Music cash boost more of a remix

The Government yesterday trumpeted a pre-Budget announcement of spending on promoting contemporary Kiwi music - but the money was actually voted and approved in last year's Budget.

Touted as a "pre-Budget announcement", Economic Development Minister Jim Anderton said $5.4 million would be spent over four years to help the industry flourish overseas.

However, the money is a redistribution of funds allocated to other areas of the 2004 Budget.

A spokeswoman for Mr Anderton acknowledged that the money was reallocated from existing funds, but said it was felt an announcement should be made because the spending came out of recommendations of the NZ Music Industry Export Development Group, which reported about six months ago.

Mr Anderton announced three amounts for music industry development:

* $444,000 a year for the New Zealand Music Industry Commission to fund market development grants.

* $178,000 a year to the commission to develop capabilities for groups so they can export.

* $850,000 a year to NZ On Air to increase the amount of New Zealand music being played domestically and internationally.

The spokeswoman said the grant money would be administered by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage.

The ministry still has to report back to the Cabinet on criteria for the grants and how they would be publicised.

Meanwhile, Civil Defence will receive $21.5 million extra in the Budget.

Civil Defence Minister George Hawkins said this included $6.1 million over four years for a national public education programme to "build awareness of New Zealand's vulnerability to disasters".

The rest, $15.4 million, was being allocated over five years to increase Civil Defence's emergency management capabilities with extra staff and technology.

Permanent staffing would rise from 26 to 46 over the next two years to improve the organisation's ability to support regions in crisis and manage a national-level event.