Who knew what and when

Bill English maintains he first heard about the Maori TV bid on September 2. Photo / Marty Melville

Who knew what and when about the Maori TV bid for the Rugby World Cup and Te Puni Kokiri's backing of it is revealed in an important leaked aide memoir that I am running in full below.

At least it is TPK's and Pita Sharples' version of who knew what and when.

It shows that the first time the $3 million was discussed was way back on June 23.

It also says that Sharples "met with the Minister of Finance that evening and advised him of the bid. Also met with PM but did not discuss the bid".

What it doesn't say is that Sharples told English about the $3 million. There has been some rumour that English was verbally told, but no evidence of that.

English insists that the first he heard about it was from the letter sent a long time later, September 2, from Associate Maori Affairs Minister Georgina te Heuheu.

What's more, it appears from TVNZ's version of events that English did not share that information widely because two weeks later, Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman still did not know.

The aide-memoir timeline also shows that the first meeting that TPK had with the Maori Television Service on the MTS bid for the Rugby World Cup was as early as May 19.

While the story has moved on a bit from the machinations of what went on in the Beehive, it is important to get this timeline on the record.

it should also be noted that some of the contents have already been disputed by TVNZ. You will see that the notation for August 14 says that Maori TV chief executive Jim Mather met with TVNZ chief executive Rick Ellis where Mather was "advised that there was no current TVNZ bid and TVNZ did not intend to furnish another bid."

TVNZ's PR staff sent me this explanation of the said conversation: "Rick told Jim there was a strong rumour going around the market that MTS had put in a $6 million bid for RWC. Jim confirmed a bid had gone in but didn't say what it was. Rick told him that at $6 million TVNZ would not be putting in a bid. At Rick's subsquent 16 Sept quarterly meeting with Coleman, Rick asked why MTS was getting significant public funding for a bid. The minister said this was news to him."

I ran a couple of swnippets from this timeline in a blog on Wednesday noting that Murray McCully's staffer Chris Major was told on July 23 about TPK's support of the MTS bid. Chris Major has since confirmed what I hinted at - that there had been no mention of the $3 million.

The timeline shows that it was not until Friday last week that Sharples found out about the renewed TVNZ-TV3 bid - from a phone messaged left by English.

That is the day that Sharples spent the day with John Key in the Hawkes Bay. It is also the day I had huge difficulty in getting John Key to ring me about his day with Sharples. Now I know why.

The time line is here. Note that the square brackets are what I have written in eg [Sharples] instead of MOMA. Anything in the round brackets is part of the memo.

TIMELINE


19 May - [Executive leadership team] pays a courtesy visit to [Maori Television Service] and is advised of MTS intention to bid for the NZ free-to-air rights and Te Puni Kokiri's support sought for the bid.

3 June - [Te Puni Kokiri chief executive Leith Comer] spoke to [Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples] about potentially supporting MTS's RWC 2011 bid. Leith outlined the potential risks including the prospect of two public broadcasters bidding against each other.

15 June - Positioning of Maori for RWC 2011 discussed at MET, both [Sharples] and [Associate Maori Affairs Minister Gerogina te Heuheu] in attendance;

17 June - Leith discussed MTS RWC 2011 bid with [te Heuheu];

23 June 2009 - Leith discussed RWC 2011 bid with [Sharples](Paora Ammunson TPK and [MTS chief executive Jim Mather in attendance - Maori Inc strategy diagram circulated). Leith advised that $3 million would be required from TPK/ Government to support the bid. 16 games would be shown live on MTS and that Sky would be the host broadcaster;

23 June - [Sharples] met with Minister of Finance that evening and advised him of the bid. Also met with PM but did not discuss bid;

30 June - MTS RWC bid discussed with [te Heuheu];

30 June - MTS RWC bid discussed with [Sharples];

20 July - briefing of [Maori Economic Taskforce] on MTS's RWC bid discussed by Paora and Leith Maori Inc Strategy diagram circulated;

21 July - Leith again met with [Sharples] and updated him on progress with the bid;

22 July - Leith updated [Maori Economic Taskforce] on a number of areas of work including RCW, both [Sharples] and [te Heuheu] in attendance;

23 July - Te Puni Kokiri (Paora Ammunson) briefed Minister McCully's office (Chris Major) on Te Puni Kokiri's RWC programme, including reference to Te Puni Kokiri's support for MTS' bid for the free-to-air rights;

27 July - Leith wrote to MTS in support of the bid;

14 August - Jim Mather met with Rick Ellis [cheif executive TVNZ] at which MTS was advised that there was no current TVNZ bid and TVNZ did not intend to furnish another bid;

