Broadcasting (Repeal of Advertising Restrictions) Amendment Bill

on behalf of the Minister for Media and Communications: I present a legislative statement—

Hon Willie Jackson: Where’s the Minister?

ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O’Connor): Enough—enough.

Hon TAMA POTAKA: —on the Broadcasting (Repeal of Advertising Restrictions) Amendment Bill.

ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O’Connor): That legislative statement is published under the authority of the House and can be found on the Parliament website.

Hon TAMA POTAKA: I move, That the Broadcasting (Repeal of Advertising Restrictions) Amendment Bill be now read a first time.

Hon Willie Jackson: Where’s the Minister?

Hon TAMA POTAKA: I nominate the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee to consider the bill.

The Broadcasting (Repeal of Advertising Restrictions) Amendment Bill will remove advertising restrictions from section 81—

Hon Willie Jackson: Where’s the Minister?

Hon TAMA POTAKA: —of the Broadcasting Act 1989, which currently prohibits broadcast television advertising—

ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O’Connor): The Hon Willie Jackson will stand, withdraw, and apologise. I warned you; you’ve said it twice since.

Hon Willie Jackson: OK, I withdraw and apologise, Mr Speaker.

ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O’Connor): Sorry, Mr Potaka—continue.

Hon TAMA POTAKA: Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Broadcasting (Repeal of Advertising Restrictions) Amendment Bill will remove advertising restrictions from section 81 of the Broadcasting Act 1989, which currently prohibits broadcast television advertising on Sunday and Anzac Day mornings between 6 a.m. and noon, and both television and radio broadcast advertising on Christmas Day, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday.

Section 81 is no longer aligned with the ways in which audiences consume content. As technology and audiences continue to move away from traditional methods of viewing television shows and listening to radio programming, these restrictions have become increasingly redundant. In fact, New Zealand On Air data shows this year YouTube was the most popular platform in the country, reaching 44 percent of the population daily. The repeal will level the playing field by ensuring local media companies are not disadvantaged by restricted advertising times when global streaming platforms like YouTube are unregulated in this respect.

In a challenging economic environment for New Zealand media companies, section 81 is actively hindering broadcasters’ ability to earn revenue from advertising. Industry estimates suggest that local media companies could earn approximately $6 million annually if the restrictions were removed. Lost opportunities for revenue are significant in the current tight financial context, where broadcasters are reducing their commissioning of local content.

In June, the Government outlined a range of actions it will take to better support New Zealand’s media and content production sector. This delivers on a promise made in that announcement and comes as we assess how we will proceed with the proposed Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill.

The New Zealand media sector has been calling for this change for a long time. It is an anomaly that needs to be fixed, and I am pleased to be taking action to support the media sector. I therefore commend this bill to the House—to this Whare.

The question is that the motion be agreed.

This is a sad, sad, sad night, having to stand up and support this bill. It’s one of the saddest times of my political life, having to stand up and support a bill because Jenny Marcroft and New Zealand First have betrayed the coalition. And, of course, they have come across to the sensible side of the House, because we realise that any sort of pūtea, any sort of dollars for our broadcasting media crew is something—is something—when you consider this coalition has decided to forget all about broadcasting and media, particularly the Minister of Conservation, who just sat down, who’s let down Māori broadcasting, let down Māori Television, let down the Māori nation, let down his people, because he has not got one extra cent for Māori TV and for Māori broadcasting—not one extra cent.

Hon Member: You didn’t either.

Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Look, I wouldn’t talk too much, some of the people on the other side of the House. What did you get in Audrey Young’s analysis? I think it was a “D”—a “D”. And you got a “C”. Mr Meager got an “A”—he’s on fire; he’s got an “A”. What did Tama Potaka get in the analysis? I’d be quiet if I was you, because I’ll come out with all the—in fact, I’ve got the assessment here of how all the first-year National MPs did, and it was bloody miserable, I tell you.

I’ve got to say, coming back to this bill—we need to stay on the subject—we support this bill because it is a reshaping of the 1989 Act. It’s a reshaping of that. We have to give our people in radio and TV a bit of an opportunity. It’s not because we want to bombard them with advertising on Anzac Day, on Christmas Day. We get it—we get it—on Anzac Day, on Christmas Day, on holidays, those days should be sacrosanct. We get that, but we’ve moved into 2024, New Zealand First, so tell your leader, “I know you think you’re doing a wonderful job, but we’ve got a media setup that is dying—that is dying—and so we need some help.” We don’t need useless Ministers standing up and saying, “Well, this is what we’re going to do.”; what we need is the digital bargaining bill.

