Dear Thomas Harvey

 

Your email of 11 August requesting information related to Mike Hosking
hosting the 2017 Election debates has been forwarded to my office.

 

We will respond to your request in due course.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Brent McAnulty
General Counsel and Corporate Affairs Director

d.  +64 9 916 7935  
m. +64 27 226 4913

 

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Dear Mr Harvey

I refer to your Official Information Act request regarding the appointment of Mike Hosking to moderate our Vote 17 election debates.

As a national broadcaster, TVNZ is very mindful of our responsibilities in this area.

In short Mike was asked to moderate three of our four the Leaders Debates because we consider him to be the best person for the job. His track record in 2014 (which similarly generated a lot of discussion prior to the debates themselves) and experience were key factors.

Our Election line up offers up a range of voices and perspectives and we accept that not everyone will agree with all our presenter choices. Mike is not the only person fronting aspects of our political coverage: we also have Jack Tame, Corin Dann, Andrea Vance, Katie Bradford, Miriama Kamo, Jessica Mutch, Greg Boyed, Hilary Barry, Scotty Morrison, Simon Dallow, Wendy Petrie, Jehan Casinader and our team of reporters across the country working on the Election. The Young Voters Debate this Thursday will be hosted by Jack Tame. Corin Dann deputised for Mike last Friday in the Multi-Party Debate.

John Gillespie, our Head of News and Current Affairs, has commented publicly on this matter, saying:
We’ve got a strong mix of content and people across our platforms to scrutinise the issues and inform New Zealanders.
No politician will get an easy run in any of our debates. Mike has skilfully and fairly moderated many Election debates for us over the years – this Election will be no different.

Feedback on Mike’s performance in the first debate was overwhelmingly positive, as it was in 2014.

Yours sincerely

Brent McAnulty
General Counsel and Corporate Affairs Director

-----Original Message-----
From: Thomas Harvey [mailto:[FOI #6393 email]]
Sent: Friday, 11 August 2017 11:12 a.m.
To: Joy Savage
Subject: Official Information request - Suitability of Mike Hosking for TV debates

Dear Television New Zealand Limited,

I am writing to request under the Official Information Act all documents or communications held by, received or generated within your company concerning the suitability or otherwise of Mike Hosking as a host of televised debates for the 2017 general election.

Since this is a matter of considerable public interest and the election is fast approaching, this request should be treated with urgency.

Yours faithfully,

Thomas Harvey

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For more information on the Television New Zealand Group, visit us
online at tvnz.co.nz
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Dear Mr Harvey

 

I refer to your request of 11 August, and our response dated 10 September.

 

In addition to our response I would like to clarify that the only relevant
documents we currently hold in respect of your request are:

 

·         TVNZ’s media release announcing our Vote 17 coverage; and

·         the physical petition presented to us protesting the decision to
appoint Mike Hosking as moderator for our leaders debates.

 

The first document is attached.

 

The second is withheld on the basis that it is too cumbersome to reproduce
(Section 18(f) of the Act) and the personal information it contains
(section 9(2)(a) of the Act). 

 

We are aware that there was other individual correspondence and feedback
received on the decision, as well as considerable media coverage of our
announcement.  Those that have been retained are similarly withheld under
Section 18(f) of the Act.

 

In our view the withholding of the information is not outweighed by other
considerations which render it desirable in the public interest to make it
available.  In accordance with Section 19(b) of the Act we advise that you
have the right to seek an investigation and review of the above refusal by
making a complaint under Section 28(3) to an Ombudsman.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Brent McAnulty
General Counsel and Corporate Affairs Director

d.  +64 9 916 7935  
m. +64 27 226 4913

 

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