Labour leader Chris Hipkins says
it is time for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to step in
after comments by Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters about
RNZ’s funding.
Meanwhile, ACT Party leader David
Seymour has sought to downplay Peters’ remarks, pointing out
the NZ First leader alone does not have the power to defund
RNZ – that lies with Cabinet.
In a fiery interview on
RNZ’s Morning Report show on Wednesday, Peters
objected to questioning over his party’s proposal to define
in law the term “woman”
as “an adult human biological female” and “man” as an “adult
human biological male”.
Towards the end of the
interview, Peters accused the broadcaster of running the
line of his opponents: “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”.
The NZ First
member’s bill is not government policy, and it will only be
debated in Parliament if it is pulled at random from the
ballot.
Labour calls for PM to step
in
Speaking to reporters at Parliament, 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.
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“Threatening a media
entity that is statutorily independent, with cutting their
funding because you don’t like the way you’re being
interviewed is utterly unacceptable for any minister, even
more unacceptable when that person happens to be the deputy
prime minister.”
Hipkins said Peters’ comments were
inconsistent with the Cabinet manual and contrary to the
spirit and word of law governing RNZ.
“Ministers don’t
have to participate meekly in an interview. If they don’t
like the direction it’s going on, they’re absolutely
entitled to push back on an interviewer,” Hipkins
said.
“But where I think Winston Peters absolutely
crosses a very bright line is where he says, because I don’t
like the way you were interviewing me, we’re going to cut
your funding.”
He said Luxon needed to enforce the
expected standards of his ministers and “at the very least”
make it clear to Peters that it should never happen
again.
“Threatening to cut funding is a form of
censorship. It is totally and utterly
wrong.”
Questioned further at Parliament, Peters said
he had not had any discussions with his Cabinet colleagues
about RNZ funding.
Asked whether his remarks were
appropriate, Peters doubled down: “Of course it’s
appropriate for me, on behalf of the taxpayer, to ask are we
getting value for money here?”
Luxon is currently in
London.
RNZ asked Broadcasting Minister Paul Goldsmith
whether Peters’ comments reflected the government’s intent
regarding RNZ’s funding. A spokesperson responded with a
brief statement: “Mr Peters has his own unique style with
which I won’t be seeking to interfere.”
The previous
Labour government boosted RNZ’s annual budget in its last
year of office, up from $42 million a year to $66.6 million.
That level was maintained by the National coalition in last
year’s Budget.
No funding power for Peters – ACT
leader
Speaking in Auckland, David Seymour told
reporters Peters did not have the power to cut RNZ’s
funding.
“It’s actually under the portfolio of arts,
culture and heritage, so the person to announce anything
like that, if there was anything like that, would actually
be Paul Goldsmith.”
The government was making
decisions about all line items ahead of the Budget next
month, Seymour said.
“Does one minister have the
ability to unilaterally defund RNZ? Well, even the Minister
for Arts Culture and Heritage would have to get the entire
Cabinet to agree on that decision, and I don’t believe that
the government is going to take that
position.”
Seymour said there was an enormous
frustration and distrust with media and politicians among
the public.
It was one of the most frequently raised
topics with him, he said.
The latest AUT Trust in News
survey, published earlier this month, found that trust in
news overall has dropped one point from 33 percent last year
to 32 percent this year.
RNZ was perceived as the most
trusted news brand, followed by the Otago Daily
Times.
The on-air clash
Peters’ on-air
criticism came towards the end of the interview after
broadcaster Corin Dann raised criticisms lodged by Labour
and the Greens.
Peters accused Dann of advancing the
views of NZ First’s opponents and said the question line was
“so typical” of RNZ.
“You’re not hearing both sides of
the story, you keep on putting the argument of the woke
left… you’re a disgrace to the mainstream
media.”
Dann told Peters it was his job to put up an
argument.
“I’m sorry but you’re not going to accuse me
of putting up their arguments and believing in them. I’m the
Devil’s advocate here and I put up the argument for you to
answer,” Dann said.
An RNZ spokesperson said the
organisation had a rigorous editorial policy that demanded
its work was always underpinned by fairness, accuracy,
independence, respect and decency.
“This was a robust
political interview where our interviewer conducted himself
in a professional manner,” the spokesperson said in a
statement.
“RNZ was recently recognised as New
Zealand’s most trusted news brand. A result that is
consistent with our own research that shows trust in RNZ has
increased over the last year and a result that demonstrates
our strategic focus on improving trust.
“We will
continue to deliver reliable and trustworthy information to
all New Zealanders and cover the topical issues of the
day.”
New Zealand’s public broadcaster, providing comprehensive NZ news and current affairs, specialist audio features and documentaries.
Radio New Zealand is a Crown entity established under the Radio New Zealand Act 1995. Radio New Zealand News are vital elements in our programming, providing impartial news and information to New Zealanders every day. Radio New Zealand (RNZ) provides listeners with exciting and independent radio programmes in accordance with the Radio New Zealand Charter.
