Hide Rodney: Maori Television Service Bill — In Committee 
Hide Rodney: Maori Television Service Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:607;Page:5027] 
RODNEY HIDE (ACT NZ) 
: 
 Once again it is a great pleasure to follow the honourable Bill Gudgeon who made a very important point. The preamble states that the purpose of the Maori Television Service is to promote the Maori language te reo. But where is the requirement under any of the outputs to measure that success and that promotion? There is none. I can explain to Mr Gudgeon why there is none. It is because this Government knows that that television service will not achieve the broad grand objective set for it. That is the reality of what is revealed when one reads the contents of the output agreement. 
I want to take members to clause 28 “Duties of directors”. It states that a director must: “(a) act in good faith honestly and with integrity;”. They are great words. I am very pleased that the Hon Trevor Mallard is here because we have had a Maori television service before. The Hon Trevor Mallard—as an Opposition MP and with the support of Dover Samuels—shot that television service to the ground. I would like him to reflect on his duties as a member of Parliament when day after day he attacked Tuku Morgan in this Chamber for short-term political advantage destroying the Maori television service of the day and setting it back years—and Dover Samuels went along with it. I ask the Hon Trevor Mallard to reflect on the fact that day after day after day Tuku Morgan was attacked for the simple reason that New Zealand First had chosen National over the arrogance of Labour. When those now Ministers were dealing with a Maori television service back then did they act in good faith? Did Trevor Mallard act in good faith? Did he act honestly? Did he act with integrity? I think that Trevor Mallard might say—[ 
Interruption 
] Dover Samuels does not realise that that far back it was the National Party with New Zealand First that was in Government. Back then Trevor Mallard shot down the Maori television service with the support of the Maori MPs. 
Hon Dover Samuels 
: No no. 
RODNEY HIDE 
: Dover Samuels is saying that Trevor Mallard did not have his support. I am pleased to hear that because I have to say that that remains the most disgraceful display that I have ever seen in my time in Parliament. 
We now have these Ministers making pious statements about the Maori Television Service and the Maori language. They should look in the mirror when they wonder why we are so many years behind in terms of that Maori Television Service. That party is against the Maori Television Service. We were against it then and we are against it now. It was a poor show when for simple politics this Government shot down the Maori Aotearoa Television Network. Government members do not answer the questions. When they come along here with a statement of intent do we see that it is Maori language output or that it is Maori people listening? 
The Minister of Defence who is trying to interject always has to pipe up. I would like him to know what role he played in supporting Trevor Mallard in shooting down the Maori Television Service at a cost to the taxpayer of millions and millions of dollars. Do we see anything in here that will address that problem? 
David Benson-Pope 
: Fiji or Waiheke Island? 
RODNEY HIDE 
: What is that man talking about? He comes all the way from Dunedin each week flies up here on a plane then all he does is sit there and every now and then he calls out: “Fiji or Waiheke Island?” It must be rather sad that that is what one comes all the way to Wellington for—to sit there and talk about Fiji and Waiheke Island. It must be a code for something.