Kerre McIvor apologises for 'poor choice of words' in Newstalk ZB opinion piece

Kerre McIvor

Broadcaster Kerre McIvor has apologised for "her poor choice of words" in an opinion piece on Newstalk ZB's website about lockdown breaches.

Part of the opinion piece, a transcript of McIvor's broadcast about people breaking through Auckland's border without permission during lockdown, was found by the Media Council to have breached its standards.

The column was published on the radio station's website on September 29 and included the statement: "This is doing my head in. If you are Māori, if you're a gang member, if you're an entitled narcissist twit like the Wanaka runaways, like Brian Tamaki, you stick two fingers to everyone and go your own way".

Sarah Frayne complained to the Media Council, saying she felt that to "lump an entire ethnicity and culture together as rule breakers by saying 'if you're Māori' is wrong" and "just plain racist".

NZME, which also publishes the New Zealand Herald, emailed Frayne on October 31 to explain the statement published online did not match what McIvor said on air.

McIvor had said: "But if you are Māori and you have some great contacts in the police …"

The online article was later updated.

The council noted "ZB's handling of the complaint was poor" and that the opinion piece was online for over a month before it was edited.

"When ZB did address the Media Council complaint it still referred to issues that are covered by the BSA's principles, but not ours."

The complaint about the comment was upheld by the Media Council on Principle 7, Discrimination and Diversity.

The council said no other ethnicity, aside from Māori, was mentioned in the column and this could "enhance any unconscious bias in others reading the article".

"The comment regarding Māori in both the original piece and the updated one could be said to be denigrating Māori and inferring that only Māori behaved in such a way. The council understands the particular people McIvor was referring to were Māori. However the focus of the column and the author's criticism, was their breaking of the Covid rules and has nothing to do with their ethnicity."

McIvor apologised for her "poor choice of words" .

"I was meaning to be critical of the police iwi liaison officer who was reportedly taking people through the border; It was not my intention to incorrectly stereotype a whole community and I apologise for the hurt my words caused.

"I try to be aware of context, but there is always opportunity to do better and be more mindful."

In a statement, NZME said it accepts the findings of the Media Council and the company "apologises unreservedly".

"In light of the different circumstances regarding this complaint, we have reviewed and updated our processes to better ensure all complaints are handled through the correct channels."