Robert Muldoon: The Grim Face of Power

Few people have dominated New Zealand political landscape like Sir Robert Muldoon — or been subjected to the level of TV scrutiny of this controversial Neil Roberts/Louise Callan documentary. The two-parter was made for the Inside New Zealand slot in the customary style of Roberts' company Communicado: brooding music, big close-ups and a malevolent rotating bust. Like its subject, the doco took no prisoners as it explored Muldoon’s career and relationship with power. After accusations of unfairness and distortion were refuted by TV3, Muldoon's wife Thea and son Gavin complained to the Broadcasting Standards Authority. The BSA argued that the doco mostly presented a "well-balanced account of Sir Robert's career", but upheld "two aspects of the complaint about imbalance and unfairness".