Hide Rodney: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Hide Rodney: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:607;Page:4337] 
12.  
RODNEY HIDE (ACT NZ) 
 to the  
Minister of Maori Affairs 
: Did funding from Te Puni Kokiri cover the cost of attendance of any of Hon Dover Samuels’ past or present staff at the awards dinner hosted by Maori Sportscasting International on 6 July 2002 and on what date did Te Puni Kokiri discover that over half of its capacity building grant was spent on the awards dinner alcohol and a band? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 I understand that a past and present staff member with the Hon Dover Samuels did attend the awards dinner. I am advised by Te Puni Kokiri that the original application of June 2002 from Maori Sportscasting International Ltd did identify that a dinner and awards ceremony would be held. 
Rodney Hide 
: Can he confirm then in light of his answer that over half of the $10000 capacity-building grant was spent on an old-fashioned Labour Party booze-up for John Tamihere Dover Samuels their partners this Minister’s executive assistant Gail Parata Dover Samuels’ campaign manager Mr Shane Te Pou and his present private secretary Mr Daniel Phillips; and can he also confirm that under the contract Te Puni Kokiri can demand the money back because the awards dinner was not in the schedule of that contract? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Those people did attend the awards and in relation to the application I understand that it was not there. But I am more than happy to recheck that and come back to that member. 
Dianne Yates 
: Is the Minister satisfied that a significant proportion of the funding provided by Te Puni Kokiri went to the organisation and running of an awards dinner? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: No as I said earlier and I have expressed my concern in writing to the chief executive of Te Puni Kokiri. 
Katherine Rich 
: Does he think this contract is explicit enough to ensure capacity is built when the contract’s first deliverable for which $8000 was paid simply required Maori Sportscasting International to sign the agreement; the second deliverable for $1000 was to hold the training course; and the third and final deliverable for another $1000 was to write an evaluation report; and where in these deliverables was the $5400 for a boozy nosh-up? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Some of the questioners seem to be hung up on the boozy nosh-up. But as I told that person and showed the report it is in detail there in the sense of the evaluation and the summaries of what happened in a weekend when people attended in their private time. 
Rodney Hide 
: What sort of signal does he think it sends up-and-coming Maori that one of the awards paid for by Te Puni Kokiri and awarded by Mr Hemana Waaka was for having the brains of a sheep and does he approve of such an award paid for by Te Puni Kokiri? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: That question sounds a bit woolly headed to me. Of course I do not agree on that sort of activity. How silly! 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am not sure whether the Minister addressed the question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I am. Please be seated. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order again Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I specifically heard him do so. I listened carefully to see whether he did and he did. 
Rodney Hide 
: I seek leave to table the contract between Te Puni Kokiri and Maori Sportscasting International that shows no mention of any dinner. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.