As the reporter on this piece I thought it would be good to clarify a few things:
As part of my research I spoke at length to Autism NZ, CARD, the Otago Autism Support group, and several parents.
This clarified for me that (a) there is resistance to ABA therapy in this country and (b) many (not all, but many) parents would desperately like financial help to give their children this therapy. I accept they would like help with other aspects of autism care, but for many this is the priority. See http://www.oamarumail.co.nz/featured/parents-set-up-autism-trust/
I discovered several trusts had been set up around the country to help parents get ABA treatment for their child, and one parent's story stood out - how she was offered financial help for a house cleaner and respite care but refused funding for ABA which she feels MAY have given her son a better future.
All of this made me think it was valid to look at these two families who had achieved such impressive and wonderful results, and to allow them to express their view - that funding for ABA could potentially help many other children.
I acknowledged that ABA had its critics and we invited the MoH to give their point of view in an interview. Instead they sent me a nonsensical statement.

On the matter of Geoff and the timing of his album release, I'd like it known that he approached me to do this story over two months ago, well before the release. It was due to TVNZ priorities and workload that the story didn't come to air until this week. Geoff had no say in the timing and it was unfortunate on our part that we didn't think harder about how this would look.

The feedback we have had has been overwhelmingly positive - from families expressing heartfelt gratitude that their frustration has been raised.