The union representing journalists, the EPMU, has expressed its concern at the decision of the Speaker of the House, Lockwood Smith, to suspend all the New Zealand Herald's press gallery members for two weeks for breaching standing orders.

One of the newspaper's reporters broke Parliament's rules by taking a photo of an incident which occured in the Public Gallery of Parliament on Wednesday.

The photo, of a man trying to jump into the debating chamber, appeared on the paper's website.

Standing Orders forbid the filming of the Public Gallery to discourage protests.

The Herald staff have been ordered to hand in their Press Gallery accreditation on Monday, and they will get it back on Thursday October the 20th.

While it was a breach of standing orders the Speaker's decision to ban all Herald reporters is heavyhanded and an overreaction.

It risks having a chilling effect on political journalism. Greater restrictions have already been placed on parliamentary press gallery journalists in the past three years, including restricting their movement around the parliamentary complex.

The EPMU calls on the Speaker to reconsider his decision and take into account the importance of a free news media to the democratic process.

ENDS

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