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The Media Council and Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) have dismissed all complaints against media reporting of the visit and protests surrounding anti-trans activist Posie Parker to Aotearoa.

Parker, whose real name is Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, abandoned a rally in Auckland’s Albert Park due to counter-protests against her anti-trans views. She was covered in tomato juice, surrounded by a crowd, and escorted from the park by police and security, leading to a flurry of social media criticism.

Both regulatory bodies found it was not unfair to label Parker as “anti-transgender” (Media Council) and “anti-trans rights activist” or “trans-exclusionary speaker” (BSA).

The Media Council also found it accurate to report on the fact that Nazis supported Parker at a Melbourne rally before her Auckland visit. The BSA also ruled that no breach of standards had occurred by reporting that neo-Nazis ‘supported’ Parker at a previous rally.

According to reports, a total of Nine complaints were dismissed by the Media Council, accusing journalists of breaching principles such as accuracy, fairness, and balance, among others. In comparison, the BSA dismissed seven complaints that included allegations of lack of balance, fairness, and accuracy, discrimination and denigration, and promotion of illegal or antisocial behaviour.

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The Media Council and BSA add that, in general, coverage focusing on opposition to Parker’s views and visit was balanced over time with reporting on her previous statements and events, with editors being free to choose the opinions that appeared on their platforms or channels.

However, the Media Council noted in some decisions that there were concerns about the handling of the stories, including a ruling against a complaint from Fern Hickson against RNZ, in which the Media Council noted the lack of effort to consider threats against anti-trans activists, which resulted in the story appearing one-sided and drawing 27 complaints. The complaint was not upheld, as RNZ amended the story the next day.

In another decision against a complaint by Natasha Hamilton-Hart against the Herald, the council found it “disappointing” that the Herald could not find someone to address the issues raised by the complainant in 15 opinion pieces published over nine days. However, the complaint was not upheld as the Media Council allows for fairness over a longer time frame.

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