Fire Paul Henry
We demand that Television New Zealand cancel its contract with Breakfast host Paul Henry and desist from employing him in the future. As a public broadcaster and a Crown- owned entity, this is an appropriate response on TVNZ's behalf, given its responsibility to ensure good taste and decency. Mr Henry's remarks on Monday 4 October 2010 regarding the Governor-General Rt. Hon. Sir Anand Satyanand's ethnicity and background displayed neither good taste nor decency and do not reflect the values of New Zealand's multi-cultural society. Furthermore, Mr Henry promoted discrimination against, and denigration of, future candidates for the post of Governor-General based on their race and accent, which is a breach of Standard 7 of the Free-to-air Television Code set down by the Broadcasting Standards Authority. We do not believe two weeks suspension without pay to be an adequate punishment given the gravity of Mr Henry's remarks and the ramifications they have for people's perception of not only the office of Governor-General but of all roles in society.
Sir John Anderson
TVNZ Board Chairman
Television New Zealand Ltd
100 Victoria street
Auckland 1
We the undersigned demand that Television New Zealand cancel its contract with Breakfast host Paul Henry and desist from employing him in the future. As a public broadcaster and a Crown- owned entity, this is an appropriate response on TVNZ's behalf, given its responsibility to ensure good taste and decency. Mr Henry's remarks on Monday 4 October 2010 regarding the Governor-General Rt. Hon. Sir Anand Satyanand's ethnicity and background displayed neither good taste nor decency and do not reflect the values of New Zealand's multi-cultural society. Furthermore, Mr Henry promoted discrimination against, and denigration of, future candidates for the post of Governor-General based on their race and accent, which is a breach of Standard 7 of the Free-to-air Television Code set down by the Broadcasting Standards Authority. We do not believe two weeks suspension without pay to be an adequate punishment given the gravity of Mr Henry's remarks and the ramifications they have for people's perception of not only the office of Governor-General but of all roles in society.
Thank you for taking the time to consider this petition.
