Press secretary turned government lobbyist to lead NZME editorial board
Thursday, 5 March 2026
The new head of media company NZME’s editorial advisory board is a former chief press secretary for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and a current government relations lobbyist - but neither he nor his new boss is worried about any conflicts of interest.
Hamish Rutherford, who is also a former journalist for both the NZME-owned NZ Herald and The Post, was named on Monday as the leader of the media company’s independent board, established as part of a compromise following an attempted takeover bid by controversial businessman Jim Grenon.
The rest of the board comprises others with political knowledge, including Brent Webling and Post columnist Josie Pagani, both of whom have previously worked as press secretaries. Also on the board is Philip Crump, a lawyer turned columnist who briefly led NZME’s now-defunct Newstalk ZB Plus service.
Rutherford told The Post he was “delighted” to have been approached by NZME about joining the editorial board and was looking forward to being part of it.
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“I’ve been upfront with [NZME] chairman Steven Joyce about my other work and will continue to be,” he said.
Since leaving the prime minister’s office in late 2024, Rutherford has worked as a lobbyist for government relations firm BRG, which describes itself as being made up of “former journalists and communications specialists, ministerial staff, campaign advisors and political strategists”.
Rutherford will continue to work for the company while heading the editorial board.
But media commentator and former NZ Herald editor Gavin Ellis said Rutherford will have to “overtly distance himself” from any clients that he may have had as a lobbyist, or work he carried out while in the prime minister’s office.
“One of the issues that we have is that this advisory board does not meet in public. It's a role that advises the board and presumably the management of NZME.”
Meta, owners of Facebook and Instagram, is understood to be one of BRG’s clients. The social media giant is continuing to face pressure to fairly pay local media companies for articles shared on its services, though the Government’s Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill has stagnated since Donald Trump re-entered the White House.
It’s understood that Rutherford hasn’t had Meta as a direct client while at BRG.
Ellis said that Rutherford was an experienced journalist prior to entering politics and that the Herald’s leadership “could well do with advice from people who have backgrounds in journalism”.
However, he continued: “At the end of the day, editorial independence and integrity requires that any policies are determined within the editorial department, not at board level, because boards have other imperatives apart from the straight journalistic considerations that should dictate editorial policy.”
According to its charter, the editorial board provides “advice, support and constructive challenge” to the NZME editorial team across its mastheads on matters of policy and direction.
“It will seek to assist with the enhancement of NZME's editorial excellence, commercial opportunities and strategic positioning in New Zealand's evolving media landscape.
“The Editorial Advisory Board does not have executive or decision-making powers. As a non-executive advisory body, it will provide independent counsel to the Chief Content Officer and the NZME Board on editorial standards, audience development and digital transformation initiatives.”
Ellis said the concept of editorial boards was novel in New Zealand, and NZME was “charting a new territory” by having one.
While editorial independence should mean policy making comes from within the editorial department, Ellis said that didn’t stop editors from receiving outside advice.
“Indeed, they always do and always have done. I did as an editor,” he said.
Georgina Stylianou, managing director of BRG and a former journalist and press secretary herself, said the firm did not believe there were any issues with Rutherford continuing to work for them while on the NZME editorial board.
“The fact that his skills are being sought in other capacities is a testament to his broad experience,” she said.
“BRG does not believe there will be any conflicts of interest with our day-to-day work. However, if any perceived or actual conflicts of interest arise, we will manage them quickly and appropriately.”
NZME’s board chair, former National finance minister Steven Joyce, told The Post the editorial advisory board did not make editorial decisions.
“That is the role of our editorial leadership team,” he said. “All members are subject to our conflict of interest policies.”
Asked for comment at Parliament on Wednesday, Labour leader Chris Hipkins said he was unaware of Rutherford’s appointment, but believed the public would make their own judgements.
“Let's be clear. So NZME, chaired by former National Party cabinet minister and campaign manager [Joyce], has appointed an editorial board that's going to be chaired by a former National Party press secretary?
“NZME is a private organisation, so there is a bit of a difference there between them and Television New Zealand [and] Radio New Zealand. Those are perceptions that they will need to overcome.”