Mike Butler: Grievance history and the press

For those who question continued complaints about the “wicked white coloniser” in the mainstream media, the abridged letter published below shows the difficulties a reader had in getting his response to misleading claims by other letter writers in a provincial newspaper.

It became clear to the reader that the long delay in publishing his response to an opinion column that contained untrue assertions that that the intent of the newspaper was not to publish his criticism, so he sent an e-mail to the editor which to his great surprise produced results.

Mike Butler: Press Council on Ngapuhi coverage

A copy of the Wel-Com Catholic newspaper that appeared in our household back in February contained an article and editorial on the Ngapuhi treaty claim that I considered breached principles of accuracy, fairness and balance, and mixed comment with fact. Therefore, I submitted a complaint to the newspaper and to the New Zealand Press Council. Eventually the Wel-Com editor responded and the Press Council studied the issues. The complaint was not upheld but Wel-Com did not continue with the series advocating for Ngapuhi. Here is the ruling.

The article to mark Waitangi Day Wel-Com presented a version of history found in a recent report for the Northland iwi, Ngapuhi, which the article described as "a proudly independent nation" at the signing of the treaty, "whose rangatira had already forged links with other nations".