United Future welcomes significant change to TVNZ Bill

United Future leader Peter Dunne said today he was pleased the Government had accepted his party’s proposals to improve significantly the Television New Zealand Bill, now before Parliament.

“The old proposals in the Bill would have seen a cumbersome and financially opaque structure set up, with three boards of directors overseeing two companies and no clear way for taxpayers to see where their money was being spent,” he said.

“On November 13, Marc Alexander and I proposed to Ministers that TVNZ be allowed to operate as a public service broadcaster, and BCL should be allowed to get on with setting up excellent transmission facilities for New Zealand. The over-arching third board of directors was totally unnecessary and its scrapping is a good idea.

“Previously, United Future opposed the TVNZ Bill because it looked very like a black hole for taxpayers’ money. The new proposed structure means operational and financial matters of the two companies will be totally transparent and subject to public scrutiny.

“We are therefore delighted that the Government has agreed with this eminently sensible solution and we will support the Bill when it comes back before Parliament early next year,” said Mr Dunne.

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