John McLean: Blobudsman shows his true colours

New Zealand’s Chief Ombudsman unlawfully sides with the forces of opaqueness and censorship

On 17 November 2025, Sean Plunket, Founder and CEO of media channel The Platform, complained to New Zealand’s Chief Ombudsman, John Allen.

Plunket’s asked Allen to “urgently investigate and review” the Broadcasting Standards Authority’s refusal to provide Plunket with all correspondence and documentation relating to the BSA’s “Provisional Interlocutory Decision” that the BSA has jurisdiction to consider complaints against The Platform. Plunket had formally requested that information from the BSA, under the Official Information Act 1982. Here’s Plunket’s request to the Ombudsman:

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Will the BSA have to back down on this?

Listen, I don't know how much most people will care about the drama that's unfolding with the BSA. Obviously here in radio world, we do, because these people are our watchdog.

But if you enjoy watching people try something on and then be forced to retreat, you might enjoy this one.

Karl du Fresne: My complaint to the BSA about the use of 'Aotearoa'

On the night of August 1 I was watching Sky Open’s coverage of the Olympic Games. The presenter, Laura McGoldrick, repeatedly referred to New Zealand as Aotearoa. I found this irritating, not least because it was unsubtly making a political point in what was supposed to be a sports programme, but I wasn’t so enraged as to throw something at the TV. We have become accustomed, after all, to media people flaunting their impeccable ideological credentials by the use of Aotearoa, despite the name having no popular mandate. That’s what they’re counting on: that we’ll come to accept it as the norm – or as Jacinda Ardern once put it, that Aotearoa will be adopted “organically”. How convenient to avoid the complication of seeking formal public endorsement. 

Jillaine Heather: The BSA must remember, censorship is a cure worse than the disease.

Harm is what the BSA report claims occurs when free expression isn’t properly regulated, but what does ‘harm’ mean? Well, you tell me. No definition is given.

If you read the Op-Ed in Stuff this week from the CEO of the Broadcasting Standards Authority, Stacey Wood, you may also find it hard to see it as anything other than an extremely condescending view of minorities.

Wayne Ryburn: The Rising Anarchy in New Zealand's Democracy. The Saga of TV1 News at Six and the BSA.

Part One; The BSA and historical misconceptions. The rise of “Insider History” resulting in a lack of accuracy and balance in New Zealand's History.

It came as no surprise that complaints concerning TV1 News at 6’s news story, regarding the ‘gifting of land’ for Auckland, were dismissed. The composition of the members of the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) would have led to this. Its members were appointed, over the past six years, by the former Labour Minister for Broadcasting, Willy Jackson. The following were appointed: Susie Stacey (2018); Pulotu Tupu (2021); Aroha Beck (2022) and John Gillespie, former head of news and current affairs TVNZ (2021). Jackson, a keen advocate for Labour’s ‘Hepuapua’ co-governance policies, has widely proclaimed that democracy has to evolve to place Māori at the centre of decision-making. Therefore, it is unlikely he would select anyone opposed to these policies to the Broadcasting Standards Authority.

David Farrar: Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?

The BAS ruled:

Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found.

It is a fact such patients are prioritised. The exacts words Hawkesby used were not correct, but the fact there is prioritisation was correct.

Lushington D. Brady: Telling the Truth Won’t Do in Aoteazuela

As I’ve repeatedly warned BFD readers, always assume that a so-called “fact-checker” is trying to mislead you. But, if it’s bad enough that professional, often taxpayer-funded, liars in cahoots with the mainstream media are bullshitting you, it’s far worse when a statutory body is joining in the mendacious censorship.

In this case, New Zealand’s Broadcasting Standards Authority.

Eric Crampton: The 'shakedown' news legislation that is heading to parliament

Shakedown rackets are, thankfully, illegal.

Except when government legislates them. In that case, all bets are off. And if I were Facebook, I’d be off too – or at least thinking about it.

The Government finally released the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill this week. The bill aims to improve news funding by requiring payments from those who link to news online.

Barry Brill: A Third Broadcasting Standards Complaint Against TVNZ This Year

Almost daily, the New Zealand news media serve up “doomed planet” reports that have no foundation whatever in the international scientific literature. Newsrooms seem to live in a groupthink bubble where reality comprises the fevered nightmares of climate change activists. The resulting constant drip of green propaganda has serious long-term effects on attitudes of the decision-makers in our community.

Worldwide, the most relentless climate propagandists are Government-owned broadcasters – BBC, ABC, TVNZ, etc. That is why I have earlier lodged two complaints to One News and appealed both to the Broadcasting Standards Authority here and here.

Mike Butler: Titford hatchet job complaint rejected

My complaint about a heavily biased Maori TV item titled What lies beneath regarding Northland farmer Allan Titford, who was forced to sell his farm to satisfy a treaty claim, finally made it through the Broadcasting Standards Authority process although it was not upheld in a decision released today.

What lies beneath that aired on May 12, 2014 “reported on the recent conviction of Northland farmer Allan Titford and examined the cultural and legal impact he had on race relations in New Zealand”, according to the preamble of the decision.

Robin Grieve: Treaty propaganda leads to TVNZ complaint

In early February Robin Grieve complained to Television New Zealand that a news reader on Waitangi Day had breached Broadcasting Standards by inaccurately referring to the Treaty of Waitangi as the nation's "founding document". Robin's letter and TVNZ's response can be seen below. He is presently considering appealing the decision to the Broadcasting Standards Authority.