Tighter line urged on Maori TV board conflicts

By AUDREY YOUNG political reporter

Failure to declare conflicts of interest on the board of the Maori Television Service should be exposed in the annual report, Parliament's Maori affairs select committee says.

It has been studying the legislation setting up the service and tabled its report yesterday.

It wants the existing clause on disclosure of interest tightened.

The committee chairman, Hauraki MP John Tamihere, said the broadcasting community was "a very tight-knit fraternity".

"Because the skill-sets are not huge in New Zealand, both Pakeha and Maori, it is very important that any allegation of conflict is taken seriously." That meant having "overt disclosure".

The clauses in the existing bill say a director with a conflict of interest in a matter before the board must declare it to the chairman.

If the chairman becomes aware that that has not been done, he must then report the failure to the responsible ministers, of Finance and Maori Affairs, and to the chairman of Te Putahi Paoho, the Maori electoral college.

The committee wants any failure that is later discovered to be revealed in the annual report.

The report also knocks back the plea by the Maori Television Service to have more financial freedom.

The service preferred a structure that would establish it under the Companies Act.

"We felt that the proposed vehicle or structure is unduly restrictive and archaic," chairman Derek Fox told the committee in March.

Mr Tamihere said the committee rejected that.

It had to be subject to the normal checks and balances of taxpayer-funded entities without jeopardising the commercial sensitivities.

That was especially so in light of the sacking of chief executive John Davy for falsely representing his qualifications.

"Signing off that report in light of what we knew, there was just no way in light of the difficulties expressed over the Davy affair that we in our right minds could have lightened up at all," Mr Tamihere said.

The report cited three reasons the company model would not be appropriate:

* Neither the Crown nor Te Putahi Paoho would own the service.

* The service was designed to meet social and Treaty of Waitangi obligations and commitments, not maximise profit.

* The Crown and Maori have a continuing obligation to preserve, promote and protect te reo Maori and therefore have direct interest in the service delivering on its functions.

The select committee report also recommends that the Maori Television Service be formally reviewed after five years of operation - to coincide with Government research on the Maori language.

The Maori Television Service Bill awaits a second reading debate in Parliament, consideration of it clause-by-clause, and its third reading before receiving the royal assent.

Te Puni Kokiri (the Ministry of Maori Development) is acting as the legal authority during the establishment of the service.

Full coverage: Maori TV