10. Broadcasting Communications and Digital Media Minister—Carol Hirschfeld Commonwealth Games and Radio New ZealandMELISSA LEE (National) to the Minister of Broadcasting Communications and Digital MediaBroadcasting Communications and Digital Media Minister—Carol Hirschfeld Commonwealth Games and Radio New Zealand10. MELISSA LEE (National) to the Minister of Broadcasting Communications and Digital Media: Does she stand by all her statements and actions?Hon CLARE CURRAN (Minister of Broadcasting Communications and Digital Media): Yes in the context that they were made and taken. Melissa Lee: Why did she not disclose the full nature of a meeting with Carol Hirschfeld when Richard Griffin asked her back on 28 February whether there is anything she is concerned about or would like to raise in relation to the select committee meeting"?Hon CLARE CURRAN: I have given an account of that meeting to this House. Melissa Lee: Why did she not at any point make contact with the chair of the economic development select committee the clerk of the committee the Clerk of the House or the Speaker to inform them that they may have been misled by Radio New Zealand (RNZ)? Hon Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. A Minister is not responsible for contacting the chair of a select committee or the Speaker or the Clerk or any of the others who have been contacted if somebody else has supplied false information to a select committee. That is a matter for the person or the organisation that has supplied false information. It is not a matter that the Minister has ministerial responsibility for. Hon Gerry Brownlee: That's an interesting comment from the Leader of the House except in this case the organisation was effectively misrepresenting the Minister. So for a Minister to say that it's not their responsibility or they have no responsibility for correcting their own department's misrepresentation of them is a complete obfuscation of political responsibility. SPEAKER: All right. I accept that in fact no member has responsibility for informing a select committee that they've been told something in error by a third person. That is not a direct responsibility either ministerial or otherwise. There is still a question though—it is still a possibility that a Minister could have chosen to take that action and I'm taking this question as why the Minister chose not to do so. Hon CLARE CURRAN: My office made contact with RNZ on two occasions to correct—to inform them that the information provided at select committee was incorrect. Melissa Lee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question was why she did not actually contact the clerk of the committee the chairman of the committee the Clerk of the House or the Speaker not RNZ. SPEAKER: Yes and I am going to ask the Minister to address that question with just the minor correction that we'll deal with "clerks" not "clurks" thank you. Hon CLARE CURRAN: I believed it was appropriate that my office contacted RNZ on two occasions. Melissa Lee: In the interests of openness and transparency will she ask Richard Griffin to release the voice mail she left on his phone; if not why not? Hon CLARE CURRAN: That's a matter for Mr Griffin and the select committee. Melissa Lee: Does she believe that taxpayers received value for money from having the broadcasting Minister attend the Commonwealth Games given the criticism of the coverage of gold medal events following her attendance? Hon CLARE CURRAN: Thanks for that question. I visited the Commonwealth Games to gain a hands-on insight into how a mega sports event is broadcast across multiple platforms. I visited the International Broadcast Centre to see first-hand the operations of games broadcasters including TVNZ Channel 7 and BBC Sport. That trip also provided the opportunity to meet with key portfolio stakeholders including discussions with TVNZ's leadership a dinner with the CEOs of local New Zealand production companies and a visit to Optus' live showcase. I attended at the invitation—SPEAKER: Order! I think we're all convinced that the Minister was busy.Melissa Lee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I believe that the question was "Does she believe that the taxpayers received value for money?"SPEAKER: And my view was that anyone who listened carefully got an answer from that.Melissa Lee: Is she satisfied that the taxpayer is getting value for money out of TVNZ broadcast coverage of events when New Zealand has won gold like in the lawn bowls squash and hammer throw?SPEAKER: Order! That now gets to a straight editorial matter for which there is not responsibility."