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The Press
September 12, 2003
Edwards' stance hostile - Hood
NZPA
Broadcaster Brian Edwards has been accused of
ambushing Christchurch Civic Creche case campaigner Lynley Hood in a hostile
television interview.
A formal complaint by Ms Hood to TVNZ also alleges political links coloured
Dr Edwards' views on the controversial sex abuse case.
She claims the veteran interviewer adopted a "hectoring, sneering
tone" during the chat show, Edwards at Large.
Ms Hood said Dr Edwards had led her to believe that the interview would be
"essentially sympathetic".
Instead, she found it "unrelentingly hostile".
The Dunedin
author of A City Possessed, which attacks the criminal convictions of former
creche worker Peter Ellis, said she was the victim of "a hatchet
job" that breached broadcasting standards of balance and fairness.
"My complaint is that I was ambushed into taking part in an interview
that was no more than a sustained attack on my character and credibility, and
that in making that attack Dr Edwards did not act as an independent and
impartial broadcaster," Ms Hood said.
Yesterday, Dr Edwards said he was unable to discuss the complaint, which is
being investigated by TVNZ and could yet be forwarded to the Broadcasting
Standards Authority.
The complaint details an alleged about-face by Dr Edwards on the creche case.
Ms Hood said he emailed her in June to say he would be "delighted"
to sign a petition calling for a Royal Commission of Inquiry.
He also invited her to appear on his new show.
Dr Edwards did not end up putting his name to the petition.
Ms Hood said that soon after her TV grilling on August 16, she was told that
Justice Minister Phil Goff had made negative comments to Dr Edwards about the
creche case. Growing calls for a wider inquiry have so far been spurned by Mr
Goff.
Dr Edwards doubles as a paid media adviser to Prime Minister Helen Clark and
other government members.
A spokesman for Mr Goff, who is visiting Mongolia, said yesterday that Ms
Hood's references to the Minister were wrong.
Mr Goff's only meeting with Dr Edwards was "by chance at Auckland
Airport" as they walked together to collect their luggage on August 21
-- five days after Ms Hood's TV interview.
Responding to an earlier parliamentary question from National MP Don Brash,
Mr Goff said he recalled Dr Edwards mentioning the creche case and saying,
after reading Hood's book a second time, he had reservations about her
conclusions.
"My comments were to the effect that matters of guilt or innocence
should be decided judicially, not by politicians, journalists, or
authors," Mr Goff said.
"I also reiterated my view that because no evidence had been presented
that had not already been properly considered by the court, I had no basis
under the royal prerogative process to recommend further inquiry into the
case."
Last month, ACT MP Rodney Hide laid a broadcasting standards complaint over
an interview Dr Edwards had with him -- saying an interviewer on the Prime
Minister's payroll could not be balanced and impartial to an opposition MP.
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