Stewart Barbara: Television New Zealand Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee 
Stewart Barbara: Television New Zealand Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee 
[Volume:606;Page:3743] 
BARBARA STEWART (NZ First) 
: 
 I am pleased to rise to speak to Part 2. Firstly like my colleague Dail Jones I would like to alert United Future to the fact that New Zealand First has tabled an amendment to the charter set out in new clause 10(2)(b)(xv) on by Supplementary Order Paper 57 to include an additional sentence “to include programming of a family nature that supports the family and the development of family life in New Zealand”. In view of the proposed Families Commission we will be expecting United Future’s support on this amendment. I can see those members across there looking quite concerned so it will be interesting to see how the vote turns on that amendment.  
As we have said before New Zealand First basically opposes this part of the bill—the bill entirely. As Sue Kedgley has said too this is going to be a Supplementary Order Paper that has been created entirely on the floor of the Chamber and is not really a good option for Television New Zealand.  
I would like to speak on new clause 10(2) and I wonder whether the Government had been reading George Orwell’s novel  
Nineteen Eighty-Four 
 when it included this. I quote directly from new clause 10(2)(b)(ii) inserted by Supplementary Order Paper 57: TVNZ will “feature programming that contributes towards intellectual”—that is good; we will accept that—“scientific”—again that is fine—“cultural”—and we wonder which culture will be chosen; and then we come to the bit that Katherine Rich has already pointed out—“spiritual and ethnical development that reflects the diverse beliefs of New Zealanders”.  
It is really apparent from this part of the bill that the Government appears to want to be responsible for the spiritual and ethical aspect of our lives. Again I think it is a really sad world if we expect television to do this. New Zealand has always been free from any interference by the State as it should be under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act and I believe that all New Zealanders would stand up to defend this aspect of their lives. They need to be able to manage this themselves. New Zealand First believes that if there is a demand for the promotion of spiritual development through television then of course this should be covered but we have seen no evidence yet that it is required.  
I refer now to clause 16(2)(a)(iv) which states that TVNZ will “ensure in its programmes and programme planning the participation of Maori and the presence of a significant Maori voice;”. New Zealand First questions why we are spending money—and a substantial amount; many many millions with no result to date—on setting up a Maori television station if the programmes are going to be shown on Television One and TV3. What is the Minister indicating? By taking this double-barrelled approach is the Minister indicating that he has no confidence in the Maori television station or is this recognition that many Maori in the Northland and Gisborne regions will never be able to receive the Maori television programmes and that Television One and TV3 had better provide them? Or is there at last a recognition that many families will have to go into debt to have the UHF aerials to receive the Maori Television Service in these areas?  
I am sure that a broad-brush approach like this will ensure that all New Zealanders have access to Maori programmes but to New Zealand First it appears to be a real put-down for the Maori Television Service and the legislation in this part of the charter is attempting to solve problems that are not even there.  
I refer now to paragraph (b)(xi) of the charter which states that TVNZ will “maintain and observe a code of ethics that addresses the level and nature of advertising to which children are exposed;”. In view of the increasing rates of diabetes and obesity among our young people and our children which can partly be attributed to television advertising of fast foods New Zealand First will be really interested to know which aspect is going to be considered a priority for TVNZ. Will the priority be the health of our young people and our children—and of course my favourite subject their dental health—or will it be the many millions of dollars that this type of advertising brings in for Television New Zealand?