Maiki Sherman

Maiki Sherman
Born1987 or 1988 (age 37–38)
Auckland, New Zealand
EducationWaiariki Institute of Technology

Maiki Sherman (born 1987 or 1988) is a New Zealand journalist and television broadcaster. She has worked as a reporter for TVNZ's Māori language current affairs programme Te Karere, Whakaata Māori (Māori Television), Newshub and 1News. Between 2024 and 2026, Sherman also served as TVNZ's political editor.[1][2] In May 2026, Sherman resigned as TVNZ's political editor following a five-day suspension from the New Zealand Parliament for breaching parliamentary press gallery rules and media coverage of a spat in May 2025 between her and Stuff journalist Lloyd Burr.[2][3] In August 2026, Sherman joined the Māori public broadcasting service Whakaata Māori.[4]

Early life and education

Maiki Sherman is the daughter of Allan Sherman and Te Otaota Eve (Kate).[5] She is of Māori descent and belongs to the Ngāpuhi and the Whakatōhea iwi.[5][6] Sherman also has family ties to Te Arawa and Ngāi Tūhoe.[5] Maiki is named after Maiki Hill, more commonly known as Flagstaff Hill in Russell, which was the site of where Māori leader Hōne Heke had cut down the British flagpole four times.[5] She has an older sister, a brother,[5] and a younger sister.[7]

Sherman was born in 1987 or 1988 in Auckland and lived in Ōtara.[8][6] From the age of one, she attended the Kōkiri Te Rahuitanga Kōhanga Reo, a Māori language immersion school, with her brother. Her family later relocated to Rotorua so that the children could attend a Māori immersion school called Te Koutu Kōhanga Reo.[5][6] While attending school, Sherman once attended a protest at Tarawera River to protest against pollution by Fletcher Building.[5] Inspired by Whakaata Māori (Māori Television), Sherman studied journalism at Waiariki Institute of Technology, earning a diploma in journalism.[5][1]

Career

Maiki Sherman interviewing Andrew Little in November 2024.

In 2008, Sherman became a journalist on the TVNZ Māori language current affairs show Te Karere.[1] In 2012, she joined the New Zealand Parliament's press gallery and served as a political journalist for several broadcasters including Whakaata Māori, Newshub and TVNZ's 1News.[1] In 2016, Sherman was awarded Massey University's Māori Journalist of the Year award.[1]

TVNZ political editor, 2024–2026

In late March 2024, Sherman was appointed as TVNZ's political editor, becoming the first Māori woman to hold that role.[1][9]

In early April 2026, The New Zealand Herald editor Shayne Currie reported that Sherman had contacted Police Minister Mark Mitchell to placate the New Zealand Government over a critical report by fellow TVNZ political journalist Benedict Collins about rising gang membership in late February 2026. This report overshadowed a Government announcement that same day that that the number of victims of violent crime and serious youth repeat offending had declined by 49,000 and 22 percent respectively.[10] In response, left-wing blogger Martyn "Bomber" Bradbury called on Sherman to resign for alleged professional misconduct and undermining press freedom.[11]

On 24 April 2026, the National Party's campaign chair Simeon Brown filed a complaint against TVNZ after Sherman and several TVNZ reporters pursued Member of Parliament and chief whip Stuart Smith through Parliament's corridors on 21 April while seeking to interview Smith over media reports he had sought a meeting with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon over declining support within the party caucus for his leadership.[12][13] On 30 April, the Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives Gerry Brownlee suspended Sherman from Parliament for five days over her role in pursuing Smith.[13]

On 28 April 2026, former National Party press secretary and political commentator Ani O'Brien released a Substack article alleging that Sherman had directed a homophobic slur against Stuff journalist Lloyd Burr during a late-night drinks function at the parliamentary office of Finance Minister Nicola Willis on 13 May 2025, shortly before the release of the 2025 New Zealand budget. Willis heard the confrontation and ended the drinks function.[14][15] This story was subsequently picked up by several New Zealand media outlets including The New Zealand Herald, The Post and Radio New Zealand.[16][14][17] Burr chose not to pursue the matter further. Stuff later issued a statement supporting Burr's version of the events at the May 2025 function.[18][17]

Following media coverage, Willis issued a statement confirming the events of 13 May 2025 while TVNZ declined to comment on "employment matters."[19] On 29 April 2026, Newstalk ZB broadcaster Mike Hosking confirmed that his producer Sam Carran had been working on a story about the Sherman-Burr spat last year. When he sought comment from TVNZ, the public broadcaster threatened to sue Newstalk ZB if they published a story about the matter.[20][21]

