and doing the right thing in those times – you only have to look at our response in the Christchurch earthquake and responses to cyclones.”

He contrasted that with the Covid-19 response, which he said tried to control things to a high degree.

“Fuel station workers or transport operators to actually be involved in policing, that’s never a good move … we learned it’s actually very difficult and just introduces a whole lot of complexity.

“If there was a lot of people or operators not doing the right thing, then government would have to get more aggressive … but I think this is the right approach to start with.”

Young was not so sure.

“I’m not sure how cohesive we are as a community at the moment, and whether we consider each other or we’re just considering ourselves,” she said.

“That would be the caution I would have around whether we would really legitimately pull together as a community and say ‘yep, for the better, this is what I’ll do, and I’m going to comply to all of these things’, knowing that it’s not necessarily going to be enforced.

“I guess as long as everyone’s playing by the rules, then we’re all good with it, and it will just be a matter of making sure that there is really clear direction given to businesses and households.”

Regardless, Hipkins said agreed Phase Four was unlikely to be needed.

Willis on Monday pointed to the government’s modelling showing the probability of moving to Phase Four was in the single digits.

She indicated the measures imposed by Phase Three – which could include releasing some of the 90 million litres of reserve diesel set to be held at Marsden Point by the end of June – would ideally preclude the need to move to Phase Four.

“In just about all of the scenarios that they mapped out, they said actually with your additional reserve and your minimum stockholding obligation and a bit of fuel restraint you should be covered.”

Willis said the government was open to releasing the modelling publicly.

Luxon said with the Southeast Asian refineries that supplied New Zealand having secured supplies of crude through July and August, further reductions were not expected.

“We should know many weeks in advance of any increased likelihood of New Zealand bound orders or shipments being disrupted.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Oriini Kaipara has confirmed her loyalty to Te Pāti Māori after conflicting statements were made by her spokesperson to different media outlets, as the party announces it will make a formal complaint.

In a social media post, Kaipara said she wanted to “correct the narrative” that was reported on Monday evening by Stuff that she was “still considering options” in response to a question asking if she would stay with Te Pāti Māori (TPM).

“I confirm that the comments claiming to be mine are not. I did not and have not spoken with any reporter on this matter,” Kaipara said on social media.

It comes after Mariameno Kapa-Kingi announced she was quitting to start a new party, named after her electorate Te Tai Tokerau.

Speaking to RNZ, Kaipara’s recently appointed communications advisor confirmed she would not be following suit and was committed to running for TPM.

The spokesperson said he made a mistake by telling Stuff that Kaipara said she was “considering options”.

Kaipara’s social media post later emphasised she remained a “committed member of Te Pāti Māori, committed to Tāmaki Makaurau, and committed to making this a one term government.”

Earlier on Monday, following Kapa-Kingi’s announcement, a statement attributed to Kaipara was circulated to some media.

This acknowledged Kapa-Kingi’s announcement, and Kaipara’s commitment to Tāmaki Makaurau, including a clear understanding her electorate crosses through Te Tai Tokerau and Hauraki-Waikato.

She said she naturally worked closely with Kapa-Kingi and Hauraki-Waikato MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, “this will not change.”

Stuff later reported Kaipara “says she is considering leaving Te Pāti Māori, and could join another party ahead of November’s election”.

RNZ sought confirmation from Kaipara’s communications advisor, who explained the statement provided to Stuff had been a mistake.

Kaipara’s clarification on social media came through late Monday evening, in which she also said she would make no further comment on the matter.

Te Pāti Māori also issued a statement late on Monday evening, to “correct an inaccuracy in Stuff and ThreeNews reporting”.

The statement said it was “incorrect” a reporter had said they had had a conversation with Kaipara.

“Oriini confirms she has not spoken with any Stuff reporter, and any comments attributed to her are not hers.

“For the sake of accuracy, we ask that this be corrected across all relevant media sites as soon as possible.

“We will be making a formal complaint, as the reporter misled our co-leader during the interview. We also request an apology from Stuff and ThreeNews.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The mother of a New Zealander being held in ICE custody in the United States says she does not know where her daughter will end up, after she was taken to a different state.

Everlee Wihongi was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when re-entering the US on a Green Card a month ago, following a family holiday in New Zealand.

Her mother Betty Wihongi was in Wisconsin and said Everlee was told she was being removed from a centre in California on Friday at midnight local time.

