Paraone Pita: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Paraone Pita: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:645;Page:14251] 
6.  
PITA PARAONE (NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister of Maori Affairs 
: What progress can he report on increasing the capacity and capability of Maori wardens since Budget 2007? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 The increase in funding to Maori wardens has allowed for greater focus on the tasks at hand and has complemented the training that has been delivered to date. There has been an increase in the overall number of Maori wardens which now stands at 530. In addition the provision of police vehicles to enable wardens to travel to carry out their duties has been seen as good support and has provided real benefits to many communities across Aotearoa New Zealand. 
Pita Paraone 
: Is he satisfied that previous impediments to the granting of funding have been resolved and can he reassure the House that the additional funding is