Ethics Policy

At Boating New Zealand, we are committed to honest, fair, and responsible journalism. As New Zealand’s leading voice on recreational and commercial boating, we strive to maintain the trust of our readers by upholding strong ethical standards in everything we publish — in print, online, and on social platforms.

Editorial independence

We operate with full editorial independence. Our stories are written and edited by a dedicated editorial team that is separate from our commercial and advertising operations. This ensures that our news, features, reviews, and commentary are not influenced by sponsors, advertisers, or outside interests.

Where content is sponsored, promotional, or advertorial in nature, it is clearly labelled as such with a visible category tag, e.g. Sponsored Content or Advertorial.

Accuracy and accountability

We fact-check all our stories and aim to publish accurate, balanced, and well-sourced content. If errors occur, we correct them promptly and transparently. For more, see our Corrections Policy.

All editorial decisions — including story selection, writing, photography, and headline creation — are made by the editorial team under the direction of the Editor.

Conflicts of interest

Writers, editors and contributors must avoid conflicts of interest, or the appearance of one. If a potential conflict arises, it must be disclosed to the editor. Where relevant, disclosures will also be made within the published story.

We do not accept gifts or payments in exchange for editorial coverage. Where our team travels or reviews gear at the invitation or cost of a third party, this will be disclosed in the article.

Fairness and transparency

We aim to present diverse views where appropriate, especially on contentious issues, and to give subjects of news coverage a fair opportunity to respond.

Our writers and editors strive to be transparent about sourcing and editorial intent. Interviews are conducted in good faith. Quotes are edited only for clarity and brevity, and not in a way that changes the intended meaning.

Privacy and safety

We respect the privacy of individuals, particularly in sensitive or distressing situations such as accidents at sea. We weigh the public interest carefully before publishing identifying information.

We avoid publishing content that risks harm to individuals or communities, including material that is defamatory, discriminatory, or incites hostility.

Editorial bylines and corrections

Where appropriate, we credit the author or contributor. Corrections or clarifications are issued when required, as outlined in our Corrections Policy.

Our responsibilities

We are bound by New Zealand law and operate in accordance with journalistic best practice. We are not members of the New Zealand Media Council at this time, but uphold equivalent standards of editorial ethics.

We welcome reader feedback. If you have questions or concerns about our content or ethical standards, please contact: