Another complaint

Rudi de Plooy, second right, one of the Hamilton mayoral candidates who featured in Your Neighbourhood debate.

The New Zealand Media Council is investigating Good Local Media’s handling of a Waikato Chamber of Commerce meet the candidates gathering where the business group invited four Hamilton mayoral candidates to speak at the request of its members.

Hamilton mayoral candidate Rudi du Plooy, right, with wife Barbara and current councillor Geoff Taylor at the Hamilton City Council in Your Neighbourhood event. Photo: Mary Anne Gill

Rudi du Plooy – who was not among the invited candidates – has complained about a front page heading – Pick Three – referring to mayoral races in three local authorities, Hamilton, Waipā and Waikato.

A story inside teased to the meeting and questioned the four city candidates as well as three from Waipā and two from Waikato.

Du Plooy complained the headline was misleading, risked creating false expectations and could unduly influence voter behaviour.

Roy Pilott

He said “concern arises from an apparent coordinated influence between the Waikato Business News, the Waikato Times and the Waikato Chamber of Commerce”.

And he said the fact editor Roy Pilott and senior writer Mary Anne Gill once worked for the Waikato Times suggested an editorial alignment.

Pilott told the Media Council “I elect not to waste my time responding to this nonsense”.

He earlier told du Plooy the fact a person chooses to seek election does not compel a news editor to provide him or her the same coverage as all other candidates.

Mary Anne Gill

However, the council has announced it thinks there are sufficient grounds for it to proceed and the matter will go before the next full council meeting.

Du Plooy had earlier asked for “a correction clarifying the FPP voting system and the headline’s inaccuracy; balanced coverage acknowledging all 12 candidates and clarification on candidate selection and any editorial ties to the Waikato Times or Chamber”.

See: NZ Media Council Upholds Complaints

Hamilton City Council in Your Neighbourhood featuring MC Mary Lambie and mayoral candidates, from left Jack Gielen, Tim Macindoe, John McDonald, Rachel Karalus, Sarah Thomson, Rudi du Plooy and Roger Stratford. Photo: Mary Anne Gill

More Recent News

And through you go: Tunnel team sees the light

The 235-metre long tunnel, part of the new Te Ara o Te Ata – Mt Messenger Bypass broke through to the northern side on Tuesday to a karakia and applause. Hinetūparimaunga, a giant excavating machine…

Queen at museum opening

Waipā’s new mayor Mike Pettit  and Māori Queen Nga wai hono i te po attended the reopening of Te Awamutu’s museum last week. And for museums and heritage director Anne Blyth it felt like going…

Making friends around a fire

Scouts made new friends and memories as they learned camping skills in Cambridge at the weekend. Kirikiriroa & St Peter’s Scout Group’s scout section youth leadership team had asked for a traditional team (or patrol)…

Bydder’s family pledge

Hamilton city councillor Andrew Bydder, a licensed architectural designer based in Cambridge, has pledged to uphold his family’s legacy of irreverence and a reputation for “getting things done.” Bydder was censured last year after an…