On Saturday morning, she had missed a scheduled meeting with her lawyer.

“They [ICE] never contacted our lawyer, so he was waiting for her on a Zoom call and she never showed up,” she said.

The online ICE detainee locator system said that Everlee was in “Camp East Montana” Texas, a camp where an average of about 3000 people per day live.

Detainees had described the camp to CNN as loud and unsanitary, where diseases spread easily and sleep was a luxury.

But then, as journalist David Farrier reported, Everlee disappeared from the detainee locator system.

On Monday night, Betty received information that her daughter was being held at an airport in Arizona.

“She doesn’t know how long she’ll be there, they told her not to get comfortable that she will be moved, but they don’t know where it going to be,” she said.

Betty said because Everlee had moved to another jurisdiction, she would have to restart the process to have her case heard in court.

“So every time you are moved, your court appearances, everything that you had before disappears and you start at the bottom again,” she said.

Betty said their lawyer had been seeing more and more cases of ICE moving detainees to make it difficult for lawyers to get hold of them and to set court appearances.

She said her daughter had been doing well considering, but it was taking a toll on Everlee, who was usually a happy and outgoing person.

“Just the moving around, the facilities, the guards, just everyone, it’s just their job to make your life miserable and hard.

“I think her greatest fear is that we don’t know where she is, that we won’t be able to locate her or find her and she’s going to be lost in all this,” she said.

The family were once again calling on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFAT) and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters to do more to help.

“Reaching out to the US government [asking] what’s going on with the detainee? Why are you moving her around so much, why can’t she have her day in court?

“We don’t want them to provide funding for us, that’s something we’re taking care of. We don’t want them to give us a free ride for anything else.”

When contacted by RNZ, MFAT repeated its statement that the government was “unable to influence the immigration decisions of other governments”.

“The Ministry continues to provide consular assistance to the family of a New Zealander detained in Los Angeles. Consular officials are in regular contact with the individual and their family,” a spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said MFAT was unable to comment on the details of any individual case and Peters’ office referred RNZ to the ministry for comment.

As of this month, MFAT said it was aware of two New Zealand citizens in immigration detention in the United States.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he’s “very relaxed” about New Zealand First leader and cabinet minister Winston Peters leaking Budget information.

On Friday, Peters revealed the government would scrap the fees-free tertiary education scheme, which covered the cost of students’ third year of study.

“I’ll give you a Budget leak right here, right now,” he told Newstalk ZB’s Heather du Plessis-Allan.

“We’re going to reshape it and repurpose it for the trades and a whole lot of industries where we do need it, and we’re going to get a far better payback for our money, and we’ll pay far less money for doing it.”

Luxon played down the leak at Monday’s post-cabinet press conference.

“I’m very relaxed, we were going to do a pre-budget announcement, he got ‘Heathered’ on the radio, that’s all good.”

It was a failed policy, and a “huge waste of taxpayers’ money” that had not delivered, he said – adding that Peters’ party deserved “real credit” for acknowledging it was not working, despite it being a “big New Zealand First commitment”.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis, who will deliver the Budget on 28 May, would not add anything further.

“The prime minister’s already expressed my views,” she said.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said it didn’t seem like “much of a leak”.

“It seemed relatively intentional, and certainly there was no anonymity about it, this is Winston Peters just doing his own thing.”

If Willis had not given Peters permission to make the announcement then it was a “clear breach” of Cabinet rules, Hipkins said.

“It doesn’t get much more serious than leaking what’s in the Budget.

“Christopher Luxon has no control of his cabinet, never has done,” he said.

Willis did not clarify whether she had authorised the announcement.

The first iteration of the fees-free policy was brought in by the former Labour government, which made the first year free.

Hipkins would not say whether his party would resurrect it in any form, if elected, adding no decisions would be made before the Budget.

“I want to see the detail of what the government are doing with that money first … where that money is going,” he said.

The policy helped ease the financial burden for students, Hipkins said.

“It’s been a long term goal for the Labour Party to ease the cost that young people face when they’re participating in post school education.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Significant fuel rationing will only come into force if the country moves into the highest “phase” of its fuel response plan, the government says.

Emergency services, hospitals, banks, transport operators and electricity generators were among those who would have prioritised access to fuel if the ongoing crisis worsened.

