Party broadcast 'inaccurate'

By BRONWYN SELL and ANDREW LAXON

Parts of Labour's opening election broadcast have been ruled untruthful and inaccurate by TVNZ after a complaint from National Party cabinet minister Roger Sowry.

In the 12-minute programme, screened two weeks ago, Labour leader Helen Clark interviewed two state housing tenants who pleaded poverty under Government policies.

In introducing the first, Lee Brash, Helen Clark said: "The rent on her state flat used to be $73 a week. Now it's risen to $270."

TVNZ's Complaints Committee ruled the statement was inaccurate because it failed to mention the accommodation supplement Lee Brash would be getting, leaving viewers with a false impression.

The other tenant, mother of seven Katherine Holloway, was said to have "maybe $40, $50" left after paying rent. TVNZ also ruled this statement inaccurate, since she was later found to have $185 left after rent.

The Minister of Social Services, Roger Sowry, wants Labour to spend some of its public television campaign money correcting the advertisement and apologising.

"Helen Clark used taxpayer-funded broadcasting time to mislead voters," he said.

National will take the matter to the Broadcasting Standards Authority today in a bid to force Helen Clark to apologise.

Helen Clark last night refused to comment, referring all questions to Labour's campaign strategist, MP Pete Hodgson.

Mr Hodgson said Labour would not sacrifice any air time from its four-minute closing address to deliver a correction and apology.

He admitted that "a strict reading of the advertisement would show it to be incorrect" but said it accurately made the point that market rentals for state housing had caused widespread poverty.

TVNZ programme standards manager David Edmunds said the broadcaster was disappointed at being drawn into an active election debate.