Fair Go. Award of costs re decision 1996-094–095. $3,000 costs to complainant.
Newsnight, 60 Minutes. Both programmes dealt with the forthcoming visit of the Dalai Lama to New Zealand and each reported that China had invaded Tibet in 1950 and that the Dalai Lama went into self-exile in 1959. Not upheld (balance, accuracy).
Cover Story. The leading female character of the series was depicted as being a cigarette smoker; the series was broadcast weekly on Wednesday evenings between 8.30–9.30pm. Not upheld (law and order).
Assignment. The programme explored the economic crisis facing traditional sheep and cattle farmers and mentioned some of the land use alternatives to traditional farming adopted by some farmers. Complaint that the programme omitted any reference to the alternative of organic farming. Not upheld (balance).
False Memories. British documentary examined a number of cases in which, through the technique of "recovered memory", people believed that they had been sexually abused as a child where the evidence suggested strongly that they had not been abused. Not upheld (balance, accuracy, responsible programming, violence).
Epitaph. Episode was pilot to a possible series which would reveal some of the stories to be found behind the headstones in various New Zealand cemeteries, and one item referred to complainant's grandfather. Not upheld (good taste and decency, privacy).
One Network News. Item reported death of a young New Zealand woman on her honeymoon in an air crash off Peru. It said that that the woman was the daughter of a named former senior public servant, and showed shots of the family home where the crash victim had grown up. It also reported that the house in the Wellington suburb of Karori was empty as the family was overseas. Upheld (privacy). No order.
Police Stop: Caught in the Action. The caption printed on the screen at the end of the item stated: "It is estimated that 80 per cent of employees would steal from their employer if they had the opportunity". Complaint that the statement discriminated against employees as it made no mention of the percentage of employers who would "short-pay" or otherwise steal from their employees if they had the opportunity. Not upheld (discrimination and denigration).
One Network News. Item reviewing the employment policies of some of the political parties advanced for the forthcoming election included pictures of a protest march against the Employment Contracts Act. Complaint that the item suggested that the march was a recent event whereas it was filmed some five to six years before. Not upheld (accuracy, fairness): action taken sufficient.
Fair Go. Item dealt with the failure of a travel company to give a refund to a client. Not upheld (good taste and decency, law and order, privacy, balance, accuracy, fairness, responsible programming).