Crusader wins TVNZ complaint

Blenheim's moral crusader Elaine Hadfield is celebrating her first successful complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) after the authority upheld her complaint over an item featuring drunk duck shooters on current affairs show Close Up.

Miss Hadfield and four others, including alcohol manufacturer Lion Nathan and Fish and Game New Zealand, wrote to the BSA after a May 4 episode of the TVNZ programme showed a group of duck shooters in the Wairarapa drinking alcohol before firing shotguns.

One hunter was also shown attempting to have sex with a blow-up doll, while alcohol brands were visible throughout the story.

Miss Hadfield in her complaint said the item contained disgusting behaviour "such as a hunter diving on a blow-up doll and showing his naked buttocks". This set a bad example for children during family viewing time.

She also said the item's inclusion of guns and alcohol was not a good mix.

The BSA ordered TVNZ to show a statement on the authority's ruling that the programme had breached good taste and decency, did not consider the interests of children and contained socially irresponsible liquor promotion.

TVNZ was also ordered to pay $3500 costs to the Crown and $1500 to a complainant for legal costs.

Last night, Miss Hadfield said she did not regularly watch Close Up but would be tuning in to see the broadcaster's statement.

The broadcaster had countered that the item did not glamorise or condone the hunters' behaviour, but instead portrayed it "for what it was" (and) revealed "the existence of a problem". The state broadcaster also said the show was targeted at an adult audience.

Miss Hadfield was not buying that and was pleased the BSA had not either. The authority's decision was the first time she had had a complaint upheld, despite lodging more complaints than she could count.

She attributed this success in part to the fact that four others also expressed their disgust. "That makes a huge difference."

Miss Hadfield encouraged people to make their voices heard if they were not happy. "If something is wrong and you don't do anything, you are condoning it."

The longtime community standards campaigner said she had no other complaints on the go, but was planning to write a submission to the Law Commission on proposed changes to liquor laws.

- The Marlborough Express