Lotu-Iiga Peseta Sam: Radio New Zealand Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Lotu-Iiga Peseta Sam: Radio New Zealand Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:655;Page:4632] 
PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA (National—Maungakiekie) 
: 
 I rise to support the Radio New Zealand Amendment Bill. The bill amends the Radio New Zealand Act 1995 and it contains a new Radio New Zealand charter as the two previous speakers have alluded to. 
I will start by acknowledging the Minister of Broadcasting the Hon Jonathan Coleman for his courage to take action— 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Leadership! 
PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA 
:—and leadership; that is quite correct— 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Competence! 
PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA 
:—and more than competence. He has leadership written all over him. I commend Mr Coleman. Once again this bill is an example of the Labour Party resting on its laurels and not getting legislation through this House. It is a brave move to take on this legislation and move it quickly through the House. 
As we all know Radio New Zealand is a Crown entity established under the Radio New Zealand Act 1995. As both the previous speakers have already alluded to it provides listeners with exciting and independent radio coverage that one will not find from other private broadcasters. It broadcasts over three nationwide networks namely Radio New Zealand National Radio New Zealand Concert and the AM network which relays our proceedings even tonight. 
Public radio broadcasting did not start with Mr Maharey. It had its beginning in 1925 when under a 5-year contract the Government granted the Radio Broadcasting Co. substantial income from the radio dealer’s licence and 25 shillings from each receiving licence on the condition that the company expanded four existing stations in the main centres in order to establish a national non-commercial broadcasting system. Company income was insufficient to meet those demands for expansion so in 1931 legislation was passed to establish the Government-appointed New Zealand Broadcasting Board which was also dependent on that licensing fee income. After the war this system became the New Zealand Broadcasting Service. In 1962 Government department status ended with the establishment of the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation. Then we came to the 1995 Act where Radio New Zealand was established as a stand-alone Crown-owned entity with the major responsibilities that I have already spoken of. 
Under the Act 5-yearly parliamentary reviews of Radio New Zealand’s charter are required. In 2005 Radio New Zealand undertook its own review and in consultation with interested parties—listeners and stakeholders—it developed a revised version of that charter. As we have already heard the parliamentary review of that charter was undertaken by the Commerce Committee which will later review this bill and oversee its progression through Parliament. 
The previous Government did not really get to the point of introducing this bill. As I have already said it has been a bit lax a little bit—well it was occupied with things that do not matter. We know that; we have heard that. We now have a Government in place that will take action on matters such as this one. As we have already stated the bill is really about the charter. The charter is a particularly important document that sets out operating principles. It defines what Radio New Zealand does from the staff to listeners and stakeholders and it is easily understandable with objectives that are quite precise. 
Let us go through the bill. As the honourable Minister has already stated new section 8(1) inserted by clause 5 of the bill looks at the purpose: “As an independent and commercial-free public service broadcaster the public radio company’s purpose is to serve the public interest.” In that respect it is particularly important to recognise that we have a wide public interest. It is not necessarily about niche programming; it is about what the public will demand. What I like personally about Radio New Zealand and what it delivers is that it does not deliver what we get on other private broadcasting networks. We do not get a deluge of sport or talkback; we get coverage of art culture and politics that is unsurpassed in other broadcasting packages. 
The bill also in new section 8(5) addresses service delivery: “In achieving its purpose the public radio company must endeavour to provide services of the highest quality”—of the highest quality. It is not about just throwing money at programmes which the last Government was good at; it is about throwing money at high-quality programmes and high-quality outputs that are—and here is the crux—predominantly and distinctively of New Zealand content. That is really important. I have heard nothing from across the Chamber about what Radio New Zealand represents which is New Zealand culture. I move down to new section 8(5)(g) which says the services must “reflect New Zealand’s cultural identity including Maori language and culture:”. Again that is particularly important. I allude to my Maori Party friends as well as to all the Maori out there who understand the need for this type of programming. 
New section 8(5)(l) refers to including “an international service to the South Pacific in both English and Pacific languages:”. As someone who has spent a bit of time in the South Pacific and who has heard the programming in the South Pacific I know that this is a particularly critical part of showing New Zealand and its culture and language to our Pacific Island brothers and sisters. Again it is very critical to this legislation to describe the importance of our culture our language our customs and the values that make us New Zealanders. 
I also refer to new section 8A(1) also inserted by clause 5. It says “The public radio company must in fulfilling its Charter exhibit a sense of social responsibility”. That is right: social responsibility. It is really critical to balance that requirement for social responsibility with the provisions of new section 8A(3)(b)(i) and (ii) which talk about financial responsibility. The issue is about finding the balance between social responsibility and financial responsibility which is something my colleagues from across the Chamber have no idea about. They are tax-and-spend liberals who would just raise taxes and spend them on programmes that are not effective. 
We are talking about highly effective quality programmes that represent our culture and our customs. 
Katrina Shanks 
: Heritage. 
PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA 
: And our heritage—I thank the member. This bill really is about supporting an institution in this country called Radio New Zealand. It is an institution that as the honourable Minister has already said cleaned up at the New Zealand Radio Awards this year. Its website as my honourable colleague from across the Chamber has said has over 6 million hits a year and the quality and make-up of that website—its look and feel—are of particularly high quality. So I commend this bill to the House for its certainty its clarity and its support of New Zealand culture. Thank you very much.