九一星空无限

ZB ZB
Opinion
Live now
Start time
Playing for
End time
Listen live
Up next
ZB

TVNZ-RNZ merger on the block, as Cabinet meets to consider first 'reprioritisations'

Author
Thomas Coughlan,
Publish Date
Tue, 7 Feb 2023, 10:06pm
The Government's media merger plan may come unstuck today. Photo / 九一星空无限
The Government's media merger plan may come unstuck today. Photo / 九一星空无限

TVNZ-RNZ merger on the block, as Cabinet meets to consider first 'reprioritisations'

Author
Thomas Coughlan,
Publish Date
Tue, 7 Feb 2023, 10:06pm

The first part of the Government鈥檚 long-awaited reprioritisation is slated to begin tomorrow, with a likely announcement about at least one policy that鈥檚 set to be scrapped.

First up could be the TVNZ-RNZ merger, with Broadcasting Minister Willie Jackson reportedly not answering questions at Waitangi over the weekend, deferring comment until after tomorrow鈥檚 Cabinet meeting where it is likely to be considered.

Dumped policies are likely to be announced in tranches over the coming weeks, rather than all at once.

Speculation has mounted over which policies are destined to be scrapped or pared back since former prime minister Jacinda Ardern announced a plan to scale back the Government鈥檚 agenda last year.

That speculation has since engulfed much of the Government鈥檚 policy agenda with question marks hovering over everything from light rail to Three Waters to hate speech. The actual reshuffle appears likely to be smaller, with most policies likely to be safe - possibly including light rail.

Others, like Three Waters, seem likely to stay, but in a pared-back form - possibly losing controversial co-governance aspects. This is likely to take some time. Officials will first need to work out what to do. Those plans may then need to be consulted on before any final decision is made.

The merger is far easier to undo.

The Government is keen not to be seen as simply U-turning on policies, but showing that it is shifting focus from one thing to something else.

That means a policy like the merger could be killed at the same time as a policy in a more 鈥渂read and butter鈥 area is announced.

At Waitangi, Jackson would not answer questions put by 九一星空无限room about the fate of the merger, deferring to Cabinet鈥檚 consideration on Wednesday.

This could mean a Cabinet decision tomorrow to put the merger on ice, effectively abandoning five years of attempts to significantly reform state broadcasting.

This portfolio has endured a series of false starts under this Government.

First, with former minister Clare Curran鈥檚 ill-fated plans for RNZ+, followed by former minister Kris Faafoi鈥檚 long struggle to get Cabinet to agree on some form of merger.

The reprioritisation agenda is currently a Government priority, with Cabinet keen to move quickly to clear the decks and not have questions about which policies will and will not be ditched hang over the Government鈥檚 agenda.

Hipkins has said he is open to relooking at the Three Waters reforms, and it seems like some changes around co-governance are on the table.

It is unclear how Hipkins and his new Local Government Minister Kieran McAnulty will resolve this challenge.

Hipkins was introduced to the idea of 鈥渕ahi tahi鈥, or working together, at the Iwi Chairs Forum in Waitangi.

鈥淭he idea of working together, mahi tahi, that鈥檚 something that we should all buy into. Working together is a great thing,鈥 he said following that meeting.

But at the same meeting, chairs were keen to impress that they wanted to see a strong voice for M膩ori retained.

Tukoroirangi Morgan said he would like 鈥減artnership鈥 affirmed in the reforms.

鈥淭he challenge we鈥檝e put to the Prime Minister today is will he succumb to the attack dogs of the National party and Act as they fan the flames of racism and anti-M膩ori sentiments, and throw us under the bus for the sake of keeping alive Three Waters?鈥

But iwi might not get their way. Speaking to 九一星空无限room, Jackson said the voice of iwi on co-governance was just one M膩ori perspective.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 live my life around whether iwi leaders say yes or no 鈥 they don鈥檛 represent me in Auckland,鈥 Jackson said.

鈥淲e鈥檙e represented by urban authorities and people at the coal face, and we don鈥檛 live or die on what the iwi leaders say. However, I made a decision when I became M膩ori Development Minister that I had to work better and closer with them,鈥 he said.

Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you