I’ve now been told by three people – one beehive, one media and one of ours that there is a rumour circulating that Murray McCully has been feeding me information about the Maori TV bid for RWC broadcast rights.
Over the last fifteen years I’ve talked to McCully more than any other nat. (not a high test given mutual allergy). I sort of admire his place as a long term survivor and his role as the Black Prince which would have added something to In the Loop.
It wasn’t him that told me Key had approved the deal in a discussion with Sharples. Two sources. Both good.
I don’t know about that Trevor, I agree, it sounds most unlikely, but do you think Maori TV would have made its bid without McCully’s knowledge?
I think that’s the question. And my instinct says he knew about it.
The question I would be interested to know is whether this was discussed during the ETS negotiations between the Nats and the Maori Party. At the time it was hinted that other pay-offs might be in the offing, although I suspect we will never know.
This MTS bid is getting more sleezy by the hour. Can anyone imagine a TVNZ bid being openly ‘negotiated’ by a Minister in public, and then having the Minister interfere with the programming around the bid coverage? Are there no rules anymore? I tend to agree with Rodney Hide, for the first time ever.
I believe you Trev
Yeah the whole MTV deal does sound dodgy and I think it’s the whole country’s right to see the games! Grrr. 
If you were in favour of spending hundreds of millions on a waterfront stadium what’s your issue with spending a far far smaller amount on promoting Maori culture anbd business initiatives via the RWC?
I had no problem with a Labour govt spending huge amounts of money on rugby even though I’m not a great fan since I could understand that such a significant event had had cultural importance and could generate interest in NZ with potential economic gains.
So I have no problem with TPK helping fund MTV for exactly the same reasons with the added benefit that it will showcase what is happening in the Maori world to a wide audience.
All for $3 million as compared to what Labour were going to spend on that stadium – $700 million.
There will most likely be some Moari business people who will disagree with the TPK decision – just like there was plenty of opposition to spending all that money on a stadium.
and it’s Maori spending Maori money. Labour and ACT are trying to spin this as some shady rip-off.
It does sound attractive being the designated broadcaster, imagine all the parties you’d get to go to and people you’d get to meet. The whole concept is almost bauble-esque as it were. I’d be tempted to engineer a situation like this myself if I were ever in the right place at the right time.
I knew you’d come around eventually Jennifer
as long as coverage can be extended a bit more then I’m all for MTV playing with the big boys and wow, are they hating it?
So if the Maori Party get the RWC for Maori TV will ACT get tax cuts?
Hope so….kind of says it all between a Party that is fiddling while Rome burns (Maori of course still topping abuse and welfare statistics) and a Party with a more principled approach to governance.
Some people seem to have a problem with knowing the difference between capital expenditure ( which buys an asset) and an expense ( which buys a a digital TV feed for 4 weeks).
Now we have an even bigger waste of money since TPK arent paying for a right to broadcast but instead have become sponsors for MTS which Maori aspirations as something agin to Harvey Norman. And its going to a minor audience, as opposed to being a sponsor on say TV1
Black Prince? Ptah! He’s more like the hunch-backed dungeon master who does the nasty work for whichever Black Prince happens to be in residence in the castle above.
Neil – “So I have no problem with TPK helping fund MTV for exactly the same reasons with the added benefit that it will showcase what is happening in the Maori world to a wide audience.”
How will it be showcased? What will be showcased?
Cactus Kate, seems the TPK deal gives WINZ, for example, the green light to spend a few million buying programming to rework the image of beneficiaries? Never figured the Key government would be in to state funded social engineering, but maybe they just ‘mis-spoke’ in opposition?
[...] to subsidise the Maori TV bid for the rights to RWC. I’ve blogged previously on the issue and the spin
jennifer – nice point.
“Over the last fifteen years I’ve talked to McCully more than any other nat. (not a high test given mutual allergy).”
I’m surprised at your availability to talk to Mr McCully.
Given his publishing of, what can frankly be described as, insulting abuse of the last government in his regular McCully Report. Mr McCully really had an attachment to the term ‘Sisterhood’, to which he attached what he saw as negative connotations. He was really writing in a form that would be instantly recognisable by what I call the Kiwiblog crowd.
A good example is in Russell Brown’s post of 14 February 2005 ‘Hysteria’. This is still available at http://publicaddress.net/default,1859.sm#post1859
Much of the stuff I found offensive in 2005 now seems hard to get hold of, they certainly are not on McCully’s website any more. But here is one that is still on Scoop, which talks about your work Mr Mallard. From 1 July 2005 http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0507/S00040.htm.
Your ability to keep talking to him is quite remarkable, you must be a patient man Trevor.
Sean, thanks for the McCully Report of 2005. If it’s “race based political correctness” for Trevor to spend $300k on Treaty publications, poor old McCully must be in a coma over his own government spending $3m on tikanga and te Reo training on TV.
“old McCully must be in a coma over his own government spending $3m on tikanga and te Reo training on TV.”
Yes Jennifer, the old report is very interesting when viewed in that light.
I don’t wonder why Mr McCully hasn’t archived his old statements – must see what other examples of his previous work have been saved on Scoop.
Oh trevor – you could be smarter than this. You’re an old hand and I am surprised that you couldnt come up with a better way to make a leak than this.
You are loosing your touch Trev.
Opps – Ive even coned myself.
Rest blatant trolling One month ban Trevor
The Act party and a principled approach to governance..what a joke.
theresaj – I don’t see the joke? Care to enlighten us?