Shirley King against the New Zealand Herald

The New Zealand Herald published an article on September 18, 2025 titled Coroner: Deaths of friends on way to Rhythm & Vines an ‘avoidable tragedy’.

The article was about two friends who died on their way to Rhythm & Vines festival in Gisborne. There was a fight in the vehicle which spilled out of their car onto a dark road where they were killed by an oncoming vehicle. The story outlined the background of both men and the lead up to what happened.

Shirley King, the mother of one of the victims, complained the story did not report the two men were brothers-in-law.

“More importantly, I am deeply hurt and upset by the way you chose to frame your article. In particular, I was shocked to read your opinion that ‘it is highly likely that if they had not been intoxicated, they would have made different choices and would not have died that night.’ You had no right to make such a statement. You do not know what happened that night, and you cannot possibly understand the circumstances or the people involved. As Waylon’s mother, reading those words has been devastating and has reopened wounds that my family and I have been struggling to heal for nearly three years.

“Your article has caused my family significant additional pain. You may have seen it as a headline or a story for the public, but for us, it is our lives, our grief, and our ongoing trauma. Publishing details from the coroner’s report, along with your personal opinions, showed no consideration for the families left behind. It was not your place to speculate or judge.”

“Did you stop to think about the families? about my daughter, my nephew, or about me and Waylon’s father before writing and publishing this? Clearly not. Instead, you have brought us more tears and more anguish. Some things are best left alone, and this tragedy is one of them.”

The NZ Herald reporter responded that she did attempt to reach the family before publication, but her messages were not seen by the people she tried to reach. She hoped the Office of the Coroner informed the family that the findings would likely attract media attention and noted the findings were released under embargo to allow time for families to prepare before media coverage.

The reporter added that comments in the story were made by the coroner and said the ruling did not mention the two men were brothers-in-law.

She added that Coroners' Court decisions were made public to educate and inform to try and prevent repeats of such tragedies.

“We respect these decisions are never easy for families, especially when we haven't been able to reach them ahead of publication. We are never given contact details, so it's always a matter of us trying to find family members ourselves.”

The Media Council extends its sympathies Ms King and the wider whānau who have no doubt been deeply affected by the tragic loss of two young men. The coroner’s findings, which were released two years later, will understandably have caused further pain by re-opening old wounds.

However, the Council notes court findings are a matter of public record as there are strong public interest considerations for making such findings public. It also notes the news media have the role of reporting coroner's findings to a wide public audience.

In this case the NZ Herald appears to have taken care to fairly report the coroner’s findings. It did not mention that the two men were related as that information was not mentioned in the findings. It was a matter-of-fact account of a Coronial decision; there were no suppression directions, and there was a public interest in knowing what happened.

There was no evidence to show the reporting breached any Media Council Principles.

Decision: No Grounds to Proceed.