Fish firm lashes out at TVNZ

By JAMES GARDINER

Television New Zealand has been accused of hiding a conflict of interest in its Assignment documentary on scampi after a senior manager acted as a lobbyist for an aggrieved fishing company and supplied material for the programme.

Fishing company Simunovich yesterday lashed out at TVNZ, saying that from the outset its impartiality on the story was compromised by the fact that it employs former political journalist and public relations man Richard Griffin as a communications manager.

Simunovich was the subject of a variety of serious allegations in the programme - many of them emanating from affidavits prepared by fishing rival Barine Developments.

TVNZ said last night that Mr Griffin had provided copies of those affidavits to the Assignment staff but insisted he had neither lobbied for the programme to be made nor tried to influence its direction.

When the programme screened on Tuesday night, the presenter said Simunovich managers declined to appear but did not say why.

Mr Griffin, a long-serving political editor for Radio New Zealand, resigned after the 1993 election to become Prime Minister Jim Bolger's chief press secretary.

He joined TVNZ in his present role, which involves liaising with politicians, in May 2000.

Simunovich director Vaughan Wilkinson said the conflict of interest was pointed out as soon as he was approached by the television reporter, who told him Mr Griffin "certainly hasn't been working with us".

Simunovich lawyers then began communicating with TVNZ chief executive Ian Fraser and raised with him the issue of Mr Griffin's being involved in political lobbying on Barine's behalf.

Mr Wilkinson said that at no point did TVNZ respond on that issue.

He contrasted that with the way the broadcaster handled the resignation of its own chairman, Ross Armstrong, last month after a perceived conflict of interest in his role with the Government.

"On that basis the story has no credibility," Mr Wilkinson said. "It could never have been balanced."

Herald reports this week disclosed a climate of secrecy and mistrust in the ministry, along with allegations of corruption. A parliamentary inquiry has been announced.

Barine managing director Neil Penwarden said Mr Griffin worked for him because he was "a concerned New Zealander".

He would not say whether he had paid him but TVNZ spokesman Glen Sowry said the work was unpaid.

Mr Griffin was also at the centre of controversy when Dr Armstrong sought his advice while the-then chairman was under siege for setting up meetings between key Government ministers and companies interested in establishing public-private partnerships. Dr Armstrong later said he would reimburse TVNZ for any costs incurred through his use of Mr Griffin.

Mr Sowry said Mr Fraser determined there was no conflict of interest "either perceived or actual" and it was decided not to respond to Simunovich because the complaint was a "red herring".

Mr Wilkinson said the failure to deal with the issue meant the programme was nothing more than "a publicity piece for Mr Penwarden. It should be seen as nothing more than a commercial advertorial."

He would complain to the Broadcasting Standards Authority and the failure to respond to the initial complaint would be central to that.

* james_gardiner@nzherald.co.nz

APOLOGY
During 2002 and 2003 the New Zealand Herald published a number of articles regarding allegations made in Parliament and in certain affidavits of corruption within the Ministry of Fisheries and illegal fishing in the scampi fishery. The Herald retracts any suggestion in those articles that Simunovich Fisheries Ltd, Peter Simunovich or Vaughan Wilkinson were guilty of corrupt or illegal activities in relation to their involvement in scampi fishing. The Herald greatly regrets any damage to their reputations and any embarrassment it caused to them and their families and unreservedly apologises to them.