Your Daily Ten@10 - 2026/074

This is edition 2026/074 of the Ten@10 newsletter.

Hi all,

This is the Ten@10, where I collate and summarise ten news items you generally won't see in the mainstream media.

Enjoy!

1. Unreported for nearly a year: media misconduct in Parliament

Unreported for nearly a year: media misconduct in Parliament

Ani O'Brien

• 🍷 Pre-Budget Event : On 13 May 2025, Finance Minister Nicola Willis hosted a standard pre-Budget drinks event for journalists and staff, but it ended abruptly due to a disruptive incident.
• 🏳️‍🌈 Homophobic Slur : TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman repeatedly shouted a homophobic slur at fellow journalist Lloyd Burr, reportedly in response to a racial slur Burr denies using.
• 🍻 Journalist Misconduct : The event was shut down after the verbal altercation, but the incident remained largely unreported by the media, despite corroboration from multiple witnesses.
• 📉 Media Double Standards : While politicians face intense scrutiny for even minor missteps, journalists, including Sherman, operate with little accountability despite their own ethical lapses.
• 📜 Parliamentary Rules : Journalists are expected to adhere to conduct standards in Parliament, but enforcement is lax, with a notable gap between the rules and real-world application.
• 🕵️‍♂️ Lack of Accountability : TVNZ, a state-owned broadcaster, has repeatedly refused to release information on complaints against its staff, undermining transparency and public trust.
• ⚖️ Unequal Scrutiny : The media system in New Zealand reveals a significant imbalance, where journalists are often shielded from scrutiny while politicians are relentlessly held accountable.
• 📰 Closed Ranks : Internal reluctance to report on the misconduct of prominent journalists, especially those like Maiki Sherman, reflects a broader issue of media protecting their own.
• 🏛️ Media’s Duty : The media, tasked with holding power to account, must also demonstrate accountability and transparency within its own ranks to maintain credibility in a democratic system.
• 🔄 Cynicism and Trust : The public’s growing awareness of double standards in media scrutiny breeds cynicism and erodes trust in both the media and political institutions.

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