Politicisation of the airwaves is causing the Prime Minister difficulties on two fronts today. First, Tom Frewen, who deserves a lot of credit for his work in this area, has revealed the extent to which John Key's electorate chairperson and NZ On Air member Stephen McElrea selected the topics for taxpayer funded documentaries. Of particular interest is a proposed documentary on Whanau Ora, the flagship policy of National's coalition partner - see: Frewen's NZoA Board Members Commission Political Docos. In response, Labour's Broadcasting spokesperson Clare Curran has called for McElrea go - see: Call for McElrea to resign from NZ On Air.
The issue is pretty serious, particularly at a time when the last remnants of non-commercial public television are about to be cut from the airwaves. There is a strong argument that traditional independent and non-commercial public service television has been replaced with taxpayer subsidised commercial content that is subject to direct political manipulation.
The other broadcasting controversy involves Key more directly, as his RadioLive broadcast last year has been referred by the Electoral Commission to the police for possible prosecution (although it is actually RadioLive who may be liable for a fine of up to $100,000.) It is, at best, an unwanted distraction for Key and, at worst, will reinforce Opposition claims that National gets preferential political treatment from corporates in return for favourable government policy. At the time of the broadcast the Government had just made a loan to RadioLive's parent company.
Electoral law expert Andrew Geddis has had a quick look at the decision and says its far from certain that a prosecution will actually happen, but it raises some interesting points. Was the Prime Minister complicit in any breach of law, and should the value of the broadcast have been declared as a donation? He also points out that RadioLive had plenty of warning about potential problems they might run into with the broadcast - see: You can't put Key on the radio...
For the second time in recent history, a New Zealand Prime Minister's electioneering has been referred to the police. This latest infringement shows the state's regulation of political activity is still ambiguous and problematic. Obviously the rules are unclear and National did not solve the problem when it replaced the Electoral Finance Act.