MEDIA STATEMENT

Thursday 5th September 2013

Maori Party says Labour Party should stop jeopardising the process for selecting the CEO for Maori Television

The Maori Party says that the Labour Party has jeopardised the process for selecting the CEO for Maori Television as well as future employment prospects of one individual by asking questions in the house and putting employment information and hearsay in the public arena while the process of selection is still on-going.

“Labour Party MP Clare Curran raised a number of issues about the employment process for the position of CEO at Maori Television about one of the applicants. This is interfering with the process and unfairly disadvantages that applicant - and that’s wrong”

“It is extremely unjust that there are no protections for every-day New Zealanders when statements relating to their background are being discussed in the House protected by the powers of parliamentary privilege - information which may be subject to confidentiality or could even be incorrect.”

“The statements that Clare Curran has now put into the public arena may well influence the appointment for this key position and jeopardise future employment for that particular applicant – and she is able to do that without consequences for herself. She needs to be held to account.”

“This has also raised issues for the Board of Maori Television. If this candidate is not selected he or she could be entitled to progress a personal grievance with the Board of Maori Television because confidentiality has been breached. Not only has the Labour Party clearly disadvantaged the candidate but so has the media who has chosen to debate the issue prior to the finalisation of the process.”

“In the interests of a fair process – Clare Curran should apologise for these statements and allow the Board of Maori Television to go about their business of selecting a new CEO without undue and inappropriate political influence.”

ENDS

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