In an unprecedented move, New Zealand’s prominent news entity, Radio New Zealand (RNZ), has made public the full transcript of a heartfelt valedictory speech rendered by Kiri Allan, a former Cabinet Minister, in a farewell ceremony for her then-partner Māni Dunlop. This release comes following a directive from the Office of the Ombudsman, despite initial reluctance by RNZ.
Earlier this year, Allan announced she had granted RNZ the rights to disclose the complete transcript of her emotional speech, delivered in the RNZ’s Wellington newsroom on March 31. However, RNZ refrained from divulging the full narrative, sharing only an abridged version. This partial disclosure sparked the launch of an official complaint by the Herald to the Ombudsman.
In response to the appeal, Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has today called on RNZ to release the full transcript of the speech.
Allan began her address in te reo, the Maori language, communicating in a personal tone borne from her roots as a part of a group she quaintly termed as “bandied rebels”. She proclaimed herself to be a fighter and candidly expressed her thoughts as Dunlop’s partner, believing that there were some things that needed to be said.
Speaking with admiration, Allan applauded Dunlop’s dedication to public broadcasting which began fresh out of broadcasting school and spanned over several years. Despite the couple seeming never to discuss work, Allan had continually witnessed Dunlop’s resilience and capacity to bring people together, even amid adversity.
She commended Dunlop’s duty-driven approach and her deep commitment towards the Maori people and their stories, despite her struggle with the many challenges at RNZ.
Addressing the recent cyclones, Allan lauded Dunlop’s unique ability to engage with victims, a capability she stated most of them lacked. However, she reflected on Dunlop’s decision to leave RNZ, raising questions about the organization’s inability to retain such substantial talent.
Allan also recognized Dunlop’s significant role in covering the 50th celebration of the Maori language petition, and how the community valued her contribution.
As her heartfelt speech concluded, Allan voiced her concerns over the dwindling number of Maori staff at RNZ, one of them being a recent intern. She expressed apprehension over how the organization treated its talent and emphasized its duty to support and nurture them.
The Ombudsman justified RNZ’s initial hesitation to reveal the full speech as a means to protect Allan and Dunlop’s privacy. But with both parties professing no objections to a full release, RNZ was advised there was no reason to withhold the transcript any longer. As a result, RNZ assented to the directive and made the full transcript public.
