TVNZ spends $592,000 on merger

TVNZ has spent almost $600,000 on the proposed merger with RNZ – which may yet be cancelled should National succeed in the 2023 election.

The state television broadcaster released documents under the Official Information Act that showed it had incurred costs of $592,424 on the merger between March 1 and October 31.

An accompanying statement from TVNZ said the costs included: ‘‘backfilling for existing TVNZ employees focusing on the project, contractors and consultants specifically hired for the project (including external legal and financial advice), and travel costs’’.

Of the 35 TVNZ employees involved with the project in some way, three were ‘‘dedicated fulltime’’, the statement said. In addition, five external contractors or consultants were engaged by TVNZ in this period to work specifically on the project.

‘‘These are a mix of part-time and full-time roles, and cover policy advice, communications (as parental leave cover), finance and project management.’’

One of those external contractors is Brent Webling, TVNZ chief executive Simon Power’s former Parliamentary press secretary.

TVNZ said Webling had been providing media relations services for TVNZ on the new public media entity project on a consulting basis since April.

‘‘TVNZ did not have communications resource for both its daily work as well as this project, nor did it have communications personnel based in Wellington, and so Mr Webling’s expertise was sought on a short term basis.’’

Despite previously serving under Power during his time as a

National Party Cabinet minister, TVNZ said Webling was recruited by TVNZ’s director of corporate affairs Brent McAnulty. The role was not advertised.

Webling has been working for TVNZ ‘‘up to 20 hours per week’’. TVNZ refused to reveal what he is being paid, saying: ‘‘Any rate is commercially sensitive to Mr Webling’s business.’’

TVNZ advised Stuff some of its incurred costs were eligible for reimbursement by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

Stuff has also gone to RNZ for information on the amount it has invested in the merger process.

A bill to merge the two state broadcasters had been making its way through Parliament since June, with the Government hoping to have the legislation passed early next year. Former Broadcasting Minister Kris Faafoi said the merger could be complete by July 2023.

National Party broadcasting spokesperson Melissa Lee vowed to cancel the merger during a Newshub Nation interview in October, saying she was convinced it would be bad for media and freedom of the press. But she later said such a move would depend on how costly cancellation might be.