member suggests in his question that we are not
addressing those recommendations. We just may not
be addressing them in the way he may
want us to do so. Question
addressing them in the way he may want us to do so. Question
My
My question is to the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and
Yes,
Yes, in the context that they were made and taken. Supplementary. Why
does she not disclose the
full nature of a meeting with
Carol Hirschfeld when Richard
Griffin asked her back on 28
February
concerned about or would like to raise in relation to the select
account of that meeting to this House.
account of that meeting to this
Supplementary. Why does she not, at any point, make
contact with the chair of the
economic development select committee, the Clerk
chair of the economic development chair
chair of the economic development committee, the Clerk of the House or
the speaker to inform them that
they may have been mislead by Radio
the speaker to inform them that they
of order. A minister is not of order. A minister is not
responsible for
responsible for contacting the chair responsible
responsible for contacting the chair of a select committee or the Speaker
of a select committee or the Speaker
or the Clerk or any of the
others who
or the Clerk or any of the others of
or the Clerk or any of the others who have been contracted 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
the minister has ministerial responsibility for. Speaking to the
point of order. It is an interesting
comment from the Leader of the
House except in this case the organisation
was effectively misrepresenting the
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
correcting their own department's misrepresentations of them is a
complete obfuscation of political
responsibility.
complete obfuscation of political responsibility. I accept
complete obfuscation of political
that, in fact, no member has responsibility for informing
a select committee that they have
been told something in error by a
third person. That is not a direct
responsibility, either ministerial
person. That is not a direct or otherwise. There is still a
question
or otherwise. There 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. My
office made contact with RNZ on
two occasions to correct
office made contact with RNZ on two
them that the information provided at select committee was incorrect. A
point of order. The question was why
she did not actually contact the
Clerk of the committee, the chairman
of the committee, Clerk
of the
ask the minister to address that question with just
the minor correction that we will
deal with Clerks, of Clerks. I believe it was
appropriate that my office contacted
RNZ on two occasions.
appropriate that my office contacted RNZ on two occasions. Supplementary.
In the interests of openness and
In the interests of openness and
transparency, will she ask
Richard Griffin to release the
voicemail she left on his phone
Griffin to release the voicemail she
That's a matter for Mr Griffin and That's
That's a matter for Mr Griffin and the select committee. Supplementary
question. Does she believe that
taxpayers receive value for money
from having the Broadcasting
Minister attend the Commonwealth
Games given the criticism of the
Games given the criticism of the
coverage of gold medal events
that question. I visited the that question. I visited the
Commonwealth Games to gain
a
sports event is broadcast across sports event is broadcast across
multiple platforms. I visited the
international broadcast centre
to see firsthand the operations of
broadcasters
broadcasters including TVNZ, channel7 and other sports channels.
That provided the opportunity
to meet with key portfolio stakeholders
including discussions with
TVNZ's leadership, a dinner with the
CEOs of New Zealand local production
companies and a visit to Optus' live
companies and a visit to Optus' live
showcase. I attended
at the invitation... I think we are
convinced that the minister
was convinced that the minister was
busy. Point of order. I believe
that the question was did she believe
that the taxpayers' received
value
who listened carefully got an answer from that.
who listened carefully got an answer from that. Supplementary. Is she
satisfied that the taxpayerses'
getting value for money out of
TZNZ coverage of broadcast of evens
when New Zealand has won gold like in
the lawn bowls, squash and hammer
Order! That now gets to a straight Order! That now gets to a straight
editorial matter for which there is
not responsibility.
editorial matter for which there is not responsibility. Question
editorial
editorial matter for which there is not responsibility. Question
My
My question is to the Minister of
We
We have
We have inherited a long list of building problems that require
building problems that require
attention. Among the immediate
priorities are work on Middlemore's
Scott building and the
rebuild of the Dunedin hospital where, because
of asbestos, staff are having to
recover