EY awards cause conflict concern

Media companies, including Fairfax Media, have withdrawn their entries in the EY business journalism awards after an independent judge resigned citing commercial conflict.

Journalist Rebecca Macfie quit the judging panel saying it was clear that one entry was not going to be recognised ‘‘because of the problems fallout from the story were creating for EY’’.

That story was from former National Business Review reporter Karyn Scherer about alleged accounting irregularities at Fuji Xerox .

EY was Fuji’s auditor during the period covered but there is no suggestion it was at fault.

Macfie, an independent judge of the awards, said she resigned when it became clear the article was not going to be considered.

‘‘They had a conflict of interest, and the way they were resolving it was to make clear the story couldn’t be recognised,’’ she said.

‘‘It has been reported that I resigned in protest, but it didn’t feel like a protest – it felt like a pretty obvious thing to do.’’.

EY says the awards are designed to raise the profile of journalism and help ‘‘build trust and confidence in the markets’’.

Fairfax New Zealand, publisher of the Dominion Post, sought information from EY pending a decision on whether to withdraw its entries from the awards but has not received any response.

Fairfax national business editor Ellen Read said: ‘‘We have sought assurances from EY but nothing has been forthcoming, which is why we have decided to withdraw our entries.

‘‘We applaud all efforts to support great journalism but … we need to know that any awards we are associated with are free from bias and we have not been able to determine that.’’

The NBR earlier said it had withdrawn completely from the awards. The NBR also tweeted that economic commentator Rod Oram had indicated he would withdraw.

RNZ reporter Anusha Bradley tweeted that she was quitting the awards too.

NZME, publisher of The New Zealand Herald, has also withdrawn its entries. Business editor Hamish Fletcher said: ‘‘The removal of Karyn Scherer’s entry without adequate explanation calls into question the process at this year’s EY awards.’’

EY sponsors a number of awards globally including the Golden Globe Awards, and runs annual awards for entrepreneurs.

Aside from Macfie – who stepped down – the other judges of the awards are EY chairman Alan Judge, former EY Australasia managing partner Rob McLeod and New Zealand Initiative chairman Roger Partridge.

"They had a conflict of interest, and the way they were resolving it was to make clear the story couldn't be recognised." Journalist Rebecca Macfie, who has resigned as an independent judge