Mapp Wayne: Television New Zealand Bill — In Committee 
Mapp Wayne: Television New Zealand Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:606;Page:3807] 
Dr WAYNE MAPP (NZ National—North Shore) 
: 
 I was listening last night very carefully to the debate on this bill. It is actually one of the Government’s flagship bills. It is one of the big things that it was elected to government for—to reform New Zealand’s public television system. In fact it is why the Prime Minister is also the Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage. The Government puts great store and pride in all of this but when I read Part 2 I noted that essentially it has turned parts of the organisation into a Crown entity and other parts into a State-owned enterprise. Part 3 is about the reporting of those entities. I have asked my colleagues who are far more learned than me on television matters—Ms Katherine Rich and Murray McCully—when the Government is going to put more money into public broadcasting. Their answer is that no the Government is not going to put any more money into television. So what is the point of all of this?  
The ambition of the Government is to reform public broadcasting and some legislative changes are needed to do that. It says it wants to take off some of the commercial focus so therefore the broadcasting parts will not be a State-owned enterprise only the transmission part will be. Then I hear that there will be no mechanism other than the charter to achieve those goals. Clause 25 talks about the kinds of information that are required to be reported under the financial provisions and also in connection with the charter. I refer in particular to clause 25(2)(b) in regard to that. “So what?” is what I say. What is the point of all of this if there is no extra money? Do they really think that television is essentially made free? 
Opposition Members:Yes 
. 
Dr WAYNE MAPP 
: There we are. They think it will be made free. I have not seen any change in Television One or TV2 in the 3 years that the Government has been in office. It seems to be exactly the same as it was prior and I assume that the Minister will take a call and explain the fundamental changes there will be in Television One and TV2 in particular or else why are we doing this? What is the point of passing all this legislation unless some basic changes are expected to be achieved? Why change the broadcasting parts from a State-owned enterprise to a Crown entity? I believe that the public deserves an explanation. Otherwise what we are really doing here today is passing legislation for literally no purpose. If there is no difference in the outcome why are we even debating this legislation? That is the fundamental test that this legislation has to go through. I am prepared to bet that next year or later this year when the legislation is fully in force there will be no difference from what the viewer sees on Television One and TV2 currently.  
Many people around the Chamber would say: “Well if you look at Television One news and at TV3 news they are two entities going literally head to head competing for the viewers by the quality of their service and in many instances TV3 is now getting a bigger audience share.” Therefore it must be being more relevant and more effective. At least the Government could not realistically argue that TV3 is an appalling service and that the only service that could really be relied on is Television One. The Government would not have the temerity to argue that I presume because it would know that that simply would not be true. Under the private market model offered fundamentally by TV3 one gets a genuinely competitive up-to-date informative news service. One has a whole range of programmes on TV3 funded through NZ on Air. Presumably some of that service will continue after this legislation so I come back to the basic point and ask why we are even here passing this legislation.