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\u2018I have uncovered a scandal\u2019 teases Newstalk ZB Mike Hosking, as he reveals a tale of sabotage allegedly involving his RNZ rivals. But RNZ says there has been a genuine misunderstanding.

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Minister of Tourism\xa0Matt Doocey\xa0tapped the numbers into his phone to speak to Newstalk ZB host\xa0Mike Hosking.\xa0

A voice on the other end of the line answered.\xa0

Doocey introduced himself, explaining he was calling for the pre-arranged interview with Hosking \u2013 the pair were scheduled to speak on Thursday morning about the proposed new levy on overseas visitors and tourism\u2019s contribution to GDP.\xa0

According to Hosking, the person on the other end of the line allegedly responded along the lines of that there was no longer an interview.\xa0

The minister\u2019s office confirmed this morning he was told by the person on the other end of the line that the interview was not happening.\xa0

Tourism Minister Matt Doocey. Photo / Mark Mitchell\xa0

According to Hosking \u2013 who was relaying the tale of events to his listeners this morning \u2013 Doocey thought that was unusual, hung up and carried on with his day.

Meanwhile, Hosking\u2019s producer at Newstalk ZB was wondering where the minister had got to and why he hadn\u2019t called in, as had been arranged.

It turns out, Doocey had been given the wrong number by his office \u2013 a staff member had mistakenly written down a studio number for RNZ instead of Newstalk ZB.

You can see where this might be heading.

\u201cI have uncovered a scandal that involves the state broadcaster, Radio New Zealand ...! Something nefarious, underhand and possibly dastardly has been uncovered,\u201d Hosking teased his listeners this morning.

But RNZ has said it appears there has been \u201ca genuine misunderstanding\u201d.

Hosking explained that after Doocey\u2019s no-show over the phone, his producer chased the minister down.

\u201cHere\u2019s a bit of insight into how the radio industry works. Matt Doocey was due to ring in, Matt Doocey is nowhere to be seen at about five minutes past seven,\u201d said Hosking.

\u201cWhat\u2019s happened to Matt Doocey? We start chasing him down.

\u201cIt turns out the person in his office had written down the wrong number for him.

\u201cSo obviously, [that\u2019s] immediate incompetence that needs to be dealt with forthwith. Do the basics brilliantly, I thought was the National Party. It\u2019s not.\u201d

Mike Hosking also interviewed Lisa Carringtion this week. Photo / Jason Oxenham\xa0

Hosking\u2019s team eventually tracked down the minister and conducted the interview.\xa0

Off air, they were digging deeper \u2013 who did that phone number belong to? Yes, as it turned out, RNZ.\xa0

\u201cSo Matt Doocey, minister of the crown rang up the state broadcaster as funded by you and I through our tax money and said \u2018Matt Doocey reporting for the\xa0Mike Hosking Breakfast\u2019,\u201d said Hosking.\xa0

\u201cTo which point they said, \u2018You no longer have an interview with the\xa0Mike Hosking Breakfast.\u201d\xa0

But RNZ denies that specific response was used.\xa0

An RNZ spokeswoman said: \u201cHaving spoken to the staff member who received the call, this appears to have been a genuine misunderstanding.\xa0

\u201cOn receiving the call, they explained that we had interviewed the Minister the day before and there was no interview scheduled that morning. The staff member did not mention Newstalk or Mike Hosking.\u201d\xa0

Hosking had several questions on his show earlier.\xa0

\u201cOne, do I secretly admire them for being so quickwitted that the first thing they do is instead of going, \u2018Oh, you\u2019ve probably got the wrong number\u2019, or \u2018Whoops, you\u2019ve rung Radio New Zealand, sorry\u2019, they say, \u2018You no longer have an interview with\xa0Mike Hosking Breakfast\u2019?\xa0

\u201cThat\u2019s quite sharp to be honest, [it\u2019s] probably worth looking into employing that person, whoever they were, because there are some people here who aren\u2019t remotely that sharp.\xa0

\u201cSecond, is it underhand?\xa0

\u201cThird, is that just competition and that\u2019s life? And would we have done the same thing if we were alert enough to do the same thing?\xa0

\u201cFourth, is it just pure, straight up and down sabotage?\u201d\xa0

Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand\u2019s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME.\xa0

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