Sean Plunket

Oliver Sean Plunket (known professionally as Sean Plunket) is a New Zealand broadcast journalist.

Plunket has worked for several New Zealand broadcast media companies and stations including Radio Windy, Independent Radio News, Radio New Zealand, TV3, TVNZ, Newstalk ZB, and MagicTalk.

He was educated at Plimmerton Primary School and Nelson College from 1980 to 1982, where he was a member of the 1st XV rugby union team in 1981 and 1982.

He went on to study at the Wellington Polytechnic School of Journalism.

Plunket's early positions in broadcasting and journalism included a brief stint as a copywriter at Radio Windy, five years at Independent Radio News, a short spell as a reporter for Radio New Zealand, three years as a political reporter on TV3, working as a presenter–reporter on TVNZ's Fair Go and Under Investigation programmes, and then further roles at TV3 on 20/20 and as senior political reporter.

From 1997 to 2010, he was one of two breakfast hosts of Morning Report between 6 am and 9 am weekdays on Radio New Zealand National.

His regular co-host was Geoff Robinson.

In 2009, Plunket lost a dispute with his employer, Radio New Zealand, who he took to the Employment Relations Authority.

Plunket announced his resignation from Radio New Zealand in June 2010 and his last day on Morning Report was 8 September 2010.

From January 2011 to December 2012 he presented Sean Plunket Mornings on the Wellington branch of Newstalk ZB.

Plunket took over hosting the 9 am–noon weekday slot on Radio Live, later known as MagicTalk, from Michael Laws in April 2013, continuing to December 2015, when he was replaced by Mark Sainsbury.

Until 2014, he wrote a weekly column for The Dominion Post.

In January 2015, Plunket made remarks on Radio Live describing New Zealand writer Eleanor Catton as an "ungrateful hua" (a derogatory term) and a "traitor" for her remarks criticising the National Government's alleged disinterest in the arts and culture, and New Zealand's "tall poppy syndrome."

Plunket drew criticism for his remarks from Victoria University Press publisher Fergus Barrowman, TV3 journalist David Farrier, and arts commentator Hamish Keith, who defended Catton's right to freedom of expression and advocacy.

The media watchdog Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) received two complaints about Plunket's remarks but rejected them.

Plunket also served as the communications director of The Opportunities Party during the 2017 New Zealand general election.

In late 2021, Plunket founded an online radio station The Platform.

Plunket was born in Christchurch, the son of journalist Patrick Plunket.

In late September 2017, the Broadcasting Standards Authority appointed Plunket to a three-year term as a member of the media watchdog, commencing 1 October 2017.

Later that year, he resigned from the BSA after posting a Twitter post "asking if anyone felt sorry for disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein."

Soon after the sacking of former interim MagicTalk talkback radio host John Banks, Plunket left the station in February 2021.

Plunket's own talkback radio slot had already been the subject of a successful BSA complaint over remarks that a Māori iwi (tribe) "did not care about child abuse" while discussing an iwi roadblock intended to protect its elderly members from the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Mediaworks has stressed that Plunket was not pushed to leave as a result.

In September 2021, Plunket announced plans to start his own online talkback station called The Platform, which he said would promote free speech, democracy and debate.

According to Plunket, the station does not receive funding from public sources such as the Public Interest Journalism Fund due to its requirement for recipients to adhere to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, which he regarded as a limitation on free speech.

Besides Plunket, other notable hosts have included sports broadcaster Martin Devlin and Otago Regional Council member Michael Laws had joined the talkback station.

Notable guests have included politicians such as David Seymour, Winston Peters, Chris Hipkins, and Michael Bassett.

Between 16 and 17 February 2023, the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) heard an employment dispute between Plunket and former Platform digital engagement editor Ani O'Brien, who had previously served as National Party leader Judith Collins' press secretary.

O'Brien testified that Plunket had acted aggressively on three occasions between May and June 2022, causing her mental health to deteriorate.

While Plunket denied that he had an aggressive demeanour at work, he acknowledged that he had acted "appallingly" in times of "high stress."

Plunket also admitted that he lacked experience in managing multiple staff but had since received business and management guidance from company director Wayne Wright.

Plunket disputed O'Brien's claims that he had created an unsafe work environment and accused her of undermining his leadership.

During the hearing, Collins' former chief press secretary John Mitchell alleged that O'Brien had undermined Collins' leadership and had significant "trust issues."

Both Plunket and O'Brien are expected to make submissions to ERA at a later date, with the Authority expected to make a determination after that.

As a host on The Platform, Plunket covered controversial anti-transgender activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull's ("Posie Parker") Auckland speaking event on 25 March 2023, which was disrupted by counter-protesters.

He denounced the counter-protest as "mob rule" and described the cancellation of Keen's tour as "a victory for cancel culture and bullies in the trans and gay communities."

Plunket also gave priority to white female talkback callers alleging that they had not been protected during the protest.

On 3 April 2023, Plunket attracted media attention after asking Prime Minister Chris Hipkins during a press conference to define what was a woman.

This was part of a recent international trend of politicians including British Labour Party leader Keir Starmer and former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon being asked in media interviews to define womanhood.

A week later, on 10 April 2023, Plunket claimed on The Platform that ex-Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had been hiding her new speaking engagement from the public.