25 Jul 2014

TVNZ assures Labour over debate

4:45 pm on 25 July 2014

Labour Party leader David Cunliffe says Television New Zealand has given its assurance that its political debate will be conducted with absolute political neutrality.

Mike Hosking.

Mike Hosking. Photo: TVNZ

Mr Cunliffe is due to go head to head with Prime Minister John Key in a pre-election debate chaired by broadcaster and TVNZ presenter Mike Hosking.

Labour has been worried about Mr Hosking's political neutrality after he urged a business meeting last year to vote National.

Mr Cunliffe said on Friday that he is prepared to continue with the debate, but TVNZ has not outlined how it will guarantee the debate is neutral.

He said that would be up for further discussion and that Labour and the public will hold TVNZ to it, because he said it's clear that Mr Hosking does have well-recorded political views.