A board member at NZ On Air has resigned after "accepting it was absolutely wrong" to label Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters "malicious" and the "worst of this gang of thugs" in a social media post.
Board member Andrew Shaw resigned "effective immediately" this afternoon after Newshub questioned the media agency about the board member's post.
The screen production consultant, previously employed at TVNZ, wrote on LinkedIn: "Winston Peters attack's independence of media. He's not truthful. He's not accurate.
"He's malicious and he is here on behalf of international tobacco. His return is the worst of this gang of thugs."
NZ On Air is an autonomous Crown entity with board members required to exercise political impartiality in their conduct.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the agency said Shaw had "unreservedly apologised for comments made on LinkedIn about Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters".
"NZ On Air wishes to emphasise that the views expressed in the post are those of Andrew Shaw and are not a reflection of the agency's views. We are a non-partisan agency that has worked constructively with governments of all hues for 34 years.
"NZ On Air thanks Mr Shaw for his service as a board member, where his decades of screen sector experience have been invaluable."
Today's resignation comes after a string of political impartiality controversies involving board members appointed under the former Labour government.
They included Te Whatu Ora chairperson Rob Campbell — whose unrepentant stance led to his firing after making posts attacking then-opposition leader Christopher Luxon — Pharmac chairperson Steve Maharey, and FENZ board member Ruth Dyson.
Campbell is still denying he's broken any political neutrality rules over public comments on National's water policy. (Source: 1News)
Shaw is a veteran of the screen production industry and was appointed to NZ On Air's board in June 2022. He was in the middle of serving a three-year term.
He has previously worked as an executive at national broadcaster TVNZ as its deputy director of content, leaving in July 2020.
Shortly afterwards, Shaw was named that year's Television Legend at the New Zealand Television Awards. He currently works as a consultant in the industry.
The board member's apology and resignation comes as Peters has attacked the credibility of journalists and taken aim at state-owned broadcasters TVNZ and RNZ.
State-owned TVNZ is a Crown entity company but is funded commercially with its editorial independence enshrined in the Television New Zealand Act 2003 — meaning it currently operates with freedom from political interference.
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