TVNZ director to reply to Fraser claims

John Goulter

TVNZ director John Goulter will get a chance to answer allegations made against him by outgoing chief executive Ian Fraser yesterday.

Mr Fraser spoke for nearly an hour before Parliament's finance and expenditure select committee as it continued its inquiry into TVNZ.

He claimed negative stories "seeded" in the media about him and the broadcaster's head of news Bill Ralston began only after the Government appointed former Auckland International Airport chief executive officer Mr Goulter to the board of TVNZ earlier this year and,

Committee chairman, Labour MP Shane Jones, said Mr Goulter would be able to appear before it early in the new year as he tried to downplay Mr Fraser's comments.

"It would be a travesty not to allow Mr Goulter to respond to the most extraordinary allegations that the committee heard today -- issued unfortunately without a shred of evidence," Mr Jones said.

Involving the Prime Minister, who Mr Fraser accused of leaking details about Judy Bailey's salary, was a "further extraordinary allegation to make," he added.

Mr Jones said Mr Fraser had treated the committee session like an exit interview.

"Mr Fraser, like an aged Lancaster bomber, dropped a few bombs. But I think he obviously wanted to dislodge a burden he feels he bears...And at the end of the day I think Mr Fraser cut a rather lonely tragic figure."

Mr Goulter issued a statement rejecting allegations he undermined Mr Fraser and suggested he had confused questions from a new board member on matters of process and accountability, as criticism.

Helen Clark's office also disputed Mr Fraser's recollection of how the Bailey salary was leaked saying she had only given reaction comment to the story.

Act MP Rodney Hide has called for the TVNZ board to resign.

He said: "I've never seen such an expose of a board before...and the only honourable option of the board is to tender their resignation."

- NZPA