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New Maori Television chief executive Paora Maxwell is rejecting any charges of cronyism in his appointment.
Mr Maxwell told Radio Waatea host Willie Jackson he went through five interviews to get the job.
He also had to take the rare step of asking the speaker to insert a statement in the parliamentary record countering statements made by Labour MP Clare Curran about his friendship with board chair Georgina te Heuheu.
"I’m a very good friend of Georgina, that’s well known, but I’m not a paid up member of the National Party, never have been. There is absolutely no credibility in some of the statements some people are making about that," he says.
Paora Maxwell says people don’t need to like him, but the decisions he will make over the next five years will be based on the kaupapa of Maori language and broadcasting rather than personalities.
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