MEDIA RELEASE
Maori TV pile-drives taxpayers
16 FEBRUARY 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union says it’s absurd that taxpayers are now funding the broadcast of WWE episodes.
According to legislation, the aim of Maori Television is to ‘promote Māori language and culture’ with a service ‘that
informs, educates, and entertains a broad viewing audience, and, in doing so, enriches New Zealand's society, culture,
and heritage’.
Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director Jordan Williams says, “Taxpayer funding for episodes Smackdown and Raw will not enrich New Zealand’s culture.”
“Taxpayer money that’s meant to promote Maori culture is being sent to the US to import commercial junk. Maori
Television has lost sight of the original purpose of taxpayer-funded TV, and taxpayers are now down for the count.”
“In Opposition, Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran championed quality public service broadcasting. Is this really what
she meant?”
ENDS