'That's the a***hole' - NZ media turns on Aussie journo

UPDATE THURSDAY 1.25pm: At the prime minister's Greymouth press conference, an Australian journalist started to ask a question when someone loudly whispered ""that's the a***hole" – a verdict immediately retweeted by TV3 and Stuff journalists.

A reporter on the spot told NBR that the "a***hole" in question was not in fact Ean Higgins, the highest profile Australian media representative.

Mr Higgins' questions at media briefings yesterday were found insulting by many (although his articles for The Australian have been relatively straight down the line).

However, there are other contenders for the title, including a reporter from Channel 7 (see video below) who compared Pike River rescuers waiting outside the pit to New York firemen who rushed straight into the Twin Towers after 9/11.

Police public affairs general Michael Player summed up the feeling in room by saying, "What a shame Ean isn't here."

Questions from Australian journalists over police handling of the Pike River mine rescue were disgraceful, Police Minister Judith Collins says.

Ean Higgins, from The Australian newspaper, today questioned why Superintendent Gary Knowles was heading the rescue operation.

"Why is the local country cop doing it?" he asked at a regular media briefing.

Mr Knowles said he was the district commander with responsibility for three quarters of the South Island.

Ms Collins said Mr Higgins' comments were disgraceful.

The New Zealand police were in charge of search and rescue operation here and Mr Knowles was experienced and fit for the job, she said.

"This is an extremely experienced police officer who has had to deal with a lot of very grave and difficult circumstances before, he is acting at the highest levels of professionalism that we expect from New Zealand police."

Mr Knowles was not a mining expert but had support from 65 experts, Ms Collins said.

"He is not going to send people into a mine so that they are killed.

"New Zealand police run these sorts of operations, they are the only people who can go right across the spectrum of all the agencies to get all the information they need, they do a fantastic job and frankly I think those two journalists should sit down and think about what they're really doing."

She said they were cheapening the work of the other journalists in Greymouth and not respecting what the families were going through.

"Their behaviour has been in sharp contrast to the Australian people and also the behaviour of New Zealand journalists who have been extremely professional."

Ms Collins acknowledged that this was a hard time for Mr Knowles and he had a tough job.

"That's why not everybody can be a superintendent in New Zealand police...he's doing a great job."

A second Australian journalist, from Australia's Channel Seven, asked: "Can you imagine New York firefighters standing around the World Trade Centre waiting to be told they shouldn't be told go in if there were lives in the balance."

Pike River Coal chief executive Peter Whittall said that was an inappropriate question.

"I'm not going to comment...my guys are underground, I'm not going to answer a question like that."