TVNZ upholds Gore District Council complaint over amalgamation error

Gore District Council welcomes a decision by TVNZ's Complaints Committee to uphold a formal complaint regarding an inaccurate statement broadcast on 1News on 3 June 2026 concerning local government amalgamation.

The 1News report incorrectly stated that Gore and Southland districts had already agreed to merge. TVNZ's Complaints Committee found the statement breached the Accuracy Standard of the Free-to-Air Television Code of Broadcasting Practice and upheld the Council's complaint.

Gore District Mayor Ben Bell said it was important that information provided to the public about the future of local government was accurate.

"Local government reform is a significant issue for our communities, and residents deserve factual reporting on matters that affect their district," Mayor Bell said.

"There has been no agreement for Gore District Council and Southland District Council to merge. That's why it was important we sought a correction when that statement was broadcast."

The complaint was lodged by Gore District Council after the report stated that Gore and Southland districts had already agreed to merge. Following notification of the error, TVNZ removed the incorrect reference from the online version of the story available on TVNZ+. The broadcaster also apologised for the mistake.

Mayor Bell said while the reference was brief, it generated concern among some residents.

"When people hear something on a national news bulletin, they expect it to be accurate. We appreciated TVNZ's willingness to acknowledge the error and correct the online story promptly."

The Complaints Committee noted that the statement was incorrect and identified a breach of the Accuracy Standard, which requires broadcasters to make reasonable efforts to ensure news and factual content is accurate and does not mislead audiences

Mayor Bell said the decision reinforces the importance of accurate reporting, particularly when discussing the future structure of local government.

"We respect the role of the media and understand that mistakes can happen. What's important is that errors are corrected when they occur so the public can have confidence in the information they receive."