Govt departments spend $360k on pay TV

File photo / Dean Purcell

A spend of more than $360,000 on pay television subscriptions by Government departments has been criticised by Labour.

The cost came over the past two years, information obtained using the Official Information Act shows.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade racked up the biggest bill at $80,844 for pay TV in 2013/14.

Internal Affairs was next at $33,868, and the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) was the third-biggest spender at $19,307 in the year.

"There may be some justification for MFAT and even DIA to have connected offices, but why the Transport Agency needs to fork out nearly $20,000 to watch TV is beyond me," Labour's state services spokesman Kris Faafoi said.

"Surely they should have their eye on the traffic monitors, not on Top Gear re-runs or the Deadliest Catch, and Road Cops is on free-view."

Mr Faafoi said the Government needed to explain why such a large amount of taxpayer money was being spent on pay TV for public servants.

A spokesman for NZTA said it had over 1300 staff working in more than a dozen locations across New Zealand.

"While the cost of each individual subscription is relatively small, cumulatively the amount spent is signficant.

"We recognise the importance of ensuring that every dollar we spend is delivering value and we will be significantly reducing or eliminating spending on such services going forward."

The Treasury, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Education, Inland Revenue Department, State Services Commission, Earthquake Commission, and the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs spent nothing on pay TV since 2013, Labour's figures show.

State Services Commission Minister Paula Bennett said savings were always looked for, and it was pleasing there was a 14 per cent saving in overall spending by the 11 agencies that used pay TV between 2012 and last year.

"Equally we want Government officials to use information and technology to improve Government performance and efficiency. For some officials that might mean using pay TV to get international news and market information they can't get locally."

Spending on pay TV subscriptions - top five departments in 2013/14

1. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade $80,844
2. Department of Internal Affairs $33,868
3. New Zealand Transport Agency $19,307
4. Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment $10,887
5. Ministry of Social Development $5083

Source: Information obtained under the OIA by Labour.