Pay-row Wood stays out of studio on doctor's orders

Susan Wood

Susan Wood remained on sick leave yesterday after her lawyer said a doctor had advised the Close Up presenter not to work.

Negotiations over the terms of her future at TVNZ are expected to reach a conclusion this week.

The board's remuneration committee was scheduled to have a teleconference meeting yesterday before the full board meeting tomorrow.

A source said the parties were in a "Mexican stand-off" after Wood's lawyers explored the ramifications of her leaving and what sort of settlement she could expect.

However, the board was still undecided on its course.

TVNZ and Wood's lawyers have been in negotiations since the Employment Relations Authority ruled a week ago that she did not have a fixed-term contract and TVNZ could not cut her salary by $100,000 at will.

Other sticking points in negotiation for Wood's lawyers are concerns about her relationship with management and how TVNZ will repair or make amends for its treatment of her.

Meanwhile, this week should also reveal whether there will be a wider parliamentary select committee inquiry into TVNZ after its series of problems, which also include the non-renewal of news veteran Judy Bailey's $800,000 contract and the sudden resignation of chief executive Ian Fraser because he claimed the board was meddling in management.

Prime Minister Helen Clark appears resigned to the fact that an inquiry is likely, despite sharing the view of shareholding ministers Michael Cullen and Steve Maharey that one is not needed.

Act leader Rodney Hide has written to the finance and expenditure committee requesting an inquiry.

National Party broadcasting spokeswoman Georgina te Heuheu has made the same request of the commerce committee.

The finance and expenditure committee meets tomorrow, a day ahead of the commerce committee.

Helen Clark said she would be concerned if inquiries led to "undue politicisation" of the recent events.

"These issues are not political ones. These are issues of governance and management of personal. They are not political."