Rich Katherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Rich Katherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:606;Page:4069] 
8.  
KATHERINE RICH (NZ National) 
 to the  
Minister of Broadcasting 
: In light of his recent comments regarding the new charter for TVNZ that “the $12 million they’ve currently got obviously people should … know exactly how that was spent … and what is being done with it” can he tell the House the exact breakdown of the expenditure of that money; if not why not? 
Hon MARK BURTON (Deputy Leader of the House) 
 on behalf of the 
 Minister of Broadcasting 
: No because as the charter came into effect only last Saturday 1 March the $12 million has not been spent yet. 
Katherine Rich 
: Why is TVNZ producing cheesy television advertisements promoting the charter; what is their cost; and does the Minister think it is appropriate that taxpayers’ money is spent on promoting a Government policy rather than on local programming? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: The member refers to an operational decision on the part of the corporation which of course has absolutely nothing to do with the Minister. 
Mark Peck 
: What are the accountability arrangements for charter funding provided by the Government to TVNZ? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: The Television New Zealand Act which this House passed last week requires Television New Zealand to include in its statement of intent qualitative and quantitative performance measures for measuring performance against its charter and to include in its annual report a statement of its performance against its charter. In addition there is a memorandum of understanding between the Minister of Broadcasting and Television New Zealand regarding the charter funding that requires TVNZ to provide the Minister with quarterly reports on how the charter funding has been used. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Does the Minister agree that TVNZ should not be any less accountable for the taxpayer money it receives directly from the Government than it is for the money it receives indirectly through New Zealand On Air and will he therefore require TVNZ to report specifically on how much it spends per programme and not just on some vague genre breakdown as stated in the memorandum of understanding? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: As the member says the reporting requirement is on a breakdown by category or genre; that is the reporting requirement. 
Deborah Coddington 
: Can he assure the House that if TVNZ continues to fritter away the $12 million provided to implement the charter on advertising this politically correct feel-good charter the Government will provide no more taxpayers’ money to implement its own social agenda? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: Frankly I have no idea which charter the member is referring to because that did not sound remotely like the one that is being entered into. The member should raise operational questions in the appropriate forum. This is not it. 
Marc Alexander 
: Rather than interfering with programme-purchasing decisions can the Minister tell the House what level of charter subsidisation is forecast to be required over the next 5 years; and if the Government is already propping up TVNZ how is that consistent with his expectation that TVNZ will continue to pay dividends? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: I do not think there is any evidence that it is being propped up as the member suggests. Indeed I understand that the chief executive of Television New Zealand confidently expects the level of revenue generated through commercial advertising to be maintained. 
Katherine Rich 
: Can the Minister explain why after so much talk about the charter the amount of current affairs actually screened by TVNZ has decreased since 2001? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: If the member wants to put down that question to the Minister I am sure he will be happy to answer it. Of course the question is so distantly related to the principal question that I have no such information with me in the House. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Is the Minister concerned about the commitment of TVNZ heads to their brand-new charter and in particular their requirement to exhibit a sense of social responsibility given their public defence of fast-food advertising aimed at children and the recent announcement that they will campaign against any move to ban television advertising of prescription medicines? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: I think it is fair to say that the chief executive of TVNZ has indicated publicly on many occasions since his appointment last year his strong commitment to the successful implementation of the charter including the screening of quality children’s programmes.