Rich Katherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Rich Katherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:606;Page:3344] 
4.  
KATHERINE RICH (NZ National) 
 to the  
Minister of Maori Affairs 
: Is he confident that the appointment process of the Maori Television Service chief executive was a transparent and “thorough process”; if so why? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 I have been advised by the chief executive of Te Puni Kokiri that the Maori Television Service establishment board has offered Derek Fox the transitional chief executive position. No contract has been entered into yet. The chief executive of Te Puni Kokiri will sign the contract with Mr Fox only once documentation and assurances have been provided. 
Katherine Rich 
: How can the chairman oversee the recruitment process take part in interviews vetting other shortlisted candidates burning them off through a mismanaged process resign and then be appointed the very next day; and does he not think that looks dodgy? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: I understand that the assurances of the chief executive of Te Puni Kokiri relate to the process for considering applications in the recent Maori Television Service chief executive officer recruitment round the decision not to appoint any of the applicants the board’s decision not to go back to the market to identify a candidate for the chief executive officer position and how the board came to the conclusion that Mr Fox should be appointed as the interim chief executive officer of the Maori Television Service.  
Nanaia Mahuta 
: Can the Minister confirm whether Derek Fox has resigned from his position as director and chair of the Maori Television Service establishment board? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Yes I received Mr Fox’s resignation letter yesterday dated 10 February 2003. Mr Fox’s resignation is effective from 14 February 2003. 
Bill Gudgeon 
: How confident is the Minister that the chairman of the board—which appointed Mr Davy—will be able to carry out the role of chief executive officer and not be likely to have a mixed role of governance and management? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: I am very confident about the differentiation needs in that role. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: In the interests of some clarity in communications at question time I seek leave for all those questions to be asked of the Minister again in the hope that we might be told something this time. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No no. The member is only making a political point. 
Deborah Coddington 
: Is it not transparently obvious that so long as Derek Fox promises not to set up his Maori party he can have a $240000 a year job as head of Maori television for life and can carry on spending a million dollars of taxpayers’ money a month on programmes that no one can watch because like the taniwha that television channel will never be seen? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: That is not obvious to me. 
Marc Alexander 
: Did the board of the Maori Television Service consult the State Services Commission about the appointment of the new chief executive officer and in particular about the level of remuneration set; if not why not? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: The chief executive officer of Te Puni Kokiri informs me that it is going through that process now. I can tell the member that when the appointment was made Mr Fox was not part of the board’s decision. 
Katherine Rich 
: What does the Minister say to Merepeka Raukawa-Tait who said the appointment “makes a mockery of the process that seemed robust and professional but obviously lapsed into farce” and will he release information today to prove that there was a transparent and thorough process? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: I remind the member that Mr Fox is one of the people who is most conversant in our language which is a principal part of delivering the service to households in this country. I say to the member that the remarks made by that person should be checked out as to the past management of those refuges.