Brownlee Gerry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Brownlee Gerry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:622;Page:17680] 
8.  
GERRY BROWNLEE (Deputy Leader—National) 
 to the  
Minister of Broadcasting 
: What actions if any does he propose to take given reports in today’s  
Dominion Post 
 that Television One news anchor Judy Bailey has almost doubled her salary to $800000 a year and that he is angry at the size of the increase? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Broadcasting) 
: 
 The salaries paid to staff of Television New Zealand are a matter for the board and management of the company to determine. The board is accountable to the Minister of Finance and me as shareholding Ministers in the company and we will be seeking an explanation from the board. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Can the House take it from the answer given by the Minister and those given by the Prime Minister previously that all that the Government intends to do is blow a lot smoke over this particular issue then do absolutely nothing about this excessive extraordinarily large salary? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: As other answers to questions have stated the Government remains strongly opposed to salaries of the level reported in today’s  
Dominion Post  
being paid within public service organisations. However company law determines the extent to which Ministers can become involved in those Government bodies that are companies. It requires the business affairs of a company to be managed by or under the direct supervision of the board. Thus decisions on salaries paid to staff are matters for the board and management. However those people are accountable to two shareholding Ministers and they will be asked to be accountable. 
Mark Peck 
: How satisfied is he with the performance of Television New Zealand? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Overall I am satisfied with Television New Zealand’s performance against its objectives of giving effect to its charter while maintaining a commercial performance. TVNZ’s programme line-up is increasingly more charter oriented and it has committed itself to a significant increase in local content. At the same time TVNZ maintained its commercial performance by generating a record level of advertising revenue of $335 million in the year ended June 2004. This Government sees broadcasting as a key element in developing national identity not as a commercial enterprise to be sold off before lunchtime. 
Deborah Coddington 
: Why is the Government putting any taxpayers’ money into TVNZ when it spends an extra $400000 to keep Judy Bailey given that if she went to TV3 or Prime more New Zealanders would get to see her anyway. 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I should correct the last assumption that was in that question; Television New Zealand clearly is still the leading television company in the country in terms of ratings. The reason we provide charter funding is to see more New Zealand programmes. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Has the Minister taken the time to find out whether the board of Television New Zealand knew that the new salary for Judy Bailey would be around $800000 a year and has he asked the board whether it gave its approval for such an extravagant salary? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: My understanding is that a remuneration committee negotiates salaries within Television New Zealand. My understanding is that the board has full accountability for those decisions because it is advised of such decisions. As I said before the board is accountable to its two shareholding Ministers.