David Seymour ends years-long boycott to appear on RNZ's Morning Report
Act leader David Seymour returned to RNZ's Morning Report after a boycott that began in 2020, citing staff changes at the broadcaster.
David Seymour, leader of the Act party, broke his self-imposed boycott of RNZ's flagship Morning Report, a stance he adopted in 2020 after feeling mistreated by the programme's hosts. Despite serving as deputy prime minister since 2025, he maintained the boycott until this morning, when he entered RNZ's Auckland studio for a live interview with host Ingrid Hipkiss. The discussion focused on supermarket policy proposals from both National and Labour, and Seymour highlighted recent staff turnover at RNZ as a reason for his return, describing the interview as a good experience and indicating he hopes to appear again.
While Seymour resumed participation, other politicians such as Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Winston Peters, and former prime minister Jacinda Ardern have also limited or withdrawn from regular slots on various broadcasters, reflecting a broader trend of selective media engagement. RNZ was approached for comment but did not respond.
Why it matters
It shows how political figures manage media relations and the impact of broadcaster changes on interview access.
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