Kedgley Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Kedgley Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:625;Page:20664] 
8.  
SUE KEDGLEY (Green) 
 to the  
Minister of Broadcasting 
: Why since the TVNZ charter was introduced in 2003 has there been a 3 percent decrease in New Zealand programmes shown on Television One and no increase in New Zealand programmes shown on TV2 during the hours 6 a.m. to midnight? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Broadcasting) 
: 
 This is due to the following reasons: coverage of large one-off events in 2003 like the America’s Cup and the Rugby World Cup—if those sporting events were removed for example Television New Zealand would show an increase of 1.5 percent local content—and a reduction in repeat local programmes on both channels. Due to the time zone differences between New Zealand and Athens there were about 80 hours of local sport content on Television One between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. in 2004. There is also a reduction in children’s programme hours as a result of a change in requirement from New Zealand On Air that funded children’s programmes would no longer be linked between overseas cartoons but instead will stand alone as entire programmes in the future. That raises the cost per hour of production but I think it also produces better quality children’s television. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Is it not time to admit that the TVNZ charter is failing when the amount of local content programmes shown by our State broadcaster has decreased since it was implemented despite all the charter’s fine words and the millions of taxpayer dollars going towards charter programming? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The answer is no and if the member had listened to the answer to her primary question she would understand the reason. 
Mark Peck 
: What is the state of local content relative to the increase in funding from New Zealand On Air to $93.8 million per year and the provision of $36.8 million of charter funding to Television New Zealand? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Television New Zealand is providing a wider range of New Zealand programming and is working closely with screen production industries to ensure that that programming is put to air. Local content targets are being established and all major broadcasters are achieving them. The total of non-repeat hours of New Zealand programming has increased by 60 hours from 2003. New Zealand television networks have an average ratio of around one in three programmes being New Zealand - made. There has been an increase of nearly 200 hours per annum of New Zealand content in prime time since the Labour-led Government came to power. 
Sue Kedgley 
: When Australia has local content quotas of 55 percent for all its commercial television channels the United Kingdom has on average 91 percent local programming on its television channels Canada has 75 percent Italy has 83 percent and Germany has 91 percent why does our Government allow our State-owned broadcaster to screen only a pitiful 38 percent of New Zealand - made programmes across its two channels? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I think that question needs to be put in the context of the $93.8 million a year going to New Zealand On Air and the $36 million of charter funding going to Television New Zealand. These figures are opposed by the parties on the other side of the House on the whole. This Government has shown a great deal of commitment to New Zealand programming and that is why the industry in New Zealand is so happy with this Government. 
Sue Kedgley 
: When the chief executive of TVNZ says that the primary goal of the State broadcaster is “to reflect New Zealand to New Zealanders” why are 82 percent of the programmes on TV2 foreign-made? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Because the large amount of money that is now being committed to New Zealand programming is out there and the programmes are being made as we speak. If the member cared to go and talk to the large number of people who form the industry she would know they are doing exactly that. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Does the Minister agree that it is a terrible indictment that the amount of children’s programming on TV2 declined by 71 hours last year to the lowest level in 5 years despite the fact that some of the previous programmes were just overseas cartoons with a New Zealand front-person and does he agree that this breaches TVNZ’s obligations to increase the amount of children’s programming? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: No I do not. What Television New Zealand is doing is moving from using front-people on overseas cartoons to committing itself to making a lot more New Zealand programming—entire programming—available. That means we will now have the basis of a genuine industry around children’s television in this country rather than one-off occasions when people just front up on television to say what the overseas programme is about. That is a major step forward. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Does the Minister agree with the former Speaker Jonathan Hunt who said on his retirement that we had to acknowledge that the charter was not working and that it was now time to look at other models to improve the quality of public service television such as having one channel run along the lines of the SBS semi-commercial model in Australia; if not why not? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: While I fully respect the words of the previous Speaker given that he was also a Minister of Broadcasting and helped establish the system within which we are working I do not agree with that statement. I think that what we are doing at the present time is a better way forward.