TVNZ - Privileges Committee Interim Report on evidence by TVNZ Chief Executive
SUE KEDGLEY (Green): The Green Party strongly supports this report. I was able to participate in some of the Privileges Committee discussions on this issue, and I found them to be most illuminating. Some people are probably wondering what all the fuss is about, and why the New Zealand Parliament is so exercised about Ian Fraser's row with Television New Zealand (TVNZ). The answer is that important issues about our Parliament and the way it operates are at stake here.
The most important of those issues, in the Green Party's view, is the issue of freedom of speech. The right to freedom of speech in Parliament, including that right for submitters who appear before select committees, is a very ancient and important right at the heart of our democracy. Let us face it — without freedom of speech in our Parliament, we would not have a functioning democracy. So it is vital for the health of our democracy that we jealously protect freedom of speech in Parliament, in this House, and for all witnesses who appear before our select committees. That is why we have taken this issue so seriously. If witnesses appearing before Parliament are not able to express their views freely and without fear of punishment or retribution, Parliament ultimately would not be able to hold Government, and Government corporations and departments, to account.
In the Green Party's view, TVNZ's behaviour, in punishing a witness who gave evidence it did not like before a select committee inquiry, amounted not only to contempt of Parliament but also to an attack on freedom of speech. The fact is that if TVNZ took exception to Mr Fraser's comments, which it obviously did, it could have used the natural justice provisions that exist in our Parliament, and it ought to have asked to make a further submission rebutting Mr Fraser's issues, point by point. What it should not have done was turn to the employee and punish that employee for his remarks. I think that if we had allowed TVNZ's behaviour in this instance to go unchecked, it would have had a chilling effect on freedom of speech, and on the behaviour or willingness of witnesses appearing before select committees to tell the truth. Basically, why would witnesses be prepared to appear before a select committee and give their honest opinions and views, if they felt they could be sacked or punished by their employer for doing so? I therefore think that it was very important the Privileges Committee took a strong stance on this view and found that TVNZ had committed contempt of the House.
The Green Party strongly supports the punishments. We do not think they are excessive. They send a message but they are not over-the-top. We hope that the Privileges Committee report on its actions will send a very, very clear message to witnesses appearing before select committees, and also to Government departments and organisations, that any attempt to intimidate, disadvantage, or hinder a witness from giving evidence, or to otherwise undermine their freedom of speech, will not be tolerated by this House.
It is great that the Privileges Committee has ruled unanimously on this matter, but I think there are other matters that we need to turn to in terms of our ability to hold Government to account. I was surprised to learn while on the Privileges Committee that our Parliament and select committees cannot request a Minister to appear before a select committee and answer questions we may have in relation to that committee. I think we need to look at the ability to hold Ministers and the Crown to account, as well as the ability to protect witnesses who appear before us. The Health Committee has asked a Minister to appear before it on a certain matter. So far the Minister has failed to do so, and I believe we need to look at that matter, along with our finding here today. It is a matter of being able to hold Government to account.
In conclusion, we believe we are upholding an extremely important issue — that of freedom of speech. That is why we have taken this issue so seriously, and why we have so strongly supported the unanimous committee report on the matter.