Radio host in hot water

Sean Plunket

Radio New Zealand's Morning Report presenter, Sean Plunket, has been suspended after a "confrontational" interview with Greens co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons.
"I'm having a lie-in tomorrow," Plunket said last night. "That's all I'm contractually allowed to say."

He interviewed Ms Fitzsimons and National deputy leader Gerry Brownlee on Morning Report about the Exclusive Brethren pamphlet controversy.

The Greens said last night that they had expressed "disappointment" to Radio New Zealand about Plunket's "lack of balance" but had not made a formal complaint or sought disciplinary action.

It is understood that Plunket, who joined Morning Report in 1997, was suspended yesterday after a discussion with a news executive about the Fitzsimons interview.

Ms Fitzsimons was unavailable for comment. But a Greens spokeswoman said the party felt the interview was confrontational and unbalanced, but was surprised RNZ had taken such a severe step.

- NZPA