12. KATRINA SHANKS (National) Link to this
to the Minister of Broadcasting
What advice has he received from officials on the regulatory review of digital broadcasting?
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Minister of Broadcasting) Link to this
After the election the Government asked officials to prepare a report that outlined the competition issues in broadcasting, based on work done up to that point on the regulatory review. Officials concluded that the current broadcasting environment appears workably competitive and that there are no compelling indications of future issues. It also noted that there is currently no strong case for the introduction of specific new regulations for the broadcasting sector.
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN Link to this
The Government subsequently stopped further work on the regulatory review, saving up to $300,000 of public money in the process. We are now focusing our efforts on a forward-thinking programme of action in broadcasting. This includes an emphasis on contestable funding for public broadcasting, achieving the transition to digital switchover, and incorporating elements of the digital broadcasting review that align with this Government’s priorities. These include progressing work on post-digital switchover spectrum allocation, regional television broadcasting, and options for sensory-impaired viewers.
Brendon BurnsCan the Minister confirm that, in fact, the Ministry of Culture and Heritage, as part of that review, favoured amending the Telecommunications Act to include broadcasting, so as to “proactively manage risks relating to anti-competitive behaviour by Sky.”?
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN Link to this
I note that that member has now been the Opposition spokesman on broadcasting for 6 months, and that is the very first question he has asked.
Mr SPEAKERThe Minister will resume his seat. There was not even the slightest attempt to address the question asked; it was simply a direct attack on the questioner. That is not acceptable under the Standing Orders of this Parliament, and the Minister should know that. I now ask the Minister to at least address the question.
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN Link to this
I was just getting round to that. Basically, there was a range of advice there. We looked at it, and he is taking that—
I ask the member to resume his seat. I say to the Minister that he may not be a senior Minister, but he will obey the Standing Orders. When I call a point of order, for him to carry on is totally intolerable. I will not tolerate that. I have called a point of order here.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
The point of order is a relatively simple one. The Minister commented on your ruling in his reply. That is forbidden, as well.
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN Link to this
I would just like to say that I could not actually hear your call for a point of order. I apologise, but I could not hear it with the acoustics, quite honestly.
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN Link to this
A range of advice was given in that briefing. The member knows there is a context to that advice. He has picked out one small bit, but the broad thrust of the report is that there is no need to continue with the review, and that member knows it.
I seek leave to table a paper by Peter Thompson from Unitec’s department of communications studies, entitled National’s Broadcasting Policy: Expedient Fictions, Inconvenient Truths.
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN Link to this
The Government plans to introduce legislation to enact the revised Radio New Zealand charter and will shortly introduce legislation to repeal the Television New Zealand Ltd (TVNZ) charter, which will release TVNZ from the unworkable dual mandate the previous Government shackled it with. Recently, publicly funded TVNZ 6 and TVNZ 7 were released to the Sky platform, opening up that content to a further 700,000 households. This Government believes in value for money, and it makes sense that if the public is paying for content, then the pool of viewers should be as large as possible.