Boycott over story ban

WELLINGTON: Several media organisations have withdrawn from the annual EY business journalism awards after an entry about one of the consultancy firm’s clients was removed.

The entry by journalist Karyn Scherer, of the National Business Review, was an investigation published last year into alleged accounting irregularities at photocopier and printing company Fuji Xerox.

Following Ms Scherer’s coverage, Japanese parent company Fujifilm last month released an independent report which found ‘‘inappropriate accounting’’ in operations in New Zealand and Australia between 2011 and 2016.

There were calls for an independent inquiry into Government contracts with the firm, as well as a Serious Fraud Office investigation.

The company has been suspended from taking any new Government contracts. Fuji Xerox was one of EY’s audit clients. EY, formerly Ernst & Young, withdrew the entry from this year’s awards, resulting in independent judge and journalist Rebecca Macfie’s resignation from the judging panel.

NBR yesterday announced it would be withdrawing from the awards entirely.

NZME, publisher of The New Zealand Herald, also decided to withdraw its entries from the awards.

Fairfax, too, has pulled its entries. EY was approached for comment. — NZME