The Leadership of MTS Lied

MANA leader and Tai Tokerau MP, Hone Harawira

Tuesday 16th September

"Normally I'm happy to tell people that I was right but when I received the news about the staff cuts at Maori Television, I had nothing but sympathy for the three Maori media leaders who are going to be made to fight for the one job" said MANA leader and Tai Tokerau MP, Hone Harawira. "Over the past two weeks, the Chair of Maori Television, Georgina Te Heuheu, Maori Television, CEO Paora Maxwell, and the leadership of the Maori Party have told the public that I was wrong regarding the proposed changes at MTS. It is now obvious that they lied and that two people that went for the CEO's job are going to be made to scrap it out in a three-way race for the newly created position, Head of Production and Programming", said Harawira.

"I remind the public that the leadership of MTS made an undertaking that the News and Current Affairs Division would remain untouched and that no staff would loose their job. Now it is public knowledge that the Head of News and Current Affairs, Julian Wilcox, will have his position disestablished, as will Carol Hirschfield, the Head of Production. Who else is on the chopping block at MTS? Will other staff lose their job? Why is the CEO getting rid of two talented Maori who have had long broadcasting careers? Why are these changes being announced within one week of the election?"

"Again I urge Dr Pita Sharples to intervene and stop these changes. If he doesn't then I stand by my comments that the current changes within MTS are politically charged and being led by the former National MP and Chair of the MTS Board, Georgina Te Heuheu, and current Co-Vice President of the Maori Party and MTS Board Member, Donna Gardiner. MTS is a vitally important service for our people and should be free of political interference; the decision to disestablish three positions of their Executive Team and having them to apply for the one job will greatly diminish the service they current provide."

ENDS

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