Curran Clare: Radio New Zealand Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Curran Clare: Radio New Zealand Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:655;Page:4647] 
CLARE CURRAN (Labour—Dunedin South) 
: 
 I rise to support the Radio New Zealand Amendment Bill. This bill amends the Radio New Zealand Act 1995 and contains a new Radio New Zealand charter. That new charter results from a parliamentary review which was required by the Act. This bill began under the previous Labour Government so we support it. Over the past decade New Zealand has undergone a quantum shift in terms of how we view ourselves. Our public broadcasters have had an important role to play in that process and Labour was a leader in making that happen. This bill has been delayed for 2 or 3 years. We acknowledge that and there were reasons for that delay. But let us not forget that it was Labour that initiated the review of the Radio New Zealand charter. 
Under section 7(4) of the Radio New Zealand Act 1995 Radio New Zealand’s charter is required to be reviewed by the House of Representatives at 5-yearly intervals. The second parliamentary review was completed in 2006. In preparation for that review Radio New Zealand conducted a preliminary review followed by public consultation on a revised charter. Radio New Zealand’s proposed new draft was considered as part of the Commerce Committee’s review and is reflected in this bill. The charter in new section 8 inserted by clause 5 of the bill states that the purpose of Radio New Zealand is to be a public broadcaster followed by provisions stating how it achieves that purpose through the delivery of its services. Radio New Zealand began its charter review process by examining the charters of various comparable public broadcasters including those of the United Kingdom Australia and Canada. The review sought to ensure that the revised draft charter was expressed as a set of aspirations in simple and accessible language. It was also meant to be technology neutral and to differentiate Radio New Zealand clearly from commercial broadcasters. 
The changes in the charter are positive. It is updated it is given a clearer focus on the technological changes that are taking place and it acknowledges the increasing use of podcasts and web technology. It upholds that Radio New Zealand is a State-owned entity that should not be influenced by commercial interests which is not the case with other public broadcasters particularly Australia’s multicultural Special Broadcasting Service or “SBS” which has recently started to run advertisements. So I tell members not to presume that because we have an excellent Radio New Zealand National that will always be the case and that it will not be subject to pressure to partially fund itself with advertising. The charter does away with any requirement for a return on funds and we understand that Radio New Zealand is pleased with this bill. It is pleased the bill has passed through all the hoops and is now back before Parliament for a final conclusion. So we are very pleased that this bill is before the House and that the National Government is supporting it. 
It is all very well though for the Government to bring in this legislation and say it is committed to Radio New Zealand being a “great watchdog for democracy” as the Minister of Broadcasting Jonathon Coleman has done while at the same time freezing the funding for that great watchdog and having very little policy in place to build on it. It is one thing to praise an organisation; that is easy. But it is quite another thing to starve that organisation of funding. The previous Labour Government was committed to providing strong baseline funding for Radio New Zealand. We were committed to a strong broadcasting system and we do not believe that the National Government is. Frozen funding means no pay rises no money to meet the inevitable rising costs no money for infrastructural development and no money to meet new trends and developments in the medium. As the  
Otago Daily Times  
assistant editor Simon Cunliffe wrote in an opinion piece in that newspaper this morning “that does not augur well for such an admired and critical part of our broadcasting services.” 
I am a former journalist—a print journalist not in radio—but I have a passion and a commitment to the craft of journalism the ethics that underpin it and the importance of the fourth estate in contributing to a strong and vibrant democracy. I am also the Opposition spokesperson on communications and information technology and I understand the importance of what is called “convergence” which is the inevitable converging of information and communications technology and broadcasting. That is happening right now and it is resulting in new ways of delivering and receiving traditional media and information. So I will talk about the differences between Labour’s and National’s policies in this area. 
Despite the National Government’s support for this legislation the Government has virtually no policy on broadcasting and no policy on the convergence of the media and information and communication technology. Instead National has frozen the funding for Radio New Zealand National and Concert FM for the next 4 years. National’s broadcasting policy is a joke. With regard to radio in essence the policy states that there will be continued funding for Radio New Zealand National the National Pacific Radio Trust Board and Access Radio but it does not state anything about freezing that funding. That is all the stated policy about radio. 
In comparison Labour’s policy was far more comprehensive and visionary. It states: “The radio broadcasting sector in New Zealand is one of the most successful and competitive in the world. The mix of commercial and non-commercial radio broadcasting provides a wide range of choices for New Zealanders. But changing technology is providing both challenges and opportunities for the radio industry. Labour is committed to ensuring that diversity in our radio broadcasting continues to provide New Zealanders with programming across interest groups and technologies. … Labour will ensure the availability of diverse programming on radio through both national and local radio broadcasters.” 
Labour’s policy goes on to state: “Ten years ago … New Zealand music airplay was at 7.5 percent. Radio New Zealand was under-funded and largely available only on the AM frequency. Today … New Zealand music airplay is between 19 percent and 20 percent. Radio New Zealand is available on AM and FM as well as streaming online and by podcast.” Radio New Zealand’s website which is a pretty incredible website really has something like 6 million hits a year. That website was developed under the Labour Government and there was more to come in that area. I would be very interested to know what National’s policy is in this area. Labour’s policy also points out: “Access Radio has more funding available as well as funding for specific projects. National Pacific Radio Trust is broadcasting programmes by and for Pacific peoples throughout New Zealand.” We would like to know a bit more about National’s policy in that area too. 
Labour’s policy vision is: “Ten years from now … New Zealand radio should be available in digital form to New Zealanders around the world on any technology that they choose. This will include radio by and for the diverse range of ethnicities and interest groups that make up New Zealand society.” The pro-competitive policies that Labour introduced during the telecommunications stocktake are driving the convergence of many technologies. We are seeing that convergence in every aspect of our lives. Digital media and content now impact on the lives of all New Zealanders in some way. Labour believes that all New Zealanders benefit from the convergence of information and communications technology and the broadcasting industries. I have not heard a word out of National members about any of these matters.  
In the last decade the Internet and other forms of communication such as cellphones have increasingly become vehicles for broadcasting and traditional broadcasting receivers such as television have become more interactive. This will continue to be the case in the future. It is important therefore that we ensure that the regulatory environment keeps pace with technological changes to ensure that New Zealanders receive safe competitive and high-quality services regardless of the medium through which they are accessing those services. Labour wants New Zealanders to have the best possible access to digital content especially content that is produced locally. We would have encouraged more innovative ventures such as the New Zealand On Screen and New Zealand On Air projects which are making much of our rich cultural heritage available online and free of charge. We will keep working to develop policies that ensure that New Zealanders have better access to important local content. Labour recognises the importance to New Zealand of digital content. Labour’s digital content strategy sought to recognise and leverage content to our advantage. That content strategy shares the same vision as the National Digital Strategy for New Zealand to be a world leader in using information and technology in order to realise its economic social environmental and cultural goals for the benefit of all its people.  
We believe that public broadcasting plays a vital role in nation building. We have a conviction that public broadcasting should not be left to the market. The Government needs to be looking comprehensively at whether the needs of all New Zealanders are being met. Public broadcasting needs to be properly funded. I commend the bill to the House.