Allegations of Flavell interference in Maori TV clearly wrong
Labour have been alleging that Te Ururoa Flavell has been interfering with Maori TV and released some e-mails to back up their claim.
The Maori Party has now released the full e-mails, and it is quite clear there was nothing even close to inappropriate there.
It is absolutely routine for staff to give views back to media on an intended programme their MP has been invited on. In fact often there are intense negotiations around an appearance.
In this case the e-mails are very mundane. In summary they are:
- Maori TV invites Flavell on for discussion about Whanau Ora with MPs from Labour, National, Greens and NZ First
- Flavell staffer asks for purpose of discussion and queries NZ First being included
- Maori TV reply explaining purpose
- Flavell staffer explicitly says Flavell will appear, but also says that Maori TV would do better to have some whanau, providers, commissioning agencies on also, not just MPs
- Maori TV confirms Flavell will appear, and says they are intended to talk to some of the other groups mentioned
- Flavell staffer asks for a phone call to clarify format further
- Maori TV tells Flavell office that there has been a scheduling change so have had to cancel and apologise to Flavell
Labour can look like the boy who cried wolf with these false allegations of improper interference.