Sandra Lee MP Fri Oct 8 1999

Alliance Deputy leader Sandra lee launched the Alliance arts, culture and broadcasting policy today as a total package.

It plans to decrease reliance on Lottery Board funding for the arts, and instead increase stability by bringing in mainstream government funding.

The Alliance also intends to let TVNZ keep part of the money it now pays to central government in the form of a dividend, to pay for more local production and a reduction in advertising.

That would mean an extra $15 million available for local production.

'There are many well qualified and practising artists who are unable to complete quality works of art because of financial constraints. A grant scheme would alleviate this problem,' said Sandra Lee.

The Alliance would introduce an extra $10 million in grants to professional writers, artists and performers.

Tax concessions for artistic earnings would be explored.

The Alliance is committed to introducing quotas for NZ content on TV and local music quotas for radio, a commercial-free Youth Radio Network, and major sports events broadcast free-to-air.

Arts projects in the regions would be encouraged, in line with the Alliance regional development policy which prioritises job creation.

Part of developing the arts in the regions would involve an extension to the writers and artists in residence schemes into a wider range of centres.

As part of its commitment to local broadcasting, the Alliance would promote legislation to protect and restore live free to air broadcasts of significant national sports events.

'Anti-siphoning legislation operates successfully overseas, notably in Britain, to ensure that the general public have access to major sports events without compromising the ability of sports to attract revenue through the sale of TV rights,' said Sandra Lee.

'It is the responsibility of any government to ensure that New Zealanders have the opportunities to be creative and to excel in the arts if they choose,' said Sandra Lee.

'As a nation we must then be able to share in our successes. That may mean the right to watch free-to-air sporting events that involve New Zealand teams, or the possibility to choose to watch and listen to quality New Zealand programmes,' said Sandra Lee.

COPIES OF POLICY AVAILABLE FROM ALLIANCE OFFICE

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