In my opinion the decision by the board of Maori TV to remain in Auckland was very short sighted. According to its chief executive, Paora Maxwell, many of the considerations in making the decision were financial.
I presume other factors were taken into consideration as well but if the major sticking point on whether to set up shop in Rotorua or not was the cost, then I still consider it short sighted. The most successful businesses know the importance of work/life balance in achieving high productivity from their staff. Happy staff produce results. Happy staff go the extra mile. What's not to be happy about a shift to Rotorua? Rotorua is a welcoming and receiving community. A community where Maori can live their tikanga and speak te reo daily.
The influence of a supportive environment should not be underestimated. While Auckland may have the biggest Maori population, Maori news is also made in the regions. And in Rotorua staff can live and breathe Maori every day. They would be exposed to it on all sides. In shops, through business contacts and meetings conducted in Maori. By the choice of kohanga reo, kura kaupapa, wananga, sports activities and by close contact with whanau, hapu and iwi. Tikanga Maori given expression every day in the workplace and at home.
And Rotorua is home to some of New Zealand's most proficient and acknowledged speakers of te reo. There are the translators, including the recently returned Te Haumihiata Mason who worked on the Maori dictionary and translates Shakespeare's plays. There are the film and TV script writers and programme producers, journalists, broadcasters and artists who have set up business in Rotorua. They are already contributing in various ways to many Maori TV programmes. And, other significant iwi are within a few hours' drive too. Important because Maori news also comes from outside of Auckland. With more and more programme production being outsourced, and with its recent restructuring, this would have been an ideal time to relocate Maori TV to an area where it could have played a very exciting role in developing Maori capacity within the broadcasting sector.
The decision should never have been about the cost of relocating. Businesses do that all the time. What they tend to do is take a futuristic approach "how can we add more lasting value to the business". We know Auckland is an expensive place to live, work, and play. A staff member told me they have very little money left over each week to enjoy what Auckland has to offer. They believe what they're currently paying a month in rent would be a sizeable mortgage payment on an attractive affordable house in the Rotorua district. They said they and their partner can't save enough for a deposit even. House prices have gone through the roof and every time they think they're just about there with a deposit, up they go again.
