19 September 2011

Complaint from Prime Minister’s Office not upheld

A One News item about the Government upgrading its BMWs and a donation from a BMW dealership did not breach standards, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found.

Kevin Taylor, on behalf of the Prime Minister’s Office complained that the teaser and news item broadcast on 11 May 2011 breached the accuracy standard by implying there was a link between the donation and the car deal, and that it gave the impression of a “dodgy deal” which was an attack on the Prime Minister’s integrity.

He also argued that the statements “new questions on a car deal related to John Key’s National Party getting money from a top BMW dealership” and “A new turn now in the Government’s upgrade of its fleet of BMW limousines” were inaccurate.

The BSA found that the item did not state as fact that there was a link between the car deal and the donation received by the National Party from a BMW dealership. The BSA did not accept that viewers would have been left with this impression or with the impression that the Government had made a “dodgy deal”. The BSA said the item included clear statements refuting any suggestion that there was a link.

These statements included the reporter saying that the car dealership was a separate entity from BMW New Zealand Limited, and that BMW New Zealand Limited and Bob McMillan, who made the donation, both said that there was absolutely no link.

In its decision the BSA said that viewers were left to form their own judgement about the matters raised. “We are also of the view that the audience would have understood that it was Labour MP Chris Hipkins who had questioned the Prime Minister’s integrity, rather than One News. In this respect, we consider that the broadcaster made reasonable efforts to fairly and accurately present the Prime Minister’s response to the allegations made by Mr Hipkins.”

The decision pointed out that the item had included the Prime Minister’s statement that any link between the purchase of 34 new cars and a donation to the National Party were baseless, and “a smear on his integrity”.

With regard to whether the item was accurate in referring to “new questions” and a “new turn”, the BSA agreed with TVNZ that this was a fair and accurate representation of the fact that a Labour MP had raised a question in Parliament, under privilege, relating to the donation.

The BSA also stated that there was a high level of public interest in the story. “Reporting on allegations of this nature which are raised in the House is an important role of the media, and a vital component of freedom of expression,” the BSA said.

ENDS

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