Faafoi Kris: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeFaafoi Kris: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 28 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:260. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]10.KRIS FAAFOI (Labour—Mana)to the Minister of Broadcasting: When did she first become aware of TVNZ’s plans to outsource its Māori and Pacific content?Hon AMY ADAMS (Minister of Broadcasting):I received verbal advice on Friday 17 October that Television New Zealand (TVNZ) would be making an announcement the following week about outsourcing some of its Māori and Pacific content.Kris Faafoi: Does the Minister believe that TVNZ has a duty and responsibility to Māori and Pacific viewers and does outsourcing current affairs programmes for that audience sit comfortably with the Government?Hon AMY ADAMS: Well TVNZ certainly has obligations under the Television New Zealand Act which that member I am sure is familiar with. The Government’s concern in this space is to make sure that good quality content that is relevant to Māori and Pacific audiences continues to be available. The Government does not have a view on whether those programmes are better produced in-house or outsourced. We will however be very interested to continue to monitor whether there is any drop in the quality the content or the quantity of programming as a result.Rt Hon John Key: Is some of the outsourcing that Television New Zealand is considering the outsourcing of Labour Party events that otherwise would have been hosted at Television New Zealand?Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is certainly no ministerial responsibility for that.Kris Faafoi: What advice has the Minister received that indicates that outsourcing Māori and Pasifika current affairs programmes will benefit Māori and Pasifika audiences?Hon AMY ADAMS: Well as I mentioned in the answer to the previous supplementary question our interest is in ensuring that good quality relevant content continues to be available. Whether TVNZ chooses to do that in-house or to outsource it is entirely a matter for TVNZ. I would note that this is not the first time that locally produced content has been outsourced. It has been quite a successful model that TVNZ has used in the past across a wide range of programming.Kris Faafoi: Does this Government consider that current affairs programmes like Marae Investigates Tagata Pasifika Waka Huia and Fresh are similar to shows like MasterChef New Zealand My Kitchen Rules New Zealand Dancing with the Stars and Mitre 10 Dream Home which TVNZ has also outsourced?Hon AMY ADAMS: Well as I continue to say the Government’s interest from a broadcasting perspective is that good quality locally relevant content is available particularly reflecting things like ethnic minorities and Māori perspectives. We do not have a view on whether TVNZ is best to produce that in-house or to outsource it but I note that it is still retaining the in-house production of Te Karere and that this outsourcing model is a model that it has used across a range of programming across various contents and applying it in this context is a similar approach from TVNZ.Kris Faafoi: Is TVNZ’s decision to outsource a clear signal to the Māori and Pasifika communities that this Government does not care about current affairs shows for those communities and that rather than quality content they should be fed cheap and cheerful content?Hon AMY ADAMS: The decision of TVNZ had nothing to do with the Government. We were advised under the no-surprises approach. It is entirely a decision that TVNZ has made. It is consistent with its obligations to us but as a Government we will be very interested to ensure that the quality and content remain at an applicable level as they are now.Peeni Henare: Can the Minister confirm that one of the primary functions of the Broadcasting Act 1989 is to promote Māori language and culture and how does the outsourcing of Māori and Pasifika programmes by TVNZ help to achieve this function?Hon AMY ADAMS: Well again it is the information the content that is being provided that is of relevance in that regard not who makes it. Whether it is provided in-house or outsourced the obligations are the same and TVNZ is entirely within its statutory obligations and its obligations to the Government to act in that way.