TVNZ charter $17m must be explained says National

National claims TVNZ has been left red-faced after being unable to provide Treasury officials with an account of how more than $17 million of its charter funding had been spent.

MP Murray McCully made the "missing millions" claim yesterday in a weekly column, saying it had left Broadcasting Minister Steve Maharey "embarrassed and confused".

Mr Maharey has called the allegation utter nonsense.

But while TVNZ yesterday denied any money was missing, it did not deny there had been clashes with Treasury officials over how it recorded spending and how this would be reported in its interim report, due out in two weeks.

Mr McCully said the Government had advanced close to $40 million in funding tagged directly to charter initiatives.

"Recently Treasury officers requested a list of the items which had been purchased. A list was duly supplied. But to the mortification of the Bow Tie and Ballet Tights Brigade, the total of the initiatives listed was a mere $19 million.

"A small deficit of $17 million or more. Which was more than could be explained as the cost of a few decent lunches.

"Treasury officers are said to be both persistent and unamused. The search goes on for the missing millions. There must surely be some programmes somewhere to show for that amount of cash. Because not even TVNZ could not have spent that much cash on lavish luncheons."

Mr McCully denied the dispute centred on the way TVNZ opted to report its charter spending - which it has faced criticism over - rather than an actual inability to locate the money.