English must come clean on murky TVNZ promo

David Cunliffe
Finance Spokesperson

27 October 2009 Media Statement

English must come clean on murky TVNZ promo

Finance Minister Bill English needs to come clean about the extent of his involvement as shareholding Minister in a TVNZ promo previewing a series of programmes on the economy, says Labour Finance spokesperson David Cunliffe.

“Mr English’s answers to questions in Parliament today were totally unsatisfactory,” David Cunliffe said.

“This promo looks and sounds like a party political broadcast and a self-promotion rather than a preview of what purports to be a serious programme. The very title of the promo --- In Plain English --- gives the game away. It is the same title as Mr English’s own National Party email newsletter.

“The promo would have taken many hours to prepare, yet Mr English says his office’s involvement was minimal, concerned basically with the accuracy of the script. It’s hard to believe that he or his staff did not give TVNZ more help than that.”

David Cunliffe said Mr English maintained that the invitation to participate in the promo came from TVNZ, and that he as shareholding Minister had not used his influence in any way.

“Given the fact that the promo is so blatantly self-promoting, it is also difficult to believe that a reputable national broadcaster would have come up with such a concept entirely on its own volition.”

David Cunliffe said Bill English must make public all information relating to the promo. “That includes everything relating to the production of the promo and the programme, including all meetings and discussions, and also any communications between Mr English or his staff with TVNZ and the board and any member of the board in relation to the programme.

“In Parliament today National tried to laugh this issue off as ‘sometimes you can’t help your good luck’. When it comes to taxpayers money and the responsibilities of a shareholding minister, that is simply not good enough.”

ENDS