BSA upholds two complaints against Sean Plunket’s The Platform
The Broadcasting Standards Authority has upheld two complaints against Sean Plunket and his media outlet, The Platform. The rulings cite breaches of good taste and decency standards regarding derogatory comments about Māori culture and the public disclosure of a complainant's identity.
Why it matters
This case highlights the ongoing tension between media freedom and regulatory standards regarding hate speech and personal privacy in digital broadcasting.
Two complaints about online broadcasts by Sean Plunket on The Platform have been upheld by the Broadcasting Standards Authority. Photo / screenshot, The Platform
Two complaints about online broadcasts by Sean Plunket’s The Platform have been upheld by the Broadcasting Standards Authority, although no orders have been made due to “novel circumstances”.
One was about what the complainant described as “unacceptable racist comments” by Plunket, The Platform’s founder and morning talk show host, when he compared tikanga Māori to “mumbo jumbo” while discussing Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s proposal about its Kaupapa Māori strategy.
The other, by the same complainant, was made after Plunket disclosed the man’s full name to his listeners and followers, resulting in him receiving a threatening email almost immediately and subsequent abusive messages, the authority said.
The first complaint was made after comments Plunket made during a July 22, 2025 broadcast.
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