Coleman Jonathan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Coleman Jonathan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:639;Page:9127] 
6.  
Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (National—Northcote) 
 to the  
Minister of Broadcasting 
: What has the TVNZ charter delivered for New Zealanders? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Deputy Prime Minister) 
 on behalf of the 
 Minister of Broadcasting 
: The Television New Zealand (TVNZ) charter has some 10 objectives within it. I am advised that TVNZ delivers to those objectives and produces a range of programmes consistent with those objectives and screens a range of programmes consistent with those objectives. 
Dr Jonathan Coleman 
: Has the Minister seen the New Zealand On Air 2006 television local content report and how does he explain the fact that since the implementation of the TVNZ charter the total local content hours on both Television One and TV2 have been in steady decline with 12 percent less local content on Television One and 20 percent less local content on TV2 in 2006 compared with 2002; and would the Minister expect the charter to deliver more or less local content on TVNZ? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: I make two points. TVNZ’s own statement in relation to these matters is: “We operate in both a local and international framework. Our mission is to bring you more and better of New Zealand On Air as well as the best from around the world.” In fact Television One now averages 67 hours of local content a week compared with an average of 49 hours a week under the last National Government which is an increase of 36 percent. 
Darien Fenton 
: What has the Government’s broadcasting policy delivered for New Zealanders? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: The Government’s broadcasting policy has delivered nearly double the hours of local content on free-to-air television double the hours of New Zealand music on radio the launch of digital free-to-air television a strong and competitive screen production sector the Maori Television Service and the Pacific Island radio network to name just a few. 
Dr Jonathan Coleman 
: Will the Minister admit that his broadcasting policy and the TVNZ charter is actually delivering a year-on-year decline in the amount of local content being shown on Television New Zealand? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: It is correct that in recent times there has been a slight fall but the average is still significantly higher than it was under the National Government. It has not been year-on-year. That is not actually correct and I suggest the member reads the graph a little more carefully. 
Dr Jonathan Coleman 
: Why did the Minister say in his press statement following the release of the New Zealand On Air report that: “This proves that all of New Zealand’s national free-to-air TV channels are boosting local content”; why did he deliberately mislead the public by creating the impression that local content was going up on TVNZ when in fact it is very obviously going down? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: That press statement refers to New Zealand’s free-to-air television. In 1999 free-to-air television carried 6142 hours of New Zealand content. In the last year it carried 10255. 
Dr Jonathan Coleman 
: Does the Minister realise that when he tries to fudge the figures on local TV content just as when he refuses to say how many children will have access to 20 free hours and just as when he continues to spin-doctor the serious problems with the National Certificate of Educational Achievement it just reinforces for the public John Tamihere’s view that: “You can spend 2 hours with Maharey and walk away none the wiser but you’ve got three screeds of paper full of notes.”? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I will call the Minister but that question was substantially out of order in the imputations that were made. The substance of the question was out of order—that is what leads to disorder if you read the Standing Orders—but I call the Hon Dr Michael Cullen. 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: I would much rather take my colleague the Minister’s views on life than those of somebody who blows smoke in women’s faces and has a punch-up in public. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Well the answer matched the question. 
Dr Jonathan Coleman 
: When the Minister says that the Government is committed to the core objective of building national identity and will do so through television does he not realise that New Zealanders do not want to be told by the Government what their identity is and that using a State-owned broadcaster to try to shape national identity is actually a feature of totalitarian regimes not Western democracies; or does he secretly fancy himself as the “MP for Palmerston North Korea”? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: If we were a totalitarian regime it would be hard to understand why an ex - National Party candidate co-hosts a breakfast TV programme. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: We are getting close again to having question time in silence and that can be painful. 
Sue Kedgley 
: I seek leave to table the 2006 local content survey showing that not only did the percentage of news and current affairs— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection. I remind members that they just identify the document; they do not read from it.