On 8 May 2026, Sherman resigned from TVNZ, citing the "unprecedented level of scrutiny" on her over the past week. She also issued a statement apologising for her conduct towards Burr at the after-hour function at Willis' parliamentary office.[2][3] Following media coverage, O'Brien denied that her Substack article about the Sherman-Burr spat was part of a "political hit" against TVNZ by the National Party following Brown's complaint against the public broadcaster and Luxon's decision in late April 2026 to withdraw from TVNZ's Breakfast current affairs programme.[15] Former One News political editor Mark Sainsbury and former Newshub political editor Paddy Gower criticised TVNZ for not standing by Sherman while former 3 News political editor Stephen Parker emphasised the importance of transparency to the news media.[22] Left-wing blogger Bradbury contended that the targeting of Sherman was part of the National Party's alleged campaign to undermine TVNZ to privatise the public broadcaster.[23] Similarly, Gower and Radio New Zealand journalist Lilian Hanly suggested that the "outing" of Sherman was part of the National-led coalition government's conflict with the New Zealand news media.[22][24]

At the 2026 NZ Media Awards, two weeks after her resignation, Sherman won the award for Political Journalist of the Year.[25][26]

Whakaata Māori, 2026–present

In mid-August 2026, Sherman joined the Māori public broadcasting service Whakaata Māori as a journalist during the lead-up to the 2026 New Zealand general election.[4][27]

Personal life

Maiki Sherman's partner is Anaru MacDougall. They have six children and reside in Wellington.[7][6] As of June 2023, Sherman was pursuing a Bachelor of Mātauranga Māori (Māori Knowledge).[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Maiki Sherman". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Gordon, Natasha (8 May 2026). "TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman parts ways with broadcaster following scrutiny". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 9 May 2026. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  3. 1 2 "TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman resigns". Radio New Zealand. 8 May 2026. Archived from the original on 8 May 2026. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  4. 1 2 Sowman-Lund, Stewart (19 August 2026). "Maiki Sherman to join Whakaata Māori ahead of election". The Post. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Husband, Dale (11 December 2016). "Maiki Sherman: Holding the powerful to account". E-Tangata. Archived from the original on 14 April 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Nealon, Sarah (28 September 2023). "Political reporter Maiki Sherman opens up about her life and the food choices that will 'shock every Māori'". Stuff. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 Neville, Sophie (7 June 2023). "Political journalist Maiki Sherman introduces baby no. 6 Onoaio". Nowtolove.co.nz. Woman's Day. Archived from the original on 30 April 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  8. ↑ Simich, Ricardo (6 November 2022). "TV's busiest woman? Baby no 6 on the way for Maiki". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  9. ↑ "TVNZ appoints new political editor". 1News. 25 March 2024. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  10. ↑ Currie, Shayne (4 April 2026). "Media Insider: TVNZ gang story – internal and external emails reveal how broadcaster handled political and journalistic fallout". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  11. ↑ Bradbury, Martyn (7 April 2026). "Maiki Sherman TVNZ Controversy: Sack Her Now". The Daily Blog. Archived from the original on 17 May 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  12. ↑ Smith, Sam (24 April 2026). "National Party lays complaint with TVNZ over conduct of reporters". Stuff. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  13. 1 2 Palmer, Russell (30 April 2026). "TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman suspended from Parliament for five days". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 18 May 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  14. 1 2 "Nicola Willis kept quiet about TVNZ political editor's alleged slur due to 'concern for the individual' targeted". The Post. 28 April 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  15. 1 2 Davison, Isaac (7 May 2026). "'No collusion': Author of Maiki Sherman alleged slur article rejects political 'hit'". Stuff. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  16. ↑ Currie, Shayne (28 April 2026). "TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman allegedly used a homophobic slur in an incident involving Lloyd Burr in Finance Minister Nicola Willis' office". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  17. 1 2 "Finance Minister shut down event after TVNZ political editor used alleged homophobic slur". Radio New Zealand. 28 April 2026. Archived from the original on 8 May 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  18. ↑ Owen, Catrin (28 April 2026). "TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman allegedly directed slur at reporter". Stuff. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  19. ↑ "Claims against TVNZ political editor 'should be looked at' – minister". 1News. 28 April 2026. Archived from the original on 6 May 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  20. ↑ "Mike Hosking says TVNZ 'threatened to sue us' over Maiki Sherman story". Radio New Zealand. 29 April 2026. Archived from the original on 18 May 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  21. ↑ Currie, Shayne (29 April 2026). "Media Insider: TVNZ threatened to sue Newstalk ZB as it chased Maiki Sherman story, Mike Hosking says". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  22. 1 2 Oliver, Henry (8 May 2026). "Three former TV political editors on the whole Maiki Sherman saga". The Spinoff. Archived from the original on 17 May 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  23. ↑ Bradbury, Martyn (13 May 2026). "Maiki Sherman was a political hit job to sow chaos before privatising TVNZ". The Daily Blog. Archived from the original on 21 May 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  24. ↑ Hanly, Lillian (11 May 2026). "Coalition parties ramp up criticism of media". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 16 May 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  25. ↑ "'I am a darn good journalist': Maiki Sherman wins major media award after controversy". Stuff. 23 May 2026. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
  26. ↑ Currie, Shayne (23 May 2026). "Media Insider: Former TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman wins political journalist of the year at NZ Media Awards". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 28 May 2026.
  27. ↑ Currie, Shayne (19 August 2026). "Media Insider: Former TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman to join Whakaata Māori (Māori Television) ahead of election". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
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