Stuff journalists could be banned from Parliament over hallway photo

Thursday, 4 June 2026

Stuff’s political team is facing a possible suspension from Parliament over a dispute with the Speaker over a photo taken of Social Development Minister Louise Upston.

The disagreement stems from a photo of Upston in a hallway at Parliament published on Stuff last week, while the minister was facing scrutiny over her taxpayer-funded accommodation allowance.

Gerry Brownlee believes the photo was taken in breach of the filming rules, but Stuff is defending its actions and has been backed by the political editors of other news outlets.

It was taken from the atrium known as the “black and white tiles” and shot through the Grand Hall into a corridor just beyond it.

The press gallery rules stipulate journalists can film on ‘the tiles’, but must get permission from MPs to film in other areas.

Essentially, the photo was shot from an area where photos are permitted, of an MP walking in an area they would not otherwise be filmed in.

Brownlee said Stuff’ s photo was “not in the spirit” of the rules.

“It should be interviews that are on the tiles, and I think that's been, as I understand it, the way that should have been interpreted.”

The rules state that “members of the Press Gallery may use the following areas to interview, film, or photograph members and, where express consent is given, others taking part in parliamentary proceedings”. A list is given, and includes the area known as the black and white tiles.

Brownlee said he saw the photo published on the Stuff website, printed it out and had it on his desk for a couple of days before deciding to call the news outlet directly to raise his concerns. He said he had not received a complaint from either National or Upston's office, but had been asked for a clarification.

'I had a meeting with Stuff that I would describe as somewhat unsatisfactory.'

On Wednesday morning, Brownlee contacted Stuff again explaining he was considering a sanction that would see the entirety of Stuff Digital’s political team’s accreditation suspended, leaving them unable to operate in Parliament for two days. It would not affected Stuff Mastheads, which includes The Post.

There are seven members of Stuff’s parliamentary team, led by political editor Jenna Lynch.

Editor in Chief Keith Lynch (no relation) said in a statement that Stuff did not believe any rules were broken.

“We stand by the publication of the photograph which accompanied a story of significant public interest.”

Stuff has also conferred with other senior members of the press gallery, who agreed with its interpretation of the rules, Lynch said.

On Thursday, political editors from 11 outlets, including The Post’s Luke Malpass, the Herald’s Thomas Coughlan and RNZ’s Jo Moir, wrote a letter to the Speaker expressing concern over the possible move.

“To suggest that Press Gallery members now require the express consent of MPs to film, photograph and interview them from areas where we have always been permitted would amount to a dramatic reduction in access, and raises concerns about media freedom,” the letter said.

“We are naturally concerned by any attempt to reduce the press gallery’s rights and access, as has happened incrementally over the years.”

The letter continued: “This is just one more proposed change that in itself might not mean much, but cumulatively has led to a concerning erosion to our access over time. If any MP has concerns about the editorial content of a story, that should be dealt with through the usual channels for complaints, rather than by seeking to curtail our access to Parliament.”

After receiving the letter from the political editors, Brownlee agreed to meet with them on June 17 and is not expecting to decide whether to ban Stuff’s press gallery journalists before that.

“I'm concerned that press gallery activity has sort of just got a bit edgy lately, and you can see that with a couple of incidents without going into them,” Brownlee told The Post.

“I'm just making sure that I do the job I've got, which is to protect the interests of members of Parliament.”

Brownlee said while he 'strongly' believes that the fourth estate is important to democracy, it was his job to protect the interests of members of Parliament.

The Post understands that The Spinoff’s gallery reporter Lyric Waiwiri-Smith has also been handed a three-day suspension over an entirely separate matter, after an MP complained that a photo taken in the debating chamber was published on the website last week.

It follows a five-day suspension handed down to TVNZ’s former political editor Maiki Sherman, after a complaint was lodged by National’s campaign chairperson Simeon Brown.

It was claimed that TVNZ political staff followed party whip Stuart Smith into an area of Parliament where media interviews are not typically allowed and “aggressively banged on his door for several minutes”.