Speaker’s Rulings — Television Coverage of Parliament—TV3

As I promised the House, I am now reporting back on the television coverage on TV3 News of a member of Parliament asleep in the House during question time on 16 March 2005. I have received a letter from TV3 that admits it was in breach of Standing Order 44(2), but states that the item was within the more recent liberal interpretation of the Standing Order, and that the decision to screen the shot was made in the context of the debate over the decision to remove television news cameras from the Chamber when Parliament’s system was installed.

In an acknowledgment of the concern of both TV3 and TVNZ over the decision of the Standing Orders Committee to replace their cameras with an in-house television unit, I had met with both parties on the morning of 16 March and offered to meet with them further to discuss not only the issue of the cameras, but also the rules that may be appropriate in those circumstances. I agreed that the new set of circumstances resulting from the decision to televise the House was an appropriate opportunity to revisit the rules.

It was directly after this meeting that TV3 decided to breach the rules. I do not consider that the breach was within the claimed recent liberal interpretation of the rules. It was a gross breach of the Standings Orders and a direct challenge to the authority of the Speaker.

Since a breach of the Standing Orders has been admitted by TV3, the question arises as to the appropriate action to be taken. I have looked for any precedents of similar incidents and note the then Speaker’s action in a similar case in 2000 involving the Evening Post publishing a photograph of a member yawning in the Chamber. The Evening Post’s still photographers were excluded from the Chamber for a week in that case. I consider the breach by TV3 similar to the case of the Evening Post. It is a serious and deliberate breach of the Standing Orders. I have therefore decided that TV3 television operators shall be excluded from televising in the Chamber for 1 week commencing on 4 April.

On the question of whether the Standing Orders should be changed in any way, that is a matter for the Standing Orders Committee. I shall raise the matter at the next meeting for consideration by members.

A copy of this ruling is being delivered to all members through their bill boxes.