The National Fuel Plan had four phases – ranging from minor to severe impacts – and phase three and four had been under consultation.

The government on Monday announced the “priority user” approach would only be used in phase four, which is a “major and ongoing fuel supply disruption”.

It was “highly unlikely” the country would ever reach phase three or four, Finance Minister Nicola Willis said.

Fuel access conditions under phase four:

• Critical users – priority and uncapped access. This includes emergency services, health, schools, courts, money services and lifeline utilities.
• Food and freight – uncapped access to fuel, subject to demand reduction requirements based on fuel‑saving plans. The government would monitor adherence to fuel-saving plans through spot checks.
• Commercial and community users – same access as food and freight, but higher savings targets in their fuel-saving plans. This includes businesses and organisations other than food and freight.
• General public – transaction limits at the pump aimed at reducing overall fuel use by an amount greater than what is expected for other groups.

“In the unlikely event we ever need to move to phase four, it is critical that business and industry have a clear understanding of the objectives and measures, and can put them into action,” said Willis.

“That is why we have taken the time to consult, and the feedback we received has shaped the revised plan. We heard that the earlier proposed approach, particularly around the priority bands, was too complex and needed simplifying.”

A jet fuel plan had also been developed alongside the aviation industry, “recognising that the types of users and demand for jet fuel are different to those for petrol and diesel”, the government announcement said.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Analysis – The relationship between politicians and the media is symbiotic, but it’s increasingly coming under pressure as political parties turn to other platforms, and evade traditional newsrooms, to speak direct to voters.

The three parties making up the coalition – National, ACT and New Zealand First – have ramped up their commentary and criticism of the media this term, whilst also jostling for political differentiation in the lead-up to the election.

RNZ has taken a look at the swipes and threats over the past term.

‘I suspect that he won’t be answering the call at RNZ for much longer’ – David Seymour

Last month, ACT leader David Seymour, who is a shareholding minister for both RNZ and TVNZ, lashed out at both organisations and their management teams during an interview on The Platform.

He suggested changes were coming for RNZ’s leadership and appeared to single out chief executive Paul Thompson, without naming him.

“Look, that guy’s got an awful lot to answer for, and I suspect that he won’t be answering the call at RNZ for much longer.”

Seymour went on to say that the government was replacing RNZ’s board with the aim of changing the organisation’s management and direction.

Seymour also accused TVNZ of being “politically motivated”.

He later rejected any suggestion his comments had stepped outside the bounds of the law.

At the time, commentators said he’d gone too far.

Last year, Seymour said funding cuts to RNZ’s budget would have sent “a message” to the state broadcaster about its journalism.

Seymour has repeatedly criticised media coverage during this term and regularly posts footage of media stand ups online under the title David vs The Media. Recent videos are named: ‘The Ayatollah doesn’t care about your soap opera’, ‘The Greens defended WHAT?’ and ‘MAIKI SHERMAN BOMBSHELL’.

Seymour argues his clips are “changing the media”, as he considers the shorter clips used in reporting unfair.

He’s not the only politician utilising social media in this way.

A social media complaint and an apology

In late February this year, Police Minister Mark Mitchell posted on social media complaining about a 1News story showing gang members narrowly outnumbered police officers.

The report aired the same day the latest Crime and Victims survey reported 49,000 fewer victims of violent crime in the year to October 2025 than two years previously.

Mitchell said it was “absolutely unbelievable” 1News engaged in unbalanced journalism by running a story about gang membership with none of the context “around the outstanding work our Police are doing in cracking down on gangs in New Zealand”.

Justice and Broadcasting Minister Paul Goldsmith said it was “very frustrating” the story “completely ignored those figures.” He said that was “sometimes how the media works in this country.”

Five days later, 1News ran a second story which reported on the crime statistics that the government had announced the previous week.

Newsroom covered the issue with the headline ‘Govt gets its wish from 1News – a headline on fewer crime victims’.

Goldsmith then confirmed he’d spoken to the 1News journalist after the first story aired.

“Just like I often do when I’m not happy with a story, I ring the journalist and give them the benefit of my opinions.”

Mitchell said after he put up his post, he had received a call from a “senior” TVNZ person to apologise, but he had not contacted anyone at TVNZ.

Goldsmith later confirmed he also had a “very short” call from the chair of TVNZ’s board, Andrew Barclay, “on a range of matters”, and the story came up in passing, “but I hadn’t raised the issue”.

