Clark not concerned about TVNZ inquiry

Helen Clark

Prime Minister Helen Clark says she is not concerned if a parliamentary select committee holds an inquiry into Television New Zealand's multiple problems.

An inquiry into TVNZ's rating problems, the resignation of its chief executive Ian Fraser and several high profile pay rows with presenters -- the latest Close Up's Susan Wood -- looks a certainty.

There are a sufficient number of MPs on Parliament's commerce select committee to force an inquiry on the Government, but the finance and expenditure committee, which meets on Wednesday, could get in first.

Government shareholding ministers Steve Maharey and Michael Cullen have said they do not believe a select committee inquiry, which would see TVNZ's bosses grilled by MPs is necessary.

But Miss Clark today said she was not particularly concerned if one was held.

"It's not something I've preoccupied myself with," she said on TVNZ's Breakfast show.

Miss Clark acknowledged there was a high degree of political hand wringing and public fascination with the problems, but said it was to a "lesser degree of velocity than the week before".

She said the Government could not express an opinion on the competence of TVNZ's management as it only had a relationship with the board.

The Government has expressed confidence in the board, despite continuing problems over the Wood pay saga.

Wood, who this month won an employment dispute with TVNZ over its plans to slash her pay by $100,000 to $350,000 a year, was away from work on Friday on doctors advice due to the stress caused by the dispute.

The Dominion Post reported today she had a medical certificate for up to a week.

But her fate could be decided before then, with TVNZ's board set to discuss her future on Wednesday.

ACT leader Rodney Hide has written to to the finance and expenditure committee requesting an inquiry, while National broadcasting spokeswoman Georgina te Heuheu has written to the commerce committee also requesting an inquiry.

Commerce committee chair and National MP Katherine Rich yesterday said she and three other National members on the nine-member committee supported an inquiry.

United Future MP Gordon Copeland, also a member of the committee, said he too supported an inquiry -- assuring it would have the numbers to go ahead.

But Mr Copeland, who is also a member of the finance and expenditure committee, which meets on Wednesday -- a day ahead of commerce -- said it was possible that committee could order an inquiry first.

Mr Copeland and Mrs Rich said they believed an inquiry should focus on the erosion of shareholder value in TVNZ in recent times.

Mrs Rich said she would also be keen to see an inquiry examine what role TVNZ's public broadcasting charter was playing in the decline in the network's fortunes.

However she said it would be up to the committee that held the inquiry to thrash out its terms of reference and which top figures it would call from TVNZ.

News and current affairs head Bill Ralston and other top managers were possibilities.

TVNZ's annual report is expected to be released this week.

The Herald on Sunday reported yesterday it would show the dividend TVNZ paid to the Government dropping to about a third of the $37 million paid last year.

- NZPA