6. Question No. 6—Broadcasting and MediaNAISI CHEN (Labour) to the Minister for Broadcasting and MediaQuestion No. 6—Broadcasting and Media6. NAISI CHEN (Labour) to the Minister for Broadcasting and Media: What announcements has he made regarding funding for world-class public media?Hon WILLIE JACKSON (Minister for Broadcasting and Media): Today I've announced that we're delivering a funding boost to deliver world-class public media for New Zealanders. Radio New Zealand (RNZ) will receive a 60 percent increase of $25.7 million annually. This funding will help it meet competing demands and deliver world-class public media for all of Aotearoa. This will be made up of $12 million per annum to address existing capability $12 million per annum to strengthen RNZ for the future and help it reach underserved audiences and $1.7 million per annum to support its AM transmission service which was so important during Cyclone Gabrielle. Without this immediate investment RNZ would not have the ability to provide the services expected of public media let alone meet the needs of New Zealanders in a digital age. Naisi Chen: What support is New Zealand On Air receiving?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: The news gets better. We will restore New Zealand On Air's baseline funding of $42.2 million per annum which was going to the new public media entity under previous plans. On top of this New Zealand On Air will receive an extra $10 million to its baseline for 2023-24 and the new funding will support the creation of new and innovative content to connect with new audiences through cross-sector collaboration with RNZ Whakaata Māori and Te Māngai Pāho. It will go beyond journalism to include a focus on content for children rangatahi Māori Pacific and regional audiences. All New Zealand will benefit.Naisi Chen: Why is this new funding critical for public media in New Zealand?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: An independent well-functioning resilient public media is the cornerstone of our democracy. With the package I have outlined we'll be able to develop high-quality content that better represents and connects with audiences. We want a public media that delivers for all Kiwis including Māori Pasifika Asia disabled people rangatahi and our tamariki. We can make sure that in a digital age we're able to protect our unique Kiwi identity and ensure Kiwis have access to the information and entertainment they need when they need it on the platforms they use. Recent weather events have proved the importance of public media. Without this new funding RNZ would not be commercially viable because they were starved of funding for nine years by the previous National Government.Damien Smith: Will he look Kiwis in the eye and tell them he's proud to be spending tens of millions of their dollars on a shiny new website for Radio New Zealand and how does he have the nerve to claim as savings" the cancellation of hundreds of millions of dollars in expenditure on the failed media merger which he announced in the first place?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Yes.Naisi Chen: What else is being done—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Order! Order! We'll have silence for supplementaries.Naisi Chen: What else is being done to strengthen public media?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: There's even more. With TVNZ a clear way to strengthen public media in Aotearoa is for TVNZ to play a more active broadcasting role. And I'll be sitting down with Simon and the old National Party mates over there and Manatū Taonga. We're going to just traverse things and work things through with Simon in terms of a way forward. They're such an important part of our broadcasting ecosystem. We're looking closely at how Radio New Zealand can collaborate and work with Māori broadcasting. We've made a significant investment in terms of Māori broadcasting. How can we work in tandem—in partnership? The RNZ charter review: the Aotearoa New Zealand Public Media Bill included a new charter designed for a modern fit-for-purpose national public media entity. We'll use that good work to update and strengthen our RNZ charter. And my officials are looking to modernise our outdated Broadcasting Act legislation that the useless National Party put in place.Melissa Lee: Does the Minister regret spending nearly $12 million on consultants for the failed mega-merger of RNZ and TVNZ who were not even public media experts and how has that spending resulted in "world-class public media"?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: No."