14 December 2004

Bailey's $800,000 Salary Obscene - Peters

New Zealand First has called on the Government to stop TVNZ paying obscenely high salaries to its staff following revelations that newsreader Judy Bailey has been given a $400,000 pay rise, taking her annual pay cheque to $800,000.

Reports say that Bailey requested and was given the pay rise because of increased demand for news anchors with Prime entering the evening news market.

Rt Hon Winston Peters said no state-employed news reader was worth $800,000 and the salary level was a direct affront to every single pensioner trying to live on $250 a week.

“Television New Zealand employs the greediest people in New Zealand. Taxpayers own this organization but the staff believe it is their personal trough of cash. Needless to say they have their feet in it up to their necks.

“The Broadcasting Minister recently returned $11million from profits to TVNZ on the pretext that it would be for programmes but it appears that the extra money is for the bank accounts of a select few in the organization.

“TVNZ has a culture of greed and extravagance at the top. This government promised to end the huge salaries but now obviously does not want to offend its friends in the state-owned media,” said Mr Peters.

ENDS

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