New Zealand has one of the world's best records on press freedom and no violations were recorded in 2002. However, in the Cook Islands, a self-governing associated state with New Zealand, freedom of expression was less respected.

Piho Rua, chief adviser to the Cook Islands prime minister, returned from an official visit to South Africa on 12 September and said the government should look to Zimbabwe's press law as a way of controlling the media. He said there was too much inaccurate news going around without any restriction or risk of punishment.

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