McCully Murray: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
McCully Murray: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:611;Page:8193] 
6.  
Hon MURRAY McCULLY (NZ National—East Coast Bays) 
 to the  
Minister of Maori Affairs 
: What Government decisions and other major steps remain to be taken for the Maori Television Service to commence transmission and what is the projected on-air date? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 The to-air date is still dependent on a number of operational activities as identified in the Maori Television Service’s 2003-04 statement of intent. Good progress on these operational activities has been made. 
Hon Murray McCully 
: Can the Minister recall a press statement from the Prime Minister on 24 July 2001 announcing that “A Maori Television Service will be on air from June 2002”; and can the Minister explain to the House why 14 months later the Maori Television Service is not on air has no on-air date has no contracted transmission services and has so far appointed and lost two chief executives? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: I can recall in July 2001 the announcement of the establishment of the Maori Television Service including the intended on-air date of June 2002. That time line has changed because legislation was not passed until May 2003—this year. A revised operational budget was approved earlier this year but an initial chief executive officer appointment and the present one have created delays. 
Mahara Okeroa 
: Can the Minister outline for the House why it is important to have a Maori television channel? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister can briefly comment on that. 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Both the Crown and Maori recognise obligations to protect and promote te reo Maori as a taonga. The previous National Government gave undertakings in the broadcasting assets case in 1991 to provide for Maori television as one means of meeting that obligation. We will get it done. 
Deborah Coddington 
: Will the Minister confirm that he knows exactly what happened at the Maori Television Service between Derek Fox and Joanna Paul; and that he and the Government are sitting on this knowledge in case Mr Fox who came within 695 votes of beating this Minister at the 1999 general election should decide to resurrect his political party stand against this Minister and beat him? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: As I have said repeatedly anybody can stand against me and amass the figures and the distance between this member in the last election and the Opposition. That matter is a board matter. To dwell on the filthiness that keeps on in some people’s minds is not the issue; it is an issue for the board. 
Marc Alexander 
: Does the Minister agree that although the Maori Television Service’s statement of intent mentions goals in its 5-year plan—like building a sustainable audience and normalising te reo—should not the primary goal listed on the 5-year strategic plan be for the service to be on air first; if so why has the Government so far ignored the option of the eminently more modern cost-effective and ready-to-go Sky television platform? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: There are still decisions to be made and Cabinet needs to make a decision along with the board. 
Hon Murray McCully 
: Is the Minister aware that the Prime Minister has described the departing chief executive Mr Derek Fox as “the pre-eminent Maori broadcaster of his generation” yet the Maori Television Service is already 14 months past its stated on-air date and has no new on-air date has now appointed and lost two chief executives and still has no contracted transmission arrangements; if that is the case what else would have gone wrong if the Government had not appointed the Prime Minister’s “pre-eminent Maori broadcaster of his generation” to lead the project? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Mr Fox’s prowess and experience in this field is well known both in Maoridom and in the rest of the country. There are slippages as there were when that member was the Minister. 
Deborah Coddington 
: How can this Government claim to be opposed to sexual harassment and violence against women in the workplace and not demand that the Maori Television Service board undertake a full and complete investigation into exactly what happened with this Government’s appointee at Maori Television Service? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The question is about transmission. It is not about that particular issue. That particular issue can be put down as another question at another time. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I notice that when Dr Nick Smith called out whilst a question was being asked he was immediately ejected from the Chamber. We have just had an example—and you know exactly who it was—of a Labour back-bencher who interjected on you when you were on your feet. I notice that he has not been ejected. I think there should be some balance. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Now that the member has brought the matter to my attention I ask the member concerned to leave the Chamber. 
Mark Peck withdrew from the Chamber. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I would like to get a degree of consistency about the way in which questions are ruled as being appropriate or inappropriate. You might recall that yesterday a supplementary question was asked by I think David Parker from the back of the House that in my view was a mile wide of the stumps when it came to being in line with the substantive question. I think the ruling that came from you related to the fact that there was at least a vague reference to matters that were of concern in the thread of the question. When Deborah Coddington asked her question today it would be a wild stretch of the imagination to suggest that the current difficulties at the Maori Television Service which have seen the chief executive exit and the various rumours and other allegations that circulate around that exit are not part of the problem that has prevented the service getting to transmission and that is going beyond the pale. Quite clearly this organisation has been dysfunctional for one reason or another for a very long period of time and that is surely part of it. 
Hon Ken Shirley 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I do not need any further assistance on this matter. 
Hon Ken Shirley 
: I have a— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member will please be seated. I have heard the point of order and I do not need any further assistance. Will the member please read the Standing Orders. I looked at the original question and I took advice. The question asked by Deborah Coddington was outside the scope of the original question. 
Hon Ken Shirley 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I ask you to reflect on that. I am not relitigating your decision at all but I think the point that has been made here is that my colleague’s question is probably the reason that the transmission is not occurring. That is the point that she wished to make—that is that there have been a number of problems within Maori television. We can only presume that those problems directly relate to the issue of the lack of transmission. I ask you to reflect on that because I think my colleague’s question was a very reasonable one. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I have reflected on that question and if that had been the question that was put down it would have been answered.