Audit Follow-up Report on Financial Management by Te Mangai Paho

Communications Minister, Maurice Williamson has welcomed the report by the Controller and Auditor General on Te Mangai Paho (TMP).

The report focussed on the extent to which Te Mangai Paho and the Ministry of Commerce had responded to the
recommendations which were made following Audits 1995 inquiry into Te Mangai Pahos financial management.

This is the usual follow-up report made by the Controller and Auditor General following an inquiry and is a normal part of arrangements for ensuring sound financial practices within Government.

The Minister says the funding provided by TMP to Aotearoa Television Network fell squarely with TMPs statutory funding powers.

The Minister say he is pleased to note that the recommendations of that report had been addressed, with the exception of one relating to the classification of administration expenses.

The Controller and Auditor General also suggested that a clearer statutory definition of TMPs powers could assist it in carrying out its functions and that responsibilities for monitoring could be classified.

Mr Williamson says these and all other matters raised in the report will be addressed.

I will ask Te Mangai Paho to examine those matters which fall within its own procedures and ask my officials to examine the legislative changes suggested by the Controller and Auditor General. As well, I expect that the issues raised will be considered in conjunction with the review of TMP proposed in the Coalition Agreement.

Arrangements for that review will be considered by the Government in the context of decisions about the future policy for Maori broadcasting, which Ministers have already indicated they expect to make in mid 1997."