Māori broadcaster Whakaata Māori, the parent company of this news website, has been cleared of allegations of politically motivated interference and breaching its editorial independence.
An independent investigation by barrister Nura Taefi found chief executive Shane Taurima and other senior managers had not behaved inappropriately following a complaint about an article that appeared on the Te Ao Māori News website last month.
“The independent investigation confirms the results of the internal review that was carried out when the allegations were first raised. Its findings support the board’s confidence that editorial policies were upheld and provides an external legal report to maintain public confidence,” Te Rūnanga Kaiwhakatere o Whakaata Māori toihau (Whakaata Māori chair) Jamie Tuuta says.
Complaints laid by journalist Will Trafford, who wrote the article that attracted the original complaint, alleged that Taurima had misused Whakaata Māori’s platform to the political benefit of Te Pāti Māori.
According to the report, there was no conflict of interest on Taurima’s part. He was also cleared of claims of violating journalistic integrity.
“The report supports the view taken by senior management,” Tuuta said. “The original article was in breach of the media standards of balance, Māori Television editorial policies and the New Zealand Media Council principles.”