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Summarised by Centrist
Willie Jackson has accused the political right, TVNZ and government pressure of helping force Maiki Sherman from her role as TVNZ political editor.
In a post on X, the Labour MP said Sherman had been “hounded into resignation” after making “a mistake” in response to offensive language directed at her.
Jackson said it was “unbelievable” Sherman could lose her job over a remark made at a party in Nicola Willis’ office more than 12 months ago.
He argued the backlash had been wildly disproportionate, saying Sherman had been “ripped to pieces, particularly by the right wing” and compared by critics to “sex deviant and monster Jimmy Saville and Adolf Hitler”.
Jackson singled out Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour and The Platform’s Sean Plunket, accusing them of going after Sherman. He also claimed TVNZ had “let her down so badly” and decided her position was untenable “obviously with pressure from this government”.
He rejected claims Sherman was sympathetic to Te Pāti Māori, saying the party had once banned her from speaking to them over her by-election coverage.
Jackson also argued there was a double standard, saying former male political editors were celebrated despite “endless stories about their misdemeanours” involving alcohol.
His conclusion was that Sherman’s exit showed “a different set of rules at play” and the loss of “a great talent”.
The backlash has also triggered debate over whether journalists are now facing the same moral scrutiny many in the media previously applied to politicians and public figures. Substacker Ani O’Brien said the media class had “normalised the idea that professional ruin is an acceptable and even righteous outcome for personal failings”.
