The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union hereby corrects its statements on a documentary about sitting Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick and its claim that the project is set to receive $220,000 of taxpayer money from NZ on Air. An anonymous ‘spokesperson’ for NZ on Air dismissed concerns about the funding and accused New Zealand’s largest transparency group of ‘misinformation’.

In fact, the correct amount is $219,999 and the funding was split across two agencies: $199,999 from NZ on Air for production and $20,000 from the Film Commission for “script development” of the “documentary”.

Further to this, Swarbrick was in 2020 the subject of OK Chlöe, a nine-minute short documentary by the same director/producer as the new project, released just two months before the election and funded by NZ on Air as part of a $171,000 grant for eight documentaries. She also features in an upcoming episode of Queer & Here, which NZ on Air gave $224,000.

Union spokesman Jordan Williams says, “The irony of NZ on Air trying to smear us with the ‘misinformation’ accusation when the very concerns raised are that NZ on Air’s governance and management has become politicised is not lost. They perfectly illustrate why so many New Zealanders have lost trust in the agency to fairly distribute ‘public interest journalism’ funds, and not play politics with public money.”

“We’ve been asking for NZ on Air to front and explain to taxpayers how this funding decision can be justified, and how taxpayer funding of a film about a sitting MP is consistent with NZ on Air’s claims to be politically neutral. We also want to put to the CEO how obvious conflicts of interest between NZ on Air personnel, political interests, and business interests are managed for funding decisions. These are reasonable questions, and should be business as usual for a CEO on more than $320,000. But they simply won’t front up.”

“Government funding of political propaganda is not the role of the state – especially when the agency responsible is governed by politically connected figures. The decision to both fund the Swarbrick documentary, and then to attack us for daring to ask questions, suggests a fundamental rot to the culture of professionalism and neutrality.”

“NZ on Air has a laundry list of personnel with ample experience in film, radio, politics, and the media. They should front up to explain their decision, and stop hiding behind unnamed ‘spokespeople’ throwing mud and labels like ‘misinformation’. It illustrates the very political behaviour NZ on Air claims does not exist or corrupt its decisions.”

More than a month prior to the Taxpayers’ Union learning of the Chlöe Swarbrick decision, the Taxpayers’ Union requested from NZ on Air its funding subcommittee memberships and Board members’ register of interests. The Film Commission is willing to provide this information within one working day. The NZ on Air request remains outstanding. When the Taxpayers’ Union pointed out that the information would be easily available in the monthly board packs, an NZ on Air communications staffer accused the Taxpayers’ Union of ‘harassment’.

“Something smells here,” says Mr Williams. “The job of the Taxpayers’ Union is to blow through some badly needed fresh air of transparency.”

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