GEOFF NEAL AGAINST NEWSHUB

Newshub published an article on 21 December 2023, headlined Experts say moves to increase speed will kill seriously injure more Kiwis as Government drives in opposite direction.

The story reported comments by two experts saying there was evidence that lower speeds reduced road deaths and that increased speeds would result in more deaths. It also reported a global road death toll of 1.19 million people a year and that there had been great results from lowered speed limits on a number of roads in Auckland.

Geoff Neal complained that Newshub had unknowingly allowed Auckland Transport to present seriously misleading and false information on the benefits of speed limit reductions. To back his argument, he referred to an earlier complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority that an AT campaign used erroneous statistics. That complaint was settled when AT withdrew its campaign.

Newshub stood by its story saying it reported the views of two experts who disagreed with the Government’s decision to stop blanket speed limit reductions. It also reported Transport Minister Simeon Brown, explaining the Government reason for its decision.

The Media Council notes this complaint is based on an argument Mr Neall has with Auckland Transport reporting of road accident statistics. That argument is beyond the scope of this story which was based on the comments of two experts on the subject of speed limits and road safety.

Mr Neall clearly has differing views but there is no evidence to support a complaint that the article breached Media Council Principle (1) Accuracy, Fairness and Balance, or Principle (4) Comment and Fact.

Decision:  No grounds to proceed.