Finally co-operation not taxpayer funded competition

The Herald reports:

Prime Minister John Key has intervened in the rugby television rights row, issuing a directive that Maori TV will be the lead bidder.

In a major u-turn for the Government, Mr Key’s directive means the competing TVNZ bid backed by Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman will be taken off the table.

Mr Key and Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples today said Maori TV, TVNZ and TV3 were meeting in Auckland this afternoon to sort out the bid.

This sounds greatly preferable than having rival taxpayer-funded bids ratcheting the price up. A pity it has taken Prime Ministerial involvement to bring this about – it should have never gotten to this stage in the first place.