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