24 August - presentation on RWC delivered to [Maori Economic Taskforce] by Paora, [Sharples] and [te Heuheu] in attendance;

31 August - Rugby World Cup issues discussed with [te Heuheu];

31 August - NDOE proposal in support of MTS RWC 2011 bid approved in principle by [Executive leadership team];

1 September - Leith wrote fuller letter of support to MTS;

2 September - letters sent to PM and Minister of Finance regarding MTS bid - signed out by [te Heuheu]. Minister English's letter had details of Te Puni Kokiri's funding as he is a shareholding Minister of MTS;

4 September - MTS bid submitted;

22 September - copy of Treasury note (to Alex Harrington and Bryan Dunne from Tim Roper, Vote Analyst) received. As no new money sought.

22 September - Leith met with Minister te Heuheu and RWC Ministers (English, Coleman and Brownlee);

23 September - [Sharples] sent letter to Minister English ([Sharples] was not able to attend 22 September meeting and understood RWC Ministers' concerns);

24 September - Kim Ngarimu convened conference call on MTS coverage issue. Kim and Craig Owen briefed staffer from Minister McCully's office and gave him a copy of the speaking points prepared by Kim (on the coverage issue) and a photocopy of the bid. Craig later hand-delivered photocopies of MTS' bid to Ministers English and Brownlee's offices.

28 September - Leith briefed [te Heuheu] and further letter sent from [Sharples] to Minister English. Craig delivered professionally printed copies of MTS' bid to Ministers English, Brownlee and McCully's offices.

28 September - [Executive leadership team] considered fuller Maori Potential Fund proposal in support of MTS RWC bid and approved the proposal;

28 September - Leith, Jim Mather, and [MTS board member] Dennis Harvey met with Ministers te Heuheu, English, McCully and Coleman. Minister McCully insisted that MTS work with TVNZ on a joint bid.

30 September - Jim Mather telephones Rick Ellis to seek clarification that TVNZ putting in a bid, contrary to their agreement on 14 August. This was confirmed by Rick Ellis that joint TVNZ/TV3 bid was under development;

30 September - Leith spoke with Chris Major from Minister McCully's office and outlined [Sharples'] concern (ie in a joint venture, MTS should not be disadvantaged and should lead the bid;

1 October - [Sharples] writes to PM outlining concern about non-adherence to what was agreed at 28 September meeting (ie TVNZ indicated to MTS that it is working on a joint bid with TV3). Leith met with [Sharples] at 3pm;

1 October - that evening, Brent Impey (TV3) notified Leith that they were working on a proposal with TVNZ for a joint venture to be put to MTS. Leith also rung by TV1 to say they supporting this arrangement. In response to both parties, Leith indicated that he understood the intent of their proposal and that the decision was one for the MTS board;

2 October - MTS board met and agreed to sub-licence, and that sub-licensing details would be confirmed if the MTS' bid is successful. [International Rugby Board] advised via email that MTS bid now conditional on being able to sub-licence. In response to a call from Chris Major (Minister McCully's office), Leith informed her of the board's decision (ie MTS prepared to work with other providers to sub-licence some of the games on a commercial basis acceptable to MTS);

5 October - PM arrives back in the country and says he has two concerns. 1) If MTS wins bid, its coverage must reach all New Zealanders, 2) Te Puni Kokiri had better be able to explain how it is spending its money. Following discussions with Wayne Walden (MTS board member), [te Heuheu] advised PM that MTS was making its bid conditional on being able to sub-licence and that the PM could call, or have Wayne call him on this matter;

5 October - brief prepared for [Sharples] for his discussion with PM;

6 October - PM made statement that he was becoming more comfortable that MTS could meet his expectations;

8 October - Minister English leaves phone message advising Minister Sharples about the TVNZ bid;

8 October - Chief of Staff (Maori Party) received a call from Phil DeJoux [John Key's office] advising that Minister English had advised Minister Sharples (via phone message on 2 Oct) that TVNZ had submitted a bid with a $3m contribution from Government and that TVNZ was to sub-license to MTS.

9 October - [Sharples] provides PM with the briefing for Te Puni Kokiri's support of the MTS bid;

October 9 - Senior political adviser confirms that Minister Sharples has received a message from Minister English re this matter on 8 October.

9 October - Senior Political adviser in Minister English's [office] confirms Minister English agreed to Government support for the TVNZ bid;

9 October - [Sharples] requests copy of the TVNZ bid from Minister English's office.

11 October - IRB meeting to consider bids.

Pictured above: Bill English maintains he first heard about the Maori TV bid on September 2. Photo / Marty Melville

Audrey Young