Good on John Key. He has decided to subsidise a TVNZ + TV3 + Maori TV in a joint bid to RWC Ltd ie IRB. So he has pushed up the price. Can someone tell me what we as taxpayers have gained from this subsidy. The first media report is below:-
Update :- Interesting attack on National from Maori Party on this. Flavell accussed English of being conflicted as Minister of Finance and ownership Minister TVNZ. Ignored the fact that Sharples Minister for TPK and Maori TV.
A real shambles in the House and even Key was blushing.
2nd Update Audrey Young here. Makes it clear the Maori Party knows it has been shafted.
Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman said if the TVNZ-led bid got the nod from the International Rugby Board, the Government would provide funds through a special appropriation.
The tournament was the biggest event to happen in New Zealand in our lifetime, he said, and he would expect all New Zealanders to be able to see live matches free.
Mr Coleman conceded it could have been better managed. “You can’t turn the clock back, but I think a coherent approach right across Government on this issue would have made sense.”
The issue around the MTS bid was that it would not give all New Zealanders access to games, and that it had not been discussed by the Cabinet before it went in, he said.
The free-to-air package includes 16 games. TVNZ wanted to take six of them and TV3 wanted to take another six, said Mr Coleman.
MTS would be offered the right to simulcast all 16 as part of the joint bid and online rights would be onsold.
A row blew up last week when it emerged that MTS had used $3 million of Te Puni Kokiri money to out-bid its mainstream rivals, a bid that took Prime Minister John Key by surprise. He said he wanted to be satisfied that MTS could reach 100 percent of viewers.
An earlier joint bid from TVNZ, TV3 and Sky Television had already been knocked back by the IRB.
Deputy Labour leader Annette King was scathing in her criticism of the way the Government has handled the matter and said the IRB would be the winner from the lack of coordination.
“You would have to say who is running the country? The left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing; policy is being made on the hoof,” she said after hearing of the joint bid proposal.
“Who’s paying? Is it our hard-working taxpayers once again as they try to clear up what has obviously been a blunder.”
Ms King blamed a lack of communication between Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples and the Minister for Maori Broadcasting, Georgina te Heu Heu.
“It was some time before she even told the prime minister. The prime minister finds out, tries to fix the problem, now you’ve got the minister of broadcasting putting his spoke in. What a mess,” she said.
Staggering incompetence from the government and once again a betrayal of Maori. If Peter Sharples appears .balance deleted. While I agree with sentiments Red Alert has higher standards than other political blogs re personal abuse. Trevor
To be honest this whole RWC thing has been a sinkhole for public money that shows no sign of abating. Is there any politician that will stand up and say. Not one cent more
I have to say i feel very sorry for Peter. He is a man of integrity who must by now be seriously questioning his relationship with National.
I don’t think any of the channels should have received a subsidy, what a waste of money.
On the plus side it does appear that the whole country will get to enjoy the cup. 
It’s just a pity that so much public money is getting poured into this, what a bleepin’ circus.
Annette King is right, in my view, that the former process, if it can be called that, was a mess and a rort. Sharples and te Heuheu have admitted as much. But big ‘ups’ to the PM for touching down just before the full time whistle. Now, it seems, all Kiwis will get to see the games in real time on free to air TV, and on MTS with a Maori commentary. Win win. I suspect the new deal will actually save the taxpayer money, in the long run. And Labour can take all the credit, or moreover, Trevor can. Good work.
What a complete and utter shambles. I’m sure Sharples will attract sympathy, but performance in this debacle has been as woeful as anyone else’s.
I wish I could say I was surprised by this decision by John Key, but really if you compare it to his past decisions, there is a clear pattern. John Key seems not to want to take a strong stance on anything. When forced into a corner, Key will kick for touch.
Folic Acid in bread: some people say yes, some people said no. John Key said that the matter is on hold and will be looked at again in three years ‘Kick for touch’.
Ministerial allowances come into the public eye, the focus is on his deputy prime minister. Does John Key back Bill English unreservedly, or does he say that after discussions with Mr English, his Deputy has decided to review his claim? No, John Key says he is not happy with the rules about allowances, and changes the rules so they are less transparent. ‘Kick for touch’.
And now, funding is made available so Maori TV can bid for the RWC broadcasting rights. There are complaints from the public and other media outlets. Does he back the funding, or does he remove the funding. Neither, he throws more money at the problem funding other TV channels, ‘Kick for touch’.
John Key seems to being trying to be as publicly uncontentious as he possibly can, even if that means his choice of action is usually to take as little action as possible. This makes me both glad I didn’t vote for him, even beyond the normal gladness I feel every time I don’t vote National.
See update following house.
Further update Audrey’s blog
Sean- I’ve been thinking the same thing for a while. I suspect its because he likes to be liked. To your current list you could add the Worth issue- where he took a week to make up his mind, the Rodney partition when drawing the Supercity boundaries, Maori seats on the Supercity and the Capital Gains Tax or not.
In the end he either forces himself into a corner or more likely no decision at all gets made.
Neil one of the requirements on this blog is at least a pretence of looking at the post and some of the comments. Warning for trolling. Trevor
i think it is good that the channels can combine and work together (perhaps Labour+National) can do the same re this issue.
“While I agree with sentiments Red Alert has higher standards than other political blogs re personal abuse. Trevor”
Sorry Trevor, are you saying that you agree with a personal attack on other MPs?? Oh and mentioning “other political blogs” could be seen as trolling… I’ll get Clare onto that!
Oh no. Not Clare with the stare.
maybe you might let your audience decide if what i sais was trolling or not. go on, it’s called democracy.
Neil Take a month to decide whether you want to comment here or not. And when your ban finishes don’t troll. Trevor
Neil – again with the spin – won’t work buddy – it’s pretty clear that Labour’s problem all along has been with the process and priorities, not with Maori TV having the rights per se. This could have been a wonderful thing for Maori TV but it has been mismanaged to the point of embarrassment.
This is a debacle. And somehow the taxpayer is stuck with the bill…hard good ‘value for money’ from a government who is obsessed with such a phrase.
My goodness, having just read Audrey’s blog and the ‘leaked’ paper, all I can say is Trevor was right all along and to give credit where it is due, thank God the PM has seen sense.
Is it Utu or mana?
Or just a bad case of wanting free tickets to the corporate box at the RWC?
I’m picking the later.
I reckon it was fear of a few too many Maori words a few weeks before the next election.
Yep TopCat, all good examples: up until this point, when placed pressure, John Key weaves for a few days, and then kicks for touch.
It is almost as if John Key sees his main role as not being controversial. As opposed the more traditional role of a Prime Minister to show leadership. That is if you assume there is a plan behind it all, and he isn’t just making it up as he goes along: influenced primarily by the last person, in a suit and tie, to speak to him.
If you compare Key’s performance to other Prime Ministers, let’s say Jim Bolger, a performance gap shows up. I’m left wondering, what did Key want the job for?
Maybe John Key has a grand plan, a greater purpose, but I haven’t seen it yet.