ALCP make formal complaint aginst TVNZ

The Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party has lodged a formal complaint with the
BSA relating to coverage of the Mt Albert By-election by TVNZ politics show
back benches. The host of the show had indicated that all Mt Albert
candidates were to appear on the show, but ended up only allowing the five
most well known candidates to appear.

All five candidates were from the major political parties and are are all
sitting MPs. They already enjoyed large amounts of media publicity prior to
appearing on the show. None of the candidates from the minor parties were
allowed to appear on the show and were denied the right to present their
opinions on a range of controversial issues such as the waterview tunnel.

The ALCP are particularly concerned that its prominent candidate Dakta
Green is being denied access to television coverage because TVNZ does not
support the views of the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party or its candidate.

This display of bias, breaches standards of balance and fairness.
Programmes relating to issues of a controversial nature should aim to
present as many sides of the debate as possible. This clearly could not
happen on back benches with the exclusion of minor parties.

The ALCP is not a fringe party as broadcast Paul Holmes claimed last week.
The ALCP has clearly explained how the recession in New Zealand can be
ended. Dakta Green has promised to build the full waterview tunnel, but
unlike the Labour candidate, he has explained how the project will be
financed. Dakta Green has also promised 200 extra police, two new prisons
and a 20% increase in the health budget. Sadly TVNZ has denied Dakta Green
to right to share these initiatives with the people of New Zealand.

By not allowing a balance of views from across the political spectrum, TVNZ
has denied candidates from minor parties the right to express their views.
ALCP candidate Dakta Green has been denied the right to express his opinion
about a number of controversial issues, simply because TVNZ disagree with
his position. This is clearly in breach of the standards of fairness
required by the broadcaster.

The standards which have been breached by TVNZ are as follows:

Under the Broadcasting Act 1989, every broadcaster is responsible for
maintaining in its programmes and their presentation standards which are
consistent with:

d) The principle that when controversial issues of public importance are
discussed, reasonable efforts are made, or reasonable opportunities are
given, to present significant points of view, either in the same programme
or in other programmes within the period of current interest

Balance

4b No set formula can be advanced for the allocation of time to interested
parties on controversial public issues. Broadcasters should aim to present
all significant sides in as fair a way as possible, it being acknowledged
that this can be done only by judging each case on its merits.

4a Programmes which deal with political matters, current affairs, and
questions of a controversial nature, must show balance and impartiality.

Fairness

6d Broadcasters should acknowledge the right of individuals to express
their own opinions.