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National | Auckland

Māori Television premises to stay in Auckland

Māori Television will remain in Auckland. This decision from the board after spending the past six month considering a number of proposals from interested parties in Rotorua, Hamilton and Auckland.

According to Māori Television CEO, Paora Maxwell, “Many of them are financial considerations the impact of key talent loss, retaining staff, recruitment of new staff, redundancy issues, cost of removal all of those things.”

Potential sites in Auckland are being considered by the board in South Auckland, West Auckland and at the current Newmarket premises.

“One of the other big factors is Māori community. We have Māori community of sorts in Tāmaki Makaurau and its felt that will be also one of the factors,” said Mr Maxwell.

Over the last six months, the Board of Māori Television has considered comprehensive proposals in Rotorua, Hamilton and Auckland.

Mr Maxwell says, “I would put it to anyone that 6 months to make this sort of decision is appropriate. It's important that all of the factors are considered when making such an important operational decision such as this.”

Meanwhile, Labour Party MP Clare Curran questions why a move outside of Auckland was considered in the first place.

She says, “What was the business case, what was the justification, what was the good sense in actually making that move out of the biggest market in New Zealand?”

Mr Maxwell, however, reiterated, “When you make decisions like this there are a whole range of considerations of why, a big matrix of considerations. Some of those are cultural but there are many other community industry infrastructure is another important consideration.  So now that we have made a very important decision around where we are not going, we can now further our work around exactly where in the great Auckland region Māori Television will be.”

A final decision on Māori Television's future location is expected early next year.