Hide Rodney: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Hide Rodney: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:607;Page:4201] 
10.  
RODNEY HIDE (ACT NZ) 
 to the  
Minister of Maori Affairs 
: When Te Puni Kokiri granted $10000 to Maori Sports Casting International for a training wananga for 14 sportscasters on 6 and 7 July 2002 did it know and approve $5400 of that money being spent on an awards ceremony and dinner for 50 guests on 6 July; if not why not? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 Yes. 
Rodney Hide 
: Does this Minister believe it is acceptable that over half of the taxpayers’ money granted to train 14 sportscasters was spent on a dinner—an old-fashioned booze-up with a band—for 50 guests including two Labour MPs seeking re-election one of whom wore a Labour Party rosette and gave a campaign speech; if so how does this Minister justify that use of taxpayers’ money? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: No and my concerns have been communicated to the chief executive of Te Puni Kokiri. Can I tell that member that my colleagues receive many invitations to attend a range of events and I am certain that that member at that time attended a whole lot of similar events. On this occasion both members attended the event just as many others in the House including the member would have attended similar functions at that time. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: Point of order— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That answer was too long and there were points in it that were not necessary to complete the sense of the answer. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. That was not the point of order I was seeking to raise. I had no objection to the length of the answer. My point is that we asked the question of the Minister but because of noise from his colleagues I had no idea what the answer was. I do not know what justification he is giving for spending $5400 on a piss-up. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member knows that I will not have language like that used in the House. There are certain levels of decorum and that exceeds them. The member will stand and withdraw that comment. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: I withdraw and apologise—it was $5400 spent on a “very good evening”. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I heard the answer to the question. 
Hon Murray McCully 
: Given that tens of millions of dollars have been given away in grants by Te Puni Kokiri over the past 3 years and that there has been no monitoring or evaluation of those grants is it not the case that the Minister has no idea how much money has been given away by his department to fund booze-ups in election year to be attended by Labour Party politicians; and if that is the case what is he doing to find out about it? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The first two questions can be commented on. 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: I offer to that member to journey with me to the ministry to peruse the compilation of both the audits that have been run on performances by other ministries that this Government has funded over a whole range of activities in relation to capacity building. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. We have all endeavoured to understand the answer to the question that Mr McCully asked of the Minister but that answer had nothing whatsoever to do with the question. Words like “compilation” or “computerisation” might sound impressive in his circles but it does not help this House at all. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I understood what the Minister was saying in relation to that question. 
Ron Mark 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I seek your assistance in gaining some clarification from the Minister. Is what he said actually “bureau-speak” for another invitation to another booze-up? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member knows that he is trifling with the House. [ 
Interruption 
] Does the member want to leave the House? He is going the right way about it. I do not want that sort of frivolity. 
Mahara Okeroa 
: My question to the Minister of Maori Affairs is a good question—[ 
Interruption 
] It is. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member knows that is out of order and if any comment like that is made again the member will not be asking the question. Just ask the question. 
Mahara Okeroa 
: Does the Minister consider that investing in training for Maori language broadcasting is important? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Yes I do. [ 
Interruption 
] In 2001—hang on; I have not finished the answer. In 2001 some 245000— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The question was answered. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister having told us the answer is yes is perfectly entitled to let us know why. As it has cost so much to the taxpayer I think we are entitled to hear the answer. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: If the Minister wants to give a brief comment I will allow that. 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Yes I do. In 2001 some 245000 Maori adults had access to a Maori radio station. Nearly 73 percent of these people listened to a Maori radio station. It is a very very important medium. 
Rodney Hide 
: Given that this booze-up was hosted by Mr Hemana Waaka of Maori Sports Casting funded by Te Mangai Paho to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars a year does this Minister still have complete confidence in the head of Te Mangai Paho Mr Trevor Moeke who as a man in the communications business with Maori around the country apparently—and he would lead us to believe this—did not know what countless other Maori including this Minister knew that is that his manager Mr Tame Te Rangi was a convicted fraudster; and if Mr Moeke does share his confidence— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is sufficiently long. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No I am not having a point of order on that. The member has had a long question and he has had two parts to it. That is sufficient. 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: There was no such event for hundreds of thousands of dollars held by Mr Hemana Waaka and most certainly if members read the press release there is a review of both the processes and the activities around this whole incident. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question was asking the Minister whether he had confidence in Mr Trevor Moeke and I note that the Minister did not address that question. In fact he refused to express confidence in him. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member can say what he likes but the Minister did address the question.