Grant Robertson
Deputy Leader

21 February 2013

TVNZ contradicts Key as Sky City deal gets even murkier

John Key must explain how he apparently knows all about a deal to sell TVNZ land to Sky City for the convention centre when TVNZ knows nothing about it, says Grant Robertson, Labour’s Deputy Leader.

John Key yesterday told Parliament that Sky City approached TVNZ and had entered into a commercial agreement with the casino to sell the land. But today TVNZ is denying that any such approach was made, and says there is no agreement to sell the land.

“TVNZ have directly contradicted John Key’s claims. Either the Prime Minister knows more about what is going on at TVNZ than the Board and management, or he has misled Parliament.

“John Key needs to back-up his claim that the sale of TVNZ’s land is a done deal, or he has to correct his answer to Parliament and admit he was wrong.

“The Government’s dodgy deal with Sky City gets murkier by the day.

“The Deputy Auditor General’s report laid bare the cosy relationship between the Government and Sky City. It exposed this deal for the jack-up that it is.

“Sky City were given the inside running to build the convention centre by the Government. The tendering process wasn’t even-handed or transparent. And now a question mark hangs over the sale and purchase of the proposed site.

“John Key has some explaining to do. It is time he came clean about all the dealings he, his staff and his ministers have had with Sky City.

“New Zealanders have no confidence in this shonky deal. The Government must call a halt to its negotiations with Sky City and start again with a fair and open tender process,” says Grant Robertson.

ENDS

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