The sister of a Christchurch terror victim is calling on politicians to stop going on an online show hosted by Sean Plunket after he said Brenton Tarrant was not a terrorist and encouraged someone to read the banned manifesto to decide for themselves.
But Labour, National, and ACT MPs are not ruling out going on the show again.
Appearing at an event in August Plunket was also in attendance at, National leader Christopher Luxon asked the crowd: "Is Sean a mainstream journalist?"
No matter the answer, Luxon is reconsidering whether he should appear on Plunket's show.
Plunket launched an alternative online media channel and last week during a rant about the Christchurch Call, he raised questions about whether the Christchurch terrorist had really committed a terrorist attack.
"This supposedly will stop a repeat of the act of terror that Brenton Tarrant supposedly perpetrated," Plunket said. "Brenton Tarrant was not convicted of terrorism. He was convicted of mass murder."
Tarrant was convicted of terrorism and is a designated terrorist entity.
Aya Al-Umari's brother Hussein was killed in the terror attack.
"I just hope politicians don't continue to fail my brother again and again by associating with entities like this or amplifying or enabling these kind of voices," she said.
Police Minister Chris Hipkins has previously been on the show. Newshub told him what Plunket had said and asked whether he would go on his show again.
"I don't agree with that assessment. I absolutely reject that assessment," Hipkins said.
Luxon was on the show the same day Plunket made the comments and is not ruling out going on again.
"I go on lots of different media platforms to talk to lots of different people," Luxon said.
ACT leader David Seymour appeared on the show one minute and 20 seconds after Plunket made the comment and didn't call it out.
Seymour said at the time: "I dunno. Call it terrorism, call it mass murder. It is a terrible event."
But on Tuesday he said: "Look with that information, I'd certainly reconsider it."
When Plunket was called out online, he doubled down and tweeted: "Nutter with a gun not terrorist, sad mofo but lone wolf, suggest you read manifesto" (sic).
The terrorist's manifesto is banned as it's objectionable material.
"Politicians do what politicians do to get their engagement up," said Al-Umari. "But a line has to be drawn somewhere and so after that call to encourage people to access objectionable material, common sense should really apply here and if that doesn't, I don't know what will."
Given the opportunity to defend or correct his comments, Plunket tripled down.
"I think it would be most accurate to call him a mass murderer," said Plunket.
Asked if he thought Tarrant is a terrorist, Plunket replied: "I don't think he is primarily, no. I think he is a sad and tragic individual who committed a heinous crime."
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she didn't want to get "into what I consider to be a misguided publicity stunt".
Ardern's refusing to engage and refusing to rule on whether her ministers should either.