Threats to public funding

Last year. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters took aim at former Morning Report host Corin Dann during an interview about the party’s proposal to define “woman” in law.

Towards the end of the interview, Peters also threatened to “cut” RNZ’s funding.

“The fact is, you’re paid for by the taxpayer and sooner or later we’re going to cut that water off too, because you’re an abuse on the taxpayer.”

At the time, Labour leader Chris Hipkins said it was unacceptable for a minister to threaten an independent media organisation’s funding because he objected to how he was being interviewed.

ACT leader David Seymour downplayed Peters’ remarks, pointing out the NZ First leader alone does not have the power to defund RNZ – that lies with Cabinet.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he would not intervene, and put it down to a “rather Winston way of communicating with media”.

It’s not the first time Peters has made comments about changes to public broadcasting. He also implied a desire for a “better” show during an interview with Jack Tame on the publicly funded Q+A during the 2023 election.

“You’ve made a case for us to make sure we get the broadcasting portfolio after this election,” he said towards the end of the interview.

“Is that a threat, Mr Peters?” Tame replied.

“That’s not a threat – it’s a promise that you’re going to have an operation that’s much more improved than it is now.”

BSA no more

Last week the government announced it planned to scrap the Broadcasting Standards Authority, with the minister-in-charge, Paul Goldsmith, telling RNZ it would “set the sector free”.

The decision came after the BSA faced backlash from government ministers following a decision to begin regulating podcasts and online media.

At the time, Peters accused the BSA of “Soviet-era Stasi” censorship, and said it was “blatant overreach” and “highly concerning”.

The ACT Party had also said it was time for the BSA to go, and its MP Laura McClure submitted a members’ bill that looked to abolish it.

In response to the news, McClure said it was “absolutely fantastic news for freedom of speech in New Zealand”.

But others have criticised it, with media professor and Better Public Media spokesperson Peter Thompson saying it was a “momentous” move and called it “politically expedient” and “democratically indefensible”.

A high-profile resignation

TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman’s resignation on Friday came after a period of scrutiny over an incident that occurred more than a year ago.

Sherman had used a homophobic slur against Stuff journalist Lloyd Burr, in response to “deeply personal and inappropriate remarks” she said. She apologised at the time and informed her manager.

The resignation also came after a five-day suspension from parliament due to breaching parliamentary rules by pursuing an interview with National’s chief whip Stuart Smith, during a period of scrutiny on Luxon’s leadership.

National’s campaign chair Simeon Brown had complained about TVNZ’s pursuit of Smith, and he publicised his complaint on social media.

Luxon subsequently cancelled his weekly slot on TVNZ’s Breakfast with co-host Tova O’Brien, who had left the prime minister red-faced in several of his regular interviews.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Significant fuel rationing will only come into force if the country moves into the highest “phase” of its fuel response plan, the government says.

Emergency services, hospitals, banks, transport operators and electricity generators were among those who would have prioritised access to fuel if the ongoing crisis worsened.

The National Fuel Plan had four phases – ranging from minor to severe impacts – and phase three and four had been under consultation.

The government on Monday announced the “priority user” approach would only be used in phase four, which is a “major and ongoing fuel supply disruption”.

It was “highly unlikely” the country would ever reach phase three or four, Finance Minister Nicola Willis said.

Fuel access conditions under phase four:

• Critical users – priority and uncapped access. This includes emergency services, health, schools, courts, money services and lifeline utilities.
• Food and freight – uncapped access to fuel, subject to demand reduction requirements based on fuel‑saving plans. The government would monitor adherence to fuel-saving plans through spot checks.
• Commercial and community users – same access as food and freight, but higher savings targets in their fuel-saving plans. This includes businesses and organisations other than food and freight.
• General public – transaction limits at the pump aimed at reducing overall fuel use by an amount greater than what is expected for other groups.

“In the unlikely event we ever need to move to phase four, it is critical that business and industry have a clear understanding of the objectives and measures, and can put them into action,” said Willis.

“That is why we have taken the time to consult, and the feedback we received has shaped the revised plan. We heard that the earlier proposed approach, particularly around the priority bands, was too complex and needed simplifying.”

A jet fuel plan had also been developed alongside the aviation industry, “recognising that the types of users and demand for jet fuel are different to those for petrol and diesel”, the government announcement said.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand