Destiny Selby against the NZ Herald

The New Zealand Herald published an article on October 9, 2024, headlined Manawanui strikes reef: That sinking feeling when critics try to blame diversity - Ryan Bridges.

This was an opinion piece in which the author criticised people who had commented on social media that the commanding officer of the Manawanui was female and probably a “diversity hire”.

The author said the commanding officer was not a DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) appointment. She was a highly experienced, well-regarded, talented, hardworking and capable leader and it was certain the ship did not crash because a woman was driving it.

Destiny Selby said she was disgusted by the headline which was used to “provoke a negative and sexist response from the public” and no respect was shown for the commander’s privacy. The article also dragged her name through the dirt with a callous and revolting choice of words.

The complainant called for the article to be withdrawn and for an apology to be made to the commander and the public to whom this was gravely offensive.

The Herald responded saying “You really need to read the column, not just the headline.”

 “The column is not sexist – it is anti-sexist. It does not spit in the face of diversity - it embraces it and rebukes those who are anti-diversity.”

The Media Council believes the complainant may have misread the article which defended the commanding officer in the face of ill-founded derogatory comment made about her.

There was also nothing to support a complaint about the headline, which conveyed the substance of the article.

The complainant may have been offended by subsequent comments on Facebook, but the Herald is not responsible for that.

 Decision:  No grounds to proceed.