7. Question No. 7—Media and CommunicationsHon WILLIE JACKSON (Labour) to the Minister for Media and CommunicationsQuestion No. 7—Media and Communications7. Hon WILLIE JACKSON (Labour) to the Minister for Media and Communications: Does she stand by her statement Media plays a very very important role in our democracy"; if not why not?Hon MELISSA LEE (Minister for Media and Communications): Yes the media provides an important role in disseminating information and content for the benefit of New Zealand. I'd like to take this opportunity to actually say it has been a deeply distressing time for many journalists production staff and longstanding members of the media community this week and my deepest sympathies lie with them and their families as they navigate the situation.Hon Willie Jackson: Why given that statement and the unfolding crisis in the media sector is there nothing for the media sector in the Government's full second-quarter action plan?Hon MELISSA LEE: The impact on the commercial decisions made by TVNZ and Newshub and other media operators across New Zealand is incredibly sad and I want to acknowledge how much of a distressing time it is for everyone involved. I'm focused on helping the industry modernise and innovate so the industry can be more profitable going forward. There is no silver bullet to fix the current situation that TVNZ and Warner Bros. Discovery are facing at the moment. There is a process under way and I'll have more to say when that process has concluded. Hon Willie Jackson: Does the Minister think she has the confidence of the media sector and if so what does she say to former TVNZ boss and TV3 political editor Bill Ralston who I quote said "The Minister has no idea what she is doing"?Hon MELISSA LEE: I can say that the sector can have confidence in the Government who actually listen to the people. I take no pleasure in the situation happening in Warner Bros. Discovery and TVNZ. There are challenges across the sector like in many other parts of the New Zealand economy due to the cost of living crisis. I am committed to working with the sector to support them to modernise and innovate so they can be more commercially viable. There is a process under way and I will have more to say once that process has been concluded.Hon Willie Jackson: Who is correct the former TV3 head of news Mark Jennings who said "the Minister Melissa Lee is all at sea and appears to have no vision at all." or the very respected Newstalk ZB presenter Heather du Plessis-Allan who said the Minister is "weird and shady"?SPEAKER: Look you don't have to answer either of those. Another question? Hon Willie Jackson: Is it the case that actually the Minister has no plan no one supports or believes her and she has to wait until Winston Peters gets back to do her job for her?SPEAKER: You can answer one part of that multi-legged question.Hon MELISSA LEE: No. I have no responsibility for that member's comments as well.Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Does the Minister really have confidence in continuing in the job given the fact that she has confessed to being "boring" "inarticulate" and "not a magician"?SPEAKER: No that's not a reasonable question. Try again. Try again. [Interruption] Hang on just a minute. The member knows that personal reflections aren't the way in which we operate in this House. Without losing any of your allocation if you want to ask a different question that would be fine.Hon Willie Jackson: Mr Speaker these are quotes from her.SPEAKER: Well they may be but they're still presented in a manner that is reflective of an individual which we don't do in this House. So would you like to ask another question? Hon Kieran McAnulty: No. SPEAKER: Well are you sure? [Interruption] Hon Kieran McAnulty: I think he made his point Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: Yeah but—just a minute—he's sort of run out of broadcast."