Murky website deal raises questions for Government

The Government needs to address serious concerns around a deal between the Ministry of Culture and Heritage and events website Eventfinder, Labour Associate Arts and Culture spokesperson Grant Robertson said.

"Just days before Christmas the Ministry of Culture and Heritage announced a public private partnership with Eventfinder to deliver cultural event information over the internet,” Grant Robertson said.

“The deal raises serious questions about public resources and money going to a private entity, when there are other providers in the same space,” Grant Robertson said.

“The spin at the time made the deal sound like an actual partnership which would protect the integrity of the Ministry and cultural providers who had used the NZLive.com. The reality is it’s not partnership at all. It is in fact a total handover to a private company.

"Anyone looking for NZLive.com now is redirected straight to the Eventfinder page. As such NZLive.com does not exist.

“This conflicts with advice given to the Ministry by Laurence Millar, the former Chief Information Officer for the New Zealand Government. His report, released under the Official Information Act, rejects the option to close down NZLive.com ‘because of the continuing need for government intervention to support cultural and tourism sector outcomes’.

“While some changes were needed with NZLive.com, and Mr Millar did favour a public/private partnership, it was clearly not one that saw NZLive.Com shutting down.

"It is difficult to get a proper understanding of the agreement with Eventfinder because The Minister of Culture and Heritage and the Ministry have refused to release details of their agreement claiming that it is still being negotiated. This is despite the announcement of an agreement in December.

“Both parties claim no money is changing hands, but the Chief Executive of the Ministry has said that two Ministry staff are working on material for the Eventfinder site. Understandably other websites who are in the business of promoting events are concerned that the taxpayer is effectively subsidising a private company to compete with them.

"The Minister must release details of the agreement with Eventfinder, and provide assurances that smaller cultural groups who found a voice on NZLive.com will continue to be promoted fairly on the commercially driven Eventfinder site. If a public/private partnership approach is to be pursued the Minister needs to ensure that other providers of cultural event information have equal access to material produced using taxpayer funding. " Grant Robertson said.

ENDS

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