We need the digital bargaining bill; we don’t need Mr Goldsmith buckling to the Googles and the—no, no, no, we need him to stand up and show some fortitude, show some strength. Don’t just be like these weak-kneed MPs over here. Grant, you got a “B”, eh? You got a “C”. What did you get, James? James got an “A+”. Give James a clap. He’s going to have a hell of a job on that Justice Committee. I can’t wait to get on the Justice Committee to watch how James deals with some of our people; it’s going to be fabulous. I’m really looking forward to how James handles it, so is Rawiri Waititi. “A+”—what did Rawiri Waititi get?

Rawiri Waititi: “A+”!

Hon WILLIE JACKSON: I don’t think so. No, too many hakas—too many hakas.

ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O’Connor): Well, I hope you get back to the bill—what everyone else got—Mr Jackson.

Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Coming back to the bill. It’s about revenue. The media has been doing it tough for a number of years, and the official forecasts in terms of the repeal of section 81 will provide an additional $6 million to the media sector. It’s about modernising the Act. The media sector’s currently operating under the Broadcasting Act of 1989.

We get it, on this side. That’s why we want to give, sadly, this useless coalition some support, because they’ve been betrayed by New Zealand First. Minister Goldsmith—yes, we’ll help you, “Goldie”, yes, we’ll help you, but why don’t you help the broadcasting sector, you useless broadcasting Minister? Do something. Provide a plan. Do something. Help Tama Potaka. Tama’s getting smashed to pieces by all his relations. The Māori Party are threatening him in the House. He’s a disgrace to the Māori—but we love him on this side, me and Peeni. We’ll look after him. Do something for the media. Do something for broadcasting, you useless National Party members. You’re a disgrace, but we support the bill. Kia ora, Mr Speaker.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Well, it was entertaining, if a little unprincipled, but we appreciate it, Mr Jackson; we do appreciate it. For the sake of those who are seeking to see the progressive side of the House hold the line on principles of not further allowing the pernicious, constant infiltration and presence and, you know, pervasive presence of advertising in all parts of our lives and existence, we will be voting against this bill.

Let’s be clear: the current legislation restricts broadcast television advertising on Sunday and Anzac mornings between 6 a.m. and noon, and both television and radio broadcast advertising on Christmas Day, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. Is there nothing left; is there nothing left? I mean, most of us only ever watch TV on a Christmas Day, so why would we not at least protect the purity of the actual day? Out of some decency, why would we not keep it advertising-free if there is such—and Willie Jackson’s absolutely right: public broadcasting in this country is sorely in need of proper funding and investment. But this piddling sop to the need for funding public broadcasting and the advertising agency is not the way to do it; it’s not the way to do it.

Believe it or not, one of my jobs shortly after leaving high school was that I worked in the advertising industry. I worked in the advertising industry and it always amazed me how, even after the 1987 share market crash, people would turn up and spend tens of thousands of dollars on advertising. Do you know why they spend all that money on it? It seems subtle to those of us in the community, but it actually has this very pervasive effect of working. Advertising sells products, many of which are products that we don’t need to be convinced we should be consuming more of, like alcohol, like fizzy drinks.

Now, the reason that the advertising industry is constantly pushing to have the right to be part of every single part of our lives is because it gets into our brains, it gets into our heads, it makes people buy products that they don’t need and don’t want and are not in our best interests. Let’s be honest, I mean, who does not prefer a day of not having to see advertising?

Todd Stephenson: Just turn it off.

STEVE ABEL: Yeah, that’s what we’re voting for: we’re voting for turning it off. We’re voting for advertising not being put on those last few days of the year where advertising is currently restricted. We’re voting to keep it that way—that we will ensure, on Anzac Day of all days, there is no advertising. We actually let it be the day it should be, of honouring those who lost their lives in those brutal colonial, imperial wars of the First World War, and protecting the public holiday of Christmas Day; and for some who are Christian and sacred, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. They should have their right to have those days remain sacred and free of advertising. We will be voting against this. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

In accordance with the determination of the Business Committee, the House is suspended. I will resume the chair at 9 a.m. tomorrow for the extended sitting to consider members’ orders of the day. Good night.

Debate interrupted.

Sitting suspended from 9.58 p.m. to 9 a.m. (Wednesday)