Davy's cut-and-paste conduct code

By PAULA OLIVER

The code of conduct that John Davy put together for the Maori Television Service is almost identical to one belonging to a large Canadian aluminium firm and available on the internet.

Mr Davy put his name to a 13-page code for MTS in March, but it appears that much of the document was obtained through a cut-and-paste operation.

Yesterday the Herald discovered a code that bore a remarkable resemblance to the one Mr Davy produced.

The code was copyrighted to Alcan Aluminium, a Canadian multinational that employs more than 40,000 people.

Even the foreword Mr Davy wrote at Maori TV stressing the need for employees to use ethical practices contains paragraphs identical to those written in 1996 by former Alcan boss Jacques Bougie.

"Alcan is guided by principles of non-discrimination and respect for human rights and individual freedom," the Alcan code says.

"Maori TV is guided by principles of non-discrimination and respect for human rights and individual freedoms," Mr Davy wrote.

Alcan: "The possession or use of illegal drugs on Alcan premises is not permitted at any time. Firearms will be permitted on Alcan property only in those areas and circumstances approved by management."

Mr Davy: "The possession or use of illegal drugs on Maori TV premises is not permitted at any time. Firearms will be permitted on Maori TV property only in those areas and circumstances approved by the law enforcement of New Zealand."

Later in the documents: "All employees ... [will] remain free of, or disclose, commitments and relationships that involve a conflict of interest with Alcan."

"All employees ... [will] remain free of, or disclose, commitments and relationships that involve a conflict of interest with Maori TV."

Mr Davy's code has several sentences identical with the aluminium company's code, except that the word Alcan is replaced with Maori TV.

Alcan Aluminium has its head office in Montreal, but also has a big presence in British Columbia, where Mr Davy spent many years.

The Herald yesterday asked MTS if its board had any input into the code or if Mr Davy had produced it himself. MTS could not provide an answer.

Attempts to contact Alcan Aluminium were unsuccessful.

Dr Marie Wilson, head of management and employment relations at the University of Auckland Business School, said it was common for groups to look at other codes of conduct when drawing one up.

"But I don't think it would be common practice to download someone else's," she said.

"The question is whether he informed the board that he had got it from somewhere else. It would be dishonest not to acknowledge the source."

Full coverage: Maori TV