Former TVNZ host Kamahl Santamaria apologises for 'flirtatious' workplace behaviour

Wednesday, 12 October 2022

The hiring of Santamaria, who resigned as Breakfast presenter after a month, shows the broadcaster's recruitment process is not suited to presenters.

Former TVNZ host Kamahl Santamaria has issued an apology for his workplace behaviour – saying he thought it was “flirtatious, over-friendly” and “just a bit of banter”.

Santamaria quit TVNZ in May after just 32 days as a host on Breakfast, with the state-owned broadcaster describing the sudden exit as being down to a “family emergency”.

However, Stuff revealed Santamaria quit after at least one female in the TVNZ newsroom had complained about inappropriate behaviour.

A batch of other complaints about Santamaria then followed from former colleagues at Al Jazeera in Doha, Qatar.

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Kamahl Santamaria quit TVNZ in May after just 32 days as a host on Breakfast.

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That included Stuff revealing a lewd email sent by Santamaria during his employment at Al Jazeera. The email was to a female staff member and said: “.. there is no more attractive outfit on a woman than the white blouse/black skirt combo…… and YOU are making it work, baby ;)

Kevin Kenrick was involved in hiring Paul Yurisich – the former head of news and current affairs who quit in the fallout of the Kamahl Santamaria scandal.

“(Between you and [name withheld], I may just combust!!)”

In a statement issued on his website on Wednesday, Santamaria said he was “mortified”. He apologised for behaviour he’d previously considered as “flirtatious, over-friendly, ‘just a bit of banter’” – while also saying he’s facing further allegations.

TVNZ chief executive Simon Power (right) speaking with Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson.

“I want to apologise for any and all behaviour that may have made anyone feel uncomfortable at any time. It has been mortifying to discover that my actions have caused people to feel uncomfortable around me. It has never been my intention to make people feel that way, and I offer my sincerest apologies to them and anyone else affected by my behaviour,” Santamaria’s statement said.

“What I’ve come to understand is that what I previously considered to be flirtatious, over-friendly, ‘just a bit of banter’, or simply within the bounds of acceptable in the prevailing newsroom culture was, in fact, not. As a journalist, and a person, I should have done better. I should have been better.

“These past months have been humbling. I’ve had to confront a lot of uncomfortable things about myself, and my family has been forced to look at me in a different light.”

The Sanatamaria scandal later saw TVNZ’s head of news and current affairs Paul Yurisich resign as well – after a review ordered by chief executive Simon Power found TVNZ’s hiring processes were lacking.

Yurisich hired Santamaria and had previously worked with him at Al Jazeera. Stuff understands concerns were raised with Yurisich over the process of the hiring.

Power issued an apology to staff for TVNZ’s claim that Santamaria had quit because of a “family emergency” – saying the description was “wrong” and as chief executive “I apologise” – but the state-owned broadcaster has never acknowledged the situation to the public.

Santamaria’s apology followed what appear to be new allegations – this time from the BBC.

“Now, a Singapore-based journalist with the BBC (who was formerly an Al Jazeera producer in Doha) has emailed me with a number of allegations from my time at Al Jazeera, which would be published after 72 hours if I gave no response,” he said.

“The allegations are broad and with no particulars - making it difficult for anyone to respond to - so I will be as interested as anyone to read the article when it is published. The fact however that it is ‘a story which includes several allegations’ against me makes me wonder if the alleged behaviour of other people at Al Jazeera will finally be attributed to named individuals, or if I will remain the apparent face and name behind every alleged wrongdoing that happened there.

“None of this, of course, supersedes the fact that there are allegations to address, and that will be done through the proper channels in due course.”

In June, Stuff reported an account from Santamaria’s former co-host at Al Jazeera, Leah Harding, who said she warned him about his behaviour.

Harding said TVNZ's framing of the situation as a “family emergency” was misleading and disrespectful.

TVNZ has declined to answer questions from Stuff about why they originally described the situation as being a “family emergency”.

Santamaria’s statement said he could not comment on his exit from TVNZ “for legal reasons”.