Media Insider: New Zealand’s spy agency investigated case of RNZ journalist who edited Russia-Ukraine stories

Former Radio NZ sub-editor Mick Hall at his home in Kaipara. Photo / David Fisher

New Zealand’s spy agency investigated the actions of an RNZ journalist whose edits of foreign news stories came under scrutiny in 2023, it has been revealed.

The journalist, Mick Hall, complained to the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security that he had been unlawfully investigated by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) and that the agency had improperly shared information about him.

He complained that the SIS had “briefed the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Office on the situation and gave them information about myself based on an investigation”.

The NZSIS concluded that Hall was not engaging in any form of state-sponsored foreign interference.

In a report released today, Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Brendan Horsley found that the activities of the NZSIS in making “initial inquiries” between June 10 and August 11 in 2023 were “limited in scope to what was strictly necessary to satisfy the NZSIS that this was not a case of foreign interference”.

“I am satisfied that the basis and extent of these inquiries were both legal and proper and that [the] NZSIS recognised the sensitive nature of making inquiries into a journalist.”

He said he also considered it proper that the NZSIS “actively reported to relevant parties their positive conclusion that Mr Hall was not engaging in any form of state-sponsored foreign interference”.

Horsley found the NZSIS’s actions were necessary, legal, proper and proportionate.

He noted that the NZSIS was responsible for identifying and countering foreign interference in New Zealand. In doing so, it had to consider fundamental principles such as “freedom of expression and freedom of the press”.

In his letter to Hall, Horsley said: “I appreciate that it is, at the very least, disconcerting to discover that you have come to the attention of an intelligence agency. Particularly as a journalist reporting on conflicts where different views can validly be expressed.”

Hall, who resigned from the public broadcaster in the wake of the affair, said in a statement on Thursday that he welcomed Horsley’s report.

“As a journalist, I am reassured by the report’s findings that the spy agency followed its Sensitive Category Individuals (SCI) policy during its three-month investigation and that it informed interested parties there was nothing that indicated I was a national security threat or an agent of foreign interference,” he said.

“I accept that the NZSIS acted out of necessity, after my subediting of international news agency stories had been misframed by RNZ management and others in June 2023 as an exercise in Russian propaganda.

“These accusations, which caused widespread concern, were utterly false. Horsley’s report points to this and is the second such review to do so.”

Hall told the Herald in September 2023: “I’m not a Russian agent. I’m just a journalist trying to do my job.”

RNZ chair Jim Mather (left) and chief executive Paul Thompson. Photo / Parliament

RNZ commissioned an independent review of its editorial processes in the wake of Hall’s work.

The review found Hall had breached RNZ’s editorial standards by adding a pro-Russian perspective to stories on the invasion of Ukraine, among other edits.

The report found Hall “genuinely believed he was acting appropriately to provide balance and accuracy and was not motivated by any desire to introduce misinformation, disinformation or propaganda”.

It considered two contrasting perspectives.

The first was that Hall was a “rogue actor who made a decision to abuse the trust placed in him”, and the second that the inappropriate editing “was inevitable because of significant ... failures by RNZ”.

“The panel does not hold to either of these contrasting views. What we found was a journalist who acted in breach of both editorial standards and RNZ’s contract with Reuters and an organisation that facilitated the conditions for a journalist to do so,” the report said.

It highlighted “cultural and teamwork issues” at the public broadcaster.

At the time, RNZ chairman Jim Mather said the board had accepted the review and would implement its 22 recommendations.

The panel also found RNZ’s leadership overreacted, publicly, to Hall’s edits, contributing ”to public alarm and reputational damage, not helpful in maintaining public trust”.

At one stage, RNZ chief executive Paul Thompson apologised for publishing what he called “pro-Kremlin garbage”.

In his own statement today, Hall said: “By its knee-jerk judgment that I’d acted in bad faith, and by its public pronouncements, RNZ management created a dangerous environment of hysteria and undue speculation over my motives.

“It helped bring a journalist to the attention of the NZSIS and its Five Eyes intelligence partners.”

Hall said conflating editorial endeavour that sought accurate reporting and proper context in news stories with subjective support for foreign enemies “is a smear, creates a chill factor within newsrooms and stifles open and informed public discourse over foreign policy and international affairs”.

“With the New Zealand Government moving to introduce sweeping measures to criminalise foreign interference, RNZ management’s damaging mischaracterisations should be of lasting concern.”

In a statement today, RNZ did not directly address Hall’s criticisms.

A spokesman outlined the RNZ board’s commissioning of the independent review, which found “the staff member had breached editorial standards with inappropriate editing of overseas wire stories, including adding a pro-Russian perspective on the invasion of Ukraine.”

The spokesman said that as a result of its own internal audit, RNZ corrected a number of stories due to misediting.

“A key purpose of the independent review panel was to examine RNZ editorial process and policies. RNZ has subsequently implemented all of the findings of the review panel.

“And in the last week, RNZ had a pleasing improvement in its trust metrics, and is currently the number one trusted news brand in the country.”

Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME.