Curran Clare: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Curran Clare: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:678;Page:988] 
12. 
CLARE CURRAN (Labour—Dunedin South) 
 to the  
Minister of Broadcasting 
: Is he confident that current Government broadcasting policy upholds the standards of an independent and free press; if so why? 
Hon CRAIG FOSS (Minister of Broadcasting) 
: 
 Of course I have confidence in this Government’s policy which upholds the standards of an independent and free press as established in the Broadcasting Act 1989 and which provides a robust broadcasting standards and compliance regime. 
Grant Robertson 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Well it is a primary question and it does have two parts. The second part was not addressed by the Minister. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member raises a fair point. It is a primary question that was asked and the Minister answered the first part—that he is confident—but he did not actually say why. [ 
Interruption 
] Order! I invite the Minister to clarify that part. The party asking the question did not perceive that to be answered and I must confess I did not either. 
Hon CRAIG FOSS 
: Well Mr Speaker I will re-give my answer if you like. Of course I have confidence that this Government’s policy upholds the standards of an independent and free press as established in the Broadcasting Act 1989 which has remained relatively unchanged since then. That provides a robust broadcasting standards and compliance regime. That is why. 
Grant Robertson 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Just repeating the same answer that you ruled was not satisfactory does not actually answer the second part of the question. [ 
Interruption 
]  
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I may be wrong here but I thought the Minister actually added a little bit towards the end of that and argued that because the regime as set out in the Act was in his view being complied with and had not been changed that was why he had confidence in the upholding of the standards. So I believe he did answer that question. 
Clare Curran 
: How was it upholding the standards of a free and independent media for Television New Zealand (TVNZ) to direct its  
Fair Go 
 journalists not to report stories that criticised their advertisers? 
Hon CRAIG FOSS 
: TVNZ is an entity in its own right and as I noted the other day I am quite comfortable that  
Fair Go 
 has always given its participants a fair go. 
Clare Curran 
: How is it upholding the standards of a free and independent media for a Minister of the Government the Prime Minister to appear on Radio Live 
during the election period to run his own programme but to pretend it was not political although taxpayer-funded staff in his office drafted letters to the authorities for Radio Live? 
Hon CRAIG FOSS 
: That is an incredibly long stretch. If that member wants to talk about freedom of press and influence I suggest she talks to her colleagues who were the architects of the Electoral Finance Act which— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I am not sure that supplementary question asked anything about the Electoral Finance Act. In answering the question all the Minister said was “That is an incredibly long stretch.” I do not think that represents much of an answer at all. Before the member gets into attacking the Opposition—and I have no problem with his doing that in this political House—he should at least give a good answer first. 
Hon CRAIG FOSS 
: I understand that member raised those issues with the Broadcasting Standards Authority at the select committee last week and has discussed those issues. The Broadcasting Standards Authority is an independent and separate entity from the Government. This member this Minister or this Government does not influence or try to influence decisions of the Broadcasting Standards Authority. I note that members on the other side were the architects of an Act that the Press Council itself described as having a “chilling effect” on public debate in New Zealand. 
Clare Curran 
: How was it upholding the standards of a free and independent media for a Minister of the Government the Prime Minister to call in the police to hound news agencies over the tea tapes after the Prime Minister’s media stunt went wrong? 
Hon CRAIG FOSS 
: I think that member also raised those questions at the select committee and the Broadcasting Standards Authority I think responded to those questions. 
Chris Hipkins 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question was a relatively clear one. It is quite possible that the Minister could have answered that he does not have responsibility but he could at least answer. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: If the member seriously wanted me to require the Minister to answer I do not think “hounding journalists” when a matter is just referred to the police is appropriate language to ensure that the Speaker seeks a comprehensive answer from a Minister. Again the remedy is in the questioner’s own hands. 
Clare Curran 
: How was it upholding the standards of a free and independent media for the  
National Business Review 
 under his Government to be invaded and threatened by the Serious Fraud Office over South Canterbury Finance without even a warrant being sought? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I am not sure this Minister has any responsibility for the Serious Fraud Office. I would have to rule that question out of order. This Minister has no responsibility for that as far as I am aware—I may be wrong there. But the member does have another supplementary question. 
Clare Curran 
: How was it upholding the standards of a free and independent media for the Prime Minister’s electorate chair Stephen McElrea to be making funding and operational decisions about television programmes paid for by the taxpayer after having complained about a programme that he felt did not suit the National Party in which he is a prominent office holder? 
Hon CRAIG FOSS 
: I note that decisions regarding programmes and working groups of New Zealand On Air are made unanimously so the disgraceful accusations and aspersions that that member puts on individuals of New Zealand On Air reflect on every member of New Zealand On Air of whom three were appointed by the previous Labour Government.