Here's Three Dollars And a Free Magazine

Friday 29 Nov 2002 Deborah Coddington Press Releases -- Economy

Industry New Zealand spends $41,750 every time it puts out an issue of its loss-making magazine that prints only 13,000 copies, ACT Commerce Spokesman Deborah Coddington revealed today.

"In response to my parliamentary questions, Jim Anderton admits Industry New Zealand spends $41,750 of public money every time it puts out an issue of the loss-making "Venture" magazine. The organisation actually spends over three dollars on every person who receives a copy.

"The free publication is full-colour, richly illustrated, and on thick paper. Despite the opulence, and despite making space available for advertisements, Mr Anderton admits Venture has not managed to sell a single advertisement.

"There are eight issues of Venture in twelve months. The magazine is designed to "celebrate the talent, skill, innovation and success of New Zealand businesses", according to Mr Anderton. He is claiming that this is not simply a Labour-Progressive public relations operation. That raises more serious questions. When did it become the Government's role to compete with media organisations?

"Taxpayers are paying $334,000 every year for a magazine that appears to do very little - although it must be noted that Venture never fails to regurgitate a quote from Mr Anderton. The quote is, of course, always accompanied with yet another scintillating snapshot of the Minister and his friends.

"The saddest thing about the way Industry New Zealand dishes out public money is that the organisation takes cash from truly innovative, hard-working taxpayers, and spends the funds doing little more than vacuously paying homage to Jim Anderton's ego. That's not innovation, it is tax churning," Miss Coddington said.

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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