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The broadcaster’s response [5] RNZ did not uphold the complaint, stating that Willis had confirmed on Newshub several days earlier that the ‘Smokefree laws were being scrapped to fund tax cuts.’1 [6] RNZ stated that in the previous interview with Newshub, Willis was questioned on how National intended to fund the tax cuts it had campaigned on.

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that a Newshub Live at 6pm item suggesting Labour’s Affordable Water Reform policy encompassed controls over all freshwater breached the accuracy standard. The Authority found the relevant references to freshwater were inaccurate.

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision.]The Authority did not uphold a complaint that a Newshub segment that discussed the potential rise of far-right ideology in New Zealand breached the balance and accuracy standards. The Authority found that the segment was balanced as it contained multiple points of view.

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision.]The Authority did not uphold an accuracy complaint about a Newshub item describing a new solar paint product as potentially ‘160 times less’ expensive than solar panels.

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision.]The Authority has declined to determine a complaint, under the accuracy standard, about an item on Newshub Live at 6pm. The complainant alleged that analysis of a New Zealand political poll, including a translation of the poll results into seats in Parliament and the statement Labour ‘no longer governs alone’, was misleading, noting it was just a poll and Labour has a Co-operation Agreement with the Green Party.

(online ed, New Zealand, 18 February 2020); Rachel Sadler “Andrew Little clashes with Ryan Bridge over 'right to silence' law changes” Newshub (online ed, New Zealand, 18 February 2020); Vita Molyneux “Time for the right to silence to be amended or abolished, says Children's Commissioner” Newshub (online ed, New Zealand, 17 February 2020)2 Anna Whyte “What is the right to silence?”

The standard exists to ensure that competing viewpoints about significant issues are presented to enable the audience to arrive at an informed and reasoned opinion.The parties’ submissions[8] Mr Scott submitted:Mr Gower’s and Newshub’s coverage of National’s claims regarding Labour’s income tax was unbalanced.

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision.]The Authority has not upheld a complaint that the use of the term ‘disputed’ in a Newshub item, to describe the land the United States (US) Embassy sits on in East Jerusalem, breached the accuracy standard. The broadcast covered a recent protest in Gaza over the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem and the US calling Jerusalem the capital of Israel.

Not Upheld: Balance, Fairness The broadcast [1] During a segment on Newshub Live at 6pm on 11 October 2023, Political Editor Jenna Lynch discussed the results and implications of a Newshub-Reid Research political poll.

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision.]The Authority did not uphold a complaint that two items on Newshub Live at 6pm breached the offensive and disturbing content, and children’s interests standards. The programme included interviewees using the terms ‘shit’ and ‘holy shit’.

Not Upheld: Accuracy The broadcast [1] In a segment on Newshub Live at 6pm broadcast on 7 February 2024, Political Editor Jenna Lynch reported on the Prime Minister’s recent comments at Waitangi and on the proposed Treaty Principles Bill.

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision.]A Newshub bulletin featured five separate items which the complainant considered related to the United States.

NZ Herald (online ed, 10 February 2023)4 Kieran McAnulty “Government urges people to prepare for Cyclone Gabrielle” (10 February 2023) Beehive <Beehive.govt.nz>5 See RNZ “NZ weather: What you need to know as Cyclone Gabrielle lashes New Zealand” Newshub (online ed, 13 February 2023); and Ryan Anderson “Here's what we know about Cyclone Gabrielle's expected landfall” Stuff (11 February 2023).

In any case, the coverage was duly sensitive and respectful, was not overly intrusive and did not focus on any particular individuals at length.Not Upheld: PrivacyIntroduction[1] Newshub reported on a Christchurch earthquake memorial service, which marked the five-year anniversary of the February 2011 earthquake.

The Authority did not uphold a complaint that a comment made by Patrick Gower during a Newshub segment about the presence of the far right in New Zealand breached the accuracy standard. The Authority found that Mr Gower’s comment that ‘the global far-right is here in New Zealand, influencing us and our politicians whether we realise it or not’ was not a statement of fact to which the accuracy standard applies.

The Authority also found the introduction to the item was sufficient to inform viewers of the nature of the coverage, enabling them to adequately protect themselves and their children from the content by choosing not to watch.Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Children’s Interests, Programme InformationThe broadcast[1] On 9 February 2021, Newshub covered an item about sex workers and escorts opening up about their work on social media.

Newshub’s Chief News Officer was willing to provide a written apology to IY.

Decline to determine: Good Taste and Decency, Children’s Interests, Violence, Alcohol, AccuracyThe broadcast[1] The broadcast in question was an item on Newshub live at 6pm which was broadcast on 17 August 2019 at 6:33pm on Three.[2] The item featured Richie McCaw and the eleven year old boy who won a trip to Japan to watch the Rugby World Cup with him.The complaint[3] Don McDonald complained that the broadcast breached the following standards of the Free-To-Air Television Code of Broadcasting

Mr McCaughan’s concerns were also communicated to Newshub’s Director of Daily News.The standard[6] The discrimination and denigration standard (Standard 6) protects against broadcasts that encourage discrimination against, or denigration of any section of the community on account of sex, sexual orientation, race, age, disability, occupational status or as a consequence of legitimate expression of religion, culture or political belief.