Cabinet to rule on Bridges’ media role
A recommendation for former National Party leader Simon Bridges to chair the board of the merged TVNZ-RNZ public media entity is set to go before a Cabinet committee next week, the NZ Herald understands.
However, the proposal being put forward by Broadcasting Minister Willie Jackson could end up being scotched at that point by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Finance Minister Grant Robertson.
The Herald was told both Ardern and Robertson have concerns about putting a former politician of any stripe into key positions on the board of the merged company, which comes into being in March 2023.
The appointment has to get through the Cabinet appointments and honours committee before going to a full Cabinet.
Ardern chairs that committee, which considers significant Government appointments and is expected to consider Bridges next week.
There are concerns among some ministers about any move that gives rise to a perception of political interference in the new model.
It is understood Jackson is pushing for Bridges to get the role partly to puncture National’s criticisms of the planned merger, which will take effect from March. Bridges left Parliament in May to take up a role as chief executive of the Auckland Business Chamber.
Jackson’s proposal also has former NZ First MP Tracey Martin as the deputy chair — Martin is the chair of the Establishment Board which is putting the merger into place.
The law change for that is still in select committee, which is due to report back in late January.
Under the change, from March 1, 2023, the staff and assets of RNZ and TVNZ will form Aotearoa New Zealand Public Media (ANZPM). Details on how it will operate are still scant.
Bridges has so far not responded to requests for comment on the issue, but it is understood he has done interviews for it. Another former National MP, Chris Finlayson, is also understood to have been approached but had no interest in it.
National vigorously opposes the merger, saying it is a waste of money and raising concerns about the risk of political interference in the new entity. — NZ Herald