Latest Rulings

1. Mr Chris Rennie and Dr Chris Pook, separately complain about an article headed, Puberty blocker ban: What it could mean for transgender teens and their families in New Zealand, published by the New Zealand Herald on 22 March 2026. These complaints will be considered together as they are similar, both alleging breaches of Principles (1) Accuracy, Fairness and Balance and (4) Comment and Fact. Dr Pook additionally complains about content breaching Principle (6) Headlines and Captions.

1. This complaint concerns an article published in the New Zealand Herald titled “Porirua woman searches for man who allegedly threatened her in road rage incident”. The complaint from the victim of the incident contained a number of assertions that Media Council Principles had been infringed in the course of writing the article and quoting her story. The complaint is not upheld.

Overview

1. Santana Minerals Ltd (Santana) complains about an article New anti-mine group takes aim at tailings dam failure risk published by the Otago Daily Times (ODT) on 7 April 2026. The complaint raises Media Council Principle (1) Accuracy Fairness and Balance, Principle (4) Comment and Fact and Principle (12) Corrections. The complaint is not upheld.

1. Stuff published two opinion columns written by Damien Grant. The first, titled ACT is in a death match with NZ First, and the stakes couldn’t be higher, was published on March 1, 2026. The second, Reading the NZ-India free trade agreement made my stress levels rise, was published on May 3. Joshua Riley complains both columns breach Principle (1) Accuracy, Fairness and Balance, and Principle (10) Conflicts of Interest.

1. Chair of the Southland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group, Phil Morrison complains about a Southland Times article reporting on events following a storm. Mr Morrison argues that the article is framed around inaccurate information about the disaster response.