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Archived Press Releases 2005 15th September 2005

Mother of murdered teenager gagged

(15th September 2005)

The mother of murdered teenager Colleen Burrows has issued a challenge to the "Close Up" programme to expose and give the public the opportunity to decide why TV One has refused to let her TV Advertisement go to air.

Last week it was revealed that the Government had refused to pay Ida Hawkins' travel costs to Wellington to oppose her daughter’s killer getting a second lot of compensation, and now Ida believes she is being gagged by Government funded TV One.

The Sensible Sentencing Trust who paid Ida’s travel costs had also helped make the Ad which was due to screen on National television from last night, but a legal opinion put an end to that.

Mrs Hawkins said that it seemed she was being stopped from revealing the horrific treatment she and others are receiving, "the Sensible Sentencing Trust has been my saviour, they support and help us become survivors but the system seems to want us to remain victims for ever".

"This is a healing process for me, why can’t I tell people how we have been treated; people need to know so we can make positive changes for others who get treated this way".

Sensible Sentencing Trust spokesman Garth McVicar said that the decision by TV One was a sad day for freedom of speech in New Zealand.

"The fact they pulled this Ad means that democracy and freedom have been gagged, silenced by a monopoly funded by the Government. I used to think this sort of thing only happened in third world countries run by dictators.

It is a very sad day for our country when individuals and organizations could not broadcast or express an opinion to the public of New Zealand.

Mr McVicar said he endorsed Ida’s challenge to the "Close Up" programme to cover this story. "We may be wrong in accusing TV One of being in the government's pocket and would like to give "Close Up" the opportunity to prove us wrong.

Regards,

Garth McVicar
National Spokesperson,
Sensible Sentencing Trust.