NZ Herald editor defends reporting of prime minister John Key's ponytail pull
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Version 0 of 1. The editor of the New Zealand Herald has defended the paper’s integrity to staff following criticism for identifying a woman – apparently against her wishes – who complained about her ponytail being pulled by the prime minister, John Key. Amanda Bailey, a 26-year-old Auckland woman who on Wednesday criticised the prime minister for repeatedly pulling on her ponytail while dining at the cafe she worked at, has alleged that the Herald’s gossip columnist Rachel Glucina misled her in procuring an interview, and published her photo and comments when Bailey retracted permission for her to do so. Related: Furore after woman whose ponytail was pulled by New Zealand PM John Key says she was misled by NZ Herald Before the Herald’s front-page story on Thursday, Bailey’s identity had not been public knowledge. Both Bailey and Martyn Bradbury, editor of the Daily Blog site where her anonymous posts first appeared, criticised the Herald for printing the interview. But in an internal email to editorial staff on Thursday afternoon seen by Guardian Australia, the editor, Shayne Currie, defended Glucina’s approach and the integrity of the Herald. Currie said the “media/social storm … boils down to the initial approach to the restaurant owners [Jackie Grant and Scott Brown of the Hip Group, who Bailey claims put her in contact with Glucina] and their discussions with the writer [Glucina]”. Currie acknowledged an initial misunderstanding between Glucina and Grant and Brown as to her intention with the interview, but said that “by late afternoon there was no doubt it was for the Herald”. He said he was contacted by a public relations firm acting for Grant and Brown, who had concerns about Glucina’s “initial approach”, and that led him to speak to them himself. Related: New Zealand prime minister John Key apologises for pulling waitress's hair “I was personally satisfied, at the conclusion of that call, that there had been no deliberate attempt to mislead them [the couple]. And that they had indeed agreed – all three of them [including Bailey] – to making a public statement and agreeing to a photograph (whether to the Herald, or media-wide).” Currie said he allowed the interview quotes to be run by Grant, Brown and Bailey pre-publication. “No objections were made and so I was happy that the parties were satisfied.” He said Bradbury contacted him to say Bailey felt she had been misled and withdrew her permission for the story to be run “well after the paper had gone to press”. Currie does not refer in the email to speaking to Bailey, nor does he make explicit that Bailey was aware that the interview would be going to press. He concluded with an assurance to staff that “the Herald’s integrity and the integrity of our journalism is of the utmost importance” and reiterated staff must identify themselves as being of the Herald at the beginning of any interview. “The chapel has asked that I express my commitment to this ethical point by reasserting that PR is kept separate from journalism in the Herald, especially in the paper’s news sections. “I would hope this goes without saying – but I do indeed and, of course, give you that assurance.” An employee of New Zealand Media and Entertainment, the company that operates the Herald, told Guardian Australia that Currie was “aware of issues, but signed off on [the] story”, speaking to Grant and Brown but not to Bailey. The employee understood there was no recording of Glucina’s interview. Meanwhile, a complaint has been lodged with the Independent Police Conduct Authority of New Zealand against two members of Key’s diplomatic protection squad for failing to intervene when he was pulling on Bailey’s hair. Serial litigant Graham McCready has alleged to the police watchdog that Key “committed multiple counts of male assault female” [sic] in his “complaint against the two police officers who attended with Mr Key at the scene of the alleged offending”. But security expert Chris Lawton, the chief executive of C4 Group and a former police officer and bodyguard, told the public broadcaster Radio New Zealand that the prime minister’s security team is concerned with potential threats to Key – “so they wouldn’t be watching what he’s doing, rather than watching who is approaching from outside the cafe or wherever they are”. Currie has been contacted for comment. Bailey could not be reached for comment. |