RWC viewers will not pay 'over the odds' - Key

John Key said all broadcasters and the Maori Party were happy with the new bid. File photo / Mark Mitchell

New Zealand taxpayers will "not be paying over the odds" to see free-to-air 2011 Rugby World Cup games, Prime Minister John Key says.

Cabinet is today to sign off broadcasters' joint bid for the rights.

Mr Key will not confirm the bid had stripped Maori Television (MTS) of the opening ceremony, and first cup match between the All Blacks and Tonga, as has been reported.

However, he said all broadcasters and the Maori Party were happy with the new bid put together by MTS, TVNZ and private company TV3 after Mr Key intervened last week to prevent a bidding war between state broadcasters and avoid conflict with the Maori Party.

MTS had put up a bid backed by Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples, who is also Maori Party co-leader, but at the last minute TVNZ submitted a Government-backed bid for a higher amount.

The Labour Party and others criticised the Government's handling of the bids as shambolic and Mr Key has admitted it was not handled well.

However the new bid was "fully supported" by all involved, Mr Key told Breakfast on TV One this morning.

It did not exceed what had already been put up - the MTS bid was funded with $3m of Te Puni Kokiri funds.

"The bid is in line with individual bids that were on the table. I think it is fair to say if I hadn't intervened then I think the likely outcome was a higher bid."

On NewstalkZB he added: "At the moment we are not paying over the odds".

Mr Key said the bid met his, the Government's and the public's expectations.

The initial understanding of the joint bid was that MTS would broadcast all 48 tournament matches, 32 with delayed coverage.

The 16 key matches, including All Black games, would be shared between the networks.

The bid will have to be submitted to the International Rugby Board, which will decide whether to accept it or not.

- NZPA