Cabinet Minister Kiri Allan has apologised for comments at her fiancée Māni Dunlop’s farewell from RNZ that she says could have been interpreted as her telling the state broadcaster how to manage its staff or company.
Dunlop, an award-winning journalist who had worked at RNZ for 11 years, had earlier been tipped as a potential co-host on Morning Report, seen as one of the top on-air positions at the organisation.
Dunlop then quit after journalist and television presenter Ingrid Hipkisswas hired for the role, with Dunlop indicating during her final broadcast on Friday that she left because she was passed over for the “top job”.
At a leaving event later that day Allan – Minister of Justice and MP for East Coast – was one of the speakers and the Herald understands she made comments critical of RNZ.
After the Herald published news of the apology, RNZ published a version of the story. It reported that “speaking at her farewell in RNZ’s boardroom on Friday afternoon, Allan took aim at RNZ’s treatment of Māori reporters and urged the public broadcaster to have a look at its culture”.
Allan told the Herald that, while she does not have ministerial responsibility for media and broadcasting, she sincerely apologised “if any of my comments or reflections said at Māni’s farewell made any person feel uncomfortable”.
“On reflection, I also accept that it could have been interpreted as me telling RNZ how to manage their staff or company. That was not my intent and it is certainly not my job.
“My sole intention was to speak on behalf of Māni’s family.”
Allan said she was speaking in a personal capacity but acknowledged and accepted that “I am a senior Government minister, and as such that there is not such a delineation in terms of public perception”.
“I was invited to Friday’s event as Māni’s fiancée to speak on her behalf, and the family’s behalf, to her employer of 11 years.”
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he had accepted Allan’s apology and that management of issues involving families of MPs was “tricky”.
“She was invited to the event in a personal capacity and was there as a family member.
“It’s natural and understandable for people to support their families.”
He said in this instance it would have been better if Allan, given her ministerial position, had chosen not to speak.
An RNZ spokesperson told the Herald more than a dozen people took the opportunity to speak at Dunlop’s leaving event.
“They are private functions and provide an opportunity for whānau and kaimahi [workers] to gather to acknowledge, celebrate and support departing colleagues. Farewells include an open invitation for anyone present to whaikōrero [give a speech] and the free expression of views is encouraged.”
The spokesperson said RNZ was “robustly independent” when questioned about whether it was appropriate for a minister to comment on a government agency’s decision-making.
Māni Dunlop had been with RNZ for over a decade. Photo / RNZ
In Dunlop’s last show, she said she discovered during one of her first jobs as an intern at RNZ, more than a decade ago, why it was so important for Māori to be in mainstream media.
She went on to acknowledge several leading Māori media figures, including Mihingarangi Forbes and Julian Wilcox.
“To the haters, and there’s plenty of them, come on the journey,” she said. “My mates know that your hatred doesn’t stop us, it fuels us, it inspires us and Aotearoa is moving in a beautiful direction and I implore you to not resist but to hop on that waka, or you will be left behind.”
Dunlop went on to thank her colleagues, whanau and Allan.
“Thank you for always catching me. It is not easy to navigate in our respective professions but we do it well and we do it with integrity. To our babies, we do this for you.
“I am a staunch public broadcaster, I believe hugely in what RNZ can do, and the role that it serves and it will continue to fulfil as the media landscape transforms. I hope it does what it needs to to fulfil its obligations to Te Tiriti.”
Her departure comes as two other high-profile hosts are off air. Karyn Hay, who hosts Nights with Karyn Hay, last appeared on her show on February 14 and Jim Mora, the voice of Sunday Morning, has been off air since February 26.
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