STATEMENT

New Zealand: PMA alarmed by Deputy PM commentary on RNZ leadership

8 May 2026

Comments from deputy prime minister and RNZ shareholding minister, David Seymour, risk undermining trust and independence of public broadcaster.

Wellington New Zealand - February 9 2020: Sign on building of Radio New Zealand, which is the main public broadcaster in radio, providing commercial-free radio. Credit: Jon lyall/Shutterstock

The Public Media Alliance is alarmed by comments made by New Zealand’s deputy prime minister which could be perceived as a threat against RNZ’s management, and an attempt to interfere in the editorial decisions of the public broadcaster.

In an interview on The Platform – a right-leaning digital media company – David Seymour said, “Look, that guy’s got an awful lot to answer for, and I suspect that he won’t be answering the call at RNZ for much longer.” It’s understood he was referring to RNZ’s CEO, Paul Thompson.

At the time, Seymour was criticising the decision to hire established journalist John Campbell as presenter of RNZ’s flagship news programme, Morning Report. Seymour said this should have been “out of the question”, given previous articles Campbell had written about the coalition government, when employed by the country’s independent public TV station, TVNZ. During the interview, he also accused TVNZ of being “politically motivated”.

With the term of RNZ’s current chair, Jim Mather, due to expire this year – as well as the terms of other board members – Seymour also said, “It’s really critical that we are ensuring that we get better people on the board, and those people will change the management.”

In a statement, Mather said RNZ’s independence was “fundamental and non-negotiable. Editorial decisions, including appointments to senior editorial roles, are the sole responsibility of RNZ management and are made in accordance with journalistic merit, statutory obligations, and the well-established public media convention of audience need.

“Commentary that publicly links Board changes, management tenure or editorial appointments to political perspectives risks undermining confidence in RNZ’s independence and the integrity of its journalism.”

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PMA echoes Mather’s statement. The comments from Seymour, who is a shareholding minister of both RNZ and TVNZ, are of significant concern. Editorial decisions are made by RNZ management and are not within the purview of ministers. Legislation prevents ministers from giving a direction to RNZ on “a particular programme; … the gathering or presentation of news or the preparation or presentation of current affairs programmes.”

Seymour denied his statements were in breach of the law. “Decisions around staffing, presenter line-ups, and editorial matters are for boards and management,” he said. “Anyone who thinks RNZ is taking editorial instructions from me clearly does not listen to RNZ.”

However, if seen through, such rhetoric risks undermining the independence of management decision-making from both the board and from government, with potential implications for RNZ’s ability to act without fear or favour, as well as for audience confidence and trust in the editorial independence of public media.

“Commentary that publicly links Board changes, management tenure or editorial appointments to political perspectives risks undermining confidence in RNZ’s independence and the integrity of its journalism.” – Dr Jim Mather, RNZ Board Chair

There is concern that Seymour’s comments could signal how the government will seek to fill the vacant board seats. While these are political appointees, legislation provides that they must be appointed on merit, bringing “knowledge of, or experience in, the provision of high-quality public radio services” and/or the “ability to reflect a diverse range of community views.” It forbids board members to be appointed “to represent, or promote the views of, a particular interest group.”

The comments come in the same week as the government announced the scrapping of media regulator the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) and a week after New Zealand fell six places in this year’s RSF World Press Freedom Index.

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