Telltale Fraser evens old scores

The story teller pours himself a cup of water and takes his seat at the table.

Before him is an audience of 13 - the MPs who make up the finance and expenditure select committee.

They do not yet know, but suspect, that what is in store is Ian Fraser's last outpouring.

There to enjoy every word is his minister, Steve Maharey, who left after his own questioning but returns to watch Fraser.

The politicians have yawned their way through two hours of detail in annual reports and policy papers.

A policy wonk begins with a paper promisingly titled "A Tragedy in Three Acts". He says TVNZ is a "paradox".

"That we were pretty much already acquainted with," points out chairman Shane Jones, exhorting him to hurry.

Fraser comes on, looking tired, and sits and waits, saying he has no introductory statement.

Murray McCully, who has been waiting, blinking slowly like a lizard in the sun, catches the passing fly and asks about the departure of Judy Bailey, and board member Ann Hercus' role in this.

It takes little prodding.

Fraser's presenter skills are firmly intact, he holds the audience in his hands as he spins out the tale of the jilted princess, Judy Bailey, whose blameless act in taking a proffered $800,000 tiara led to the crumbling of a kingdom.

"I believe that the Judy Bailey affair in December last year was the beginning of the train of events that led to my resignation," he begins.

And then the story teller opens the Pandora's box on TVNZ's negotiations with Bailey, a tale of offers approved by the board and accepted, then attempts to backtrack on those offers, and an "almost irretrievable" breakdown in the relationship between management and board.

He tells of research that shows One News ratings drops were traceable to the publicity over Bailey's salary.

He talks with scorn and anger about those he believes are responsible for events leading to his resignation.

He speaks of "spats" and describes secret meetings of board members as "bitch sessions".

The word seems to break the thrall.

"Time is marching on," says Jones.

But Fraser is not done.

He speaks of his suspicions about a board member's attempts to undermine and destabilise his post, "and I have to say it had some effect".

He elicits a few gasps from the audience by saying the thinking was that "[Bailey] was probably in the autumn of her career" and that research had shown "some of her lustre had fallen away".

Fraser's tale solves no problems, it simply illuminates them.

It leaves unanswered questions over who should be accountable for leaking Bailey's salary to the media, and whether board members' roles should be looked at more closely.

TVNZ ends the day in the same position it started in - but with the gossip filled out more. But, as Rodney Hide points out, it was "quite a bombshell".

"When you hit a roadblock," Fraser says at one point, "you can do one of two things. You can turn around and go home. Or you can try to go round it."

He speaks of fighting to ensure the charter did not get buried by the need to show the Government a good dividend - "not a mission impossible, but mission very difficult".

But ultimately Fraser decided the board was trying to have too much sway over presenters' appointments at a high level in news and current affairs.

When Fraser is done, Jones ends his turn as if it were a game of The Weakest Link.

"Mr Fraser, your mission has obviously been completed. Goodbye."