REVEALED: TVNZ’s 60K Seasonal Soirées

The New Zealand Taxpayers Union can reveal through Official Information Act request the past two financial years has seen Television New Zealand blow $63,682.66 on Christmas parties.

Commenting on this, Taxpayers’ Union Communications Officer Alex Emes said:

“This year will be the litmus test for Chief Executive Jodi O’Donnell, who is now coming off the back of a year which saw TVNZ post a $85 million loss. Has the message got through, or will TVNZ carry on and be back asking for taxpayer handouts?

“In a year that has included programme failures and falling revenue, their current trajectory is only damaging public trust even further.

“Dividends for the taxpayers aren’t coming anytime soon, and NZ on Air cannot fund the entire organisation. Surely it’s time to get the risk of the taxpayers’ books and sell off the organisation altogether.”