te Heuheu Georgina: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
te Heuheu Georgina: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:628;Page:92] 
7.  
Hon GEORGINA TE HEUHEU (National) 
 to the  
Minister of Broadcasting 
: Does he have confidence in the board of Television New Zealand; if so why? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Broadcasting) 
: 
 Yes; because they are hard-working and committed board members. 
Hon Georgina te Heuheu 
: Why does the Minister continue to have confidence in the board of Television New Zealand in light of the front-page scandals such as Ian Fraser’s sudden resignation and $420000 golden handshake Susan Wood’s highly public employment dispute and falling advertising revenues not to mention the Minister’s own derisory comments about TVNZ’s current affairs programming? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Shareholding Ministers continue to have confidence in the company because it is returning a dividend on the investment we make it is moving towards providing a range of chartered programmes which is what we expect it to do and it is performing extremely well in the market. In fact the member might like to note that in the last couple of weeks TV3 has been able to get only one programme into the top ratings—all the rest have been on Television One or TV2. 
Maryan Street 
: What information has the Minister received on any other success of the public television broadcaster? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: TVNZ is the most-watched television company in New Zealand. An average of 86 percent of New Zealanders watch TVNZ each week. In the last 4 weeks TVNZ’s share of the commercial demographic of 18 to 54-year-olds has risen to 56 percent which is one share point higher than at the same time last year. In the last year for all ages across the country every top-ten programme every week has been on Television One or TV2. The ratings concerns commented on in the media of course are just a fact of life. Those are concerns; those are things that the company is focused on; they are a fact of life. 
Pita Paraone 
: Does the Minister in the interests of protecting our assets and the ongoing viability of public broadcasting support NZ First’s call for a full Finance and Expenditure Committee inquiry into the affairs of TVNZ? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: As shareholding Ministers have pointed out there is no need for an inquiry; there is an annual report. [ 
Interruption 
] It is just worth advising people like Dr Nick Smith on the other side that there is an annual reporting process. That happens this week. That goes to select committees. Then there can be a discussion. That is what I am sure the committee will do. 
Gordon Copeland 
: Is the Minister able to enlighten the House as to what the TVNZ Chief Executive Ian Fraser meant when he cited political interference as the reason for his abrupt resignation; if not does his inability to do so not indicate the need for a parliamentary inquiry? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The member will know that Mr Fraser withdrew those comments so the answer to the first part of the question is no. 
Rodney Hide 
: Can the Minister explain to the public of New Zealand the three benefits that he sees from TVNZ being State-owned particularly in light of his comments that privately owned TV3 is “a class act”; why is this Government so ideologically opposed to private ownership? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The three top ones that I would argue are the return to the shareholder public charter programming and national identity. 
Hon Georgina te Heuheu 
: Can the Minister confirm that the role of the Television New Zealand board is to protect the taxpayers’ interest in Television New Zealand; if so does he not consider that the board may have acted against those interests by allowing its dirty linen to be aired in public knowing full well that it would erode the value of the taxpayers’ asset? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I am glad the member asked that question because of course the value of Television New Zealand has been very stable over the past 6 years which is in stark contrast to the erosion of shareholder value during the 1990s when the disastrous decision to sell Television New Zealand - Sky shares was taken which eroded 25 percent of the value of this company under a National Government. Thanks for asking the question. 
Hon Georgina te Heuheu 
: Does the Minister not consider that he may very well have contributed to the erosion of the taxpayers’ interest when he glowingly said of the competition: “Television 3 are a class act at the present time. They do very well. That is clearly a concern for Television New Zealand.”; and does he continue to stand by those comments? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: No I did not erode the share value at all—unlike her National Government. I am the Minister of Broadcasting and therefore what I said about TV3 is clearly just an objective fact—it is performing better in the Auckland market in the 18 to 34 age group at the present time. I am sure Television New Zealand is planning right now how to take that back. 
Hon Georgina te Heuheu 
: Does he agree with the Prime Minister that “When a news organisation becomes the news that’s when you have a problem.” and as this appears to put him at odds with the Prime Minister why does he not feel an obligation to ask the Television New Zealand board to resign or to resign himself? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I am never at odds with the Prime Minister.