Complaint follows child's death

Michael Laws. Photo / Wanganui Chronicle

Talkback host Michael Laws faces a Broadcasting Standards Authority complaint after his comments following the death of a child on a farm bike.

In February - following the death of a 10-year-old - he accused Federated Farmers of having "blood on your hands" in light of a series of quad-bike deaths. The organisation has complained to the authority.

The 10-year-old, Blake Fowlie, died in hospital after pulling out on his farm bike into an oncoming car near Paeroa.

Mr Laws was highly critical of the parents and also told listeners it was "simply negligence" and "infantile" to put small children on quad bikes.

When Federated Farmers spokesman Don Aubrey phoned Laws' show, the organisation was essentially accused of murder.

"You people have fought against legislation to make it illegal for children to go on quad bikes. That is the truth of the matter. You have blood on your hands," Mr Laws told him.

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