McCully Murray: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
McCully Murray: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 10 June 2003. Volume:609;Page:6057. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
8.  
Hon MURRAY McCULLY (NZ National—East Coast Bays) 
 to the  
Minister of Maori Affairs 
: What has been the total expenditure on capacity building capacity assessment and local level solutions grants by Te Puni Kokiri since the commencement of the programme formerly known as closing the gaps and now referred to as reducing inequalities and how has this contributed towards building what he has referred to as “the strategy structure systems and skills of whanau hapu iwi Maori organisations and Maori communities to control and develop their own developing and to achieve their own objectives”? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 I am advised that between 1 July 2000 and 21 May 2003 $6 million has been spent on capacity assessment $17 million on capacity building and $5 million on local-level solutions. This has contributed directly to Maori developing their own initiatives to achieve their own objectives. 
Hon Murray McCully 
: Can he explain how a capacity-building grant made to the Kaiti Skate Club in his own electorate for the purchase of sausages speed cream holographic stickers and something called monkey nuts as well as giving the club a koha and paying a facilitation fee is likely to result in the building of Maori capacity? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: I can assure that person that I did not indulge in the monkey nuts or the sausages and I was not aware that that is what the grant was for. But can I say there are specific cases—and there have been 2800 initiatives—that have been funded through this process; and there are a whole lot of good examples. 
Dave Hereora 
: What are some key achievements for this Government in terms of whanau hapu iwi and Maori development? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: There have been many achievements. Since 1999 there has been a reduction in the rate of Maori unemployment from 18 percent to 10.5 percent; an increase in the proportion of participation of Maori in early childhood education; an increase in Maori teachers; a major reduction in the suspension of Maori students from school and this is accelerating faster than is the case with non-Maori students; and improvements to access by Maori to better housing and health care. The list goes on and on. However when the member opposite was in Government he did nothing. 
Hon Brian Donnelly 
: Can the Minister confirm that the money for Maori capacity-building was first appropriated through the 1999 Budget as a $15 million sop to Tau Henare and his Mauri Pacific lot and that when Labour took office not only was the money untouched but no decisions had been made on how that money was to be spent? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: No I cannot. 
Hon Murray McCully 
: Could the Minister tell the House how funding a trip to the South Island for kuia and kaumatua with the objective of providing “a range of mentally and socially stimulating activities with recreational therapeutic benefits for the elderly” could possibly qualify for a capacity assessment grant and how this has contributed to building Maori capacity? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: I am unaware of that but I am more than certain that I will come back with the information. [ 
Interruption 
] There have been 2800 grants made. 
Hon Murray McCully 
: I seek leave of the House to table two documents both having been released by the office of the Minister of Maori Affairs under the Official Information Act containing the relevant grants. 
One document by leave laid on the Table of the House.