8. Question No. 8—Media and CommunicationsHon WILLIE JACKSON (Labour) to the Minister for Media and CommunicationsQuestion No. 8—Media and Communications8. Hon WILLIE JACKSON (Labour) to the Minister for Media and Communications: Does she stand by all her statements?Hon MELISSA LEE (Minister for Media and Communications): Yes.Hon Willie Jackson: Why does she refuse to back the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill a bill that is supported by the whole broadcasting industry?Hon MELISSA LEE: The Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill is currently being considered by the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee. I said in Parliament last week I'm waiting for the select committee to report back. The Government will consider these latest developments in terms of the wider media landscape. It is inappropriate for the Minister to intervene or interfere.Hon Willie Jackson: Why does the Minister refuse to take a position when the advice from her own officials suggests that the media is under pressure revenue is declining and without intervention the Government will be under pressure to fund public news content?Hon MELISSA LEE: I could ask that member the same question. In relation to the Warner Bros. Discovery announcement last week that came as a bit of a shock the industry is actually facing difficult issues. However I am very passionate about supporting a thriving media sector in New Zealand and I have been talking to my Cabinetcolleagues and I will be taking a paper to Cabinet in coming weeks. The honourable member's Government had six years to solve these problems—SPEAKER: That's enough. No—that's fine.Hon Willie Jackson: Oh that's good that the Minister is—SPEAKER: The Hon Willie Jackson will start again—without the extra comment.Hon Willie Jackson: Apologies. Thank you Mr Speaker. Can I ask the Minister given—SPEAKER: No—given" is not a word. Try a question word.Hon Willie Jackson: Yep. Thank you Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: That's all right. We'll get there in the end.Hon Willie Jackson: Thank you—thanks very much. Can I ask the Minister: what are her proposals to support the media sector to support Newshub; is there a strategy is there anything given every proposal the previous Government put up she opposed including the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill?SPEAKER: Well how on earth can that question be answered without some political content? I just warn you that your question creates a degree of lenience on my listening to the answer.Hon MELISSA LEE: As the member knows and I have just answered I am passionate about supporting a thriving media sector. The honourable member actually and his Government had six years to solve the problem including passing the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill that the member says the whole of media supports. He could have passed it. He failed to do it. It is still at select committee. I will have to wait for that to come back. Having said that the previous Government wasted $20 million on the failed merger of TVNZ and RNZ which achieved fat zero.Hon Willie Jackson: Why at some of the darkest times in New Zealand media history has this Minister disappeared from the media refusing to be interviewed by National Radio refusing to be interviewed by the Television New Zealand Breakfast show refusing to be interviewed by the AM Show—why has this Minister disappeared from the national media? Why hasn't she—SPEAKER: Good—that was a question. That was a question.Hon MELISSA LEE: Obviously that honourable member isn't reading the news or watching the news or reading The Spinoff. I have been available doing interviews and I have made public comments and answered questions when I head through the House before question time and also on the way to caucus like every other Minister is available for media. However I have also received questions or requests for interviews in relation to the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill and I felt that it was inappropriate for me to intervene and I will wait until that is reported back to the House from the select committee."