Dr Jonathan Coleman MP
National Party Broadcasting Spokesman

13 March 2007

We just sign the cheques

The Government has committed $104 million to the roll-out of digital television, but doesn’t know how many New Zealanders will be signing up to it, and can’t even tell the public how much it will cost to buy the basic equipment required, says Jonathan Coleman, National’s broadcasting spokesman.

“The Government has committed huge amounts to digital television but is deferring all responsibility to what Steve Maharey calls ‘the industry’.”

Coleman was commenting after asking the Minister on Morning Report why a person would spend $700 for digital TV, just so they could get two new channels. The Minister’s response was, “that’s the question for the industry.”

“The reality is the Government was keen to claim the credit for digital TV, but now the hard questions about costs and viewer numbers are being asked, the Minister is saying it’s somebody else’s problem.

“That is an abdication of responsibility from a Government that's made an art form of passing the buck. This Minister needs to be able to assure the public that he understands the costs and the viewer numbers when the Government spends $104 million of public money.”

ENDS

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