March 21, 2018
MPs challenged on Maori radio silence
National’s Maori development spokesperson says the failure to include Maori representation on the new public media advisory group is a clear breach of the treaty of Waitangi.
Broadcasting and Communications Minister Clare Curran set up the four-member group to advise on the resourcing needs of public media agencies and the potential establishment of a Public Media Funding Commission.
Nuk Korako says according to the cabinet paper, the group must take into account Maori Television and the Maori broadcast funding agency Te Mangai Paho.
"You know you’ve got to ask yourself does Maori broadcasting now face the possibility of being sidelined in funding decisions by this commission? We’ve got to ask the question too so where is the Labour Party Maori caucus in all of this? I believe they’ve dropped the ball. It’s actually something that’s really really important to our people," he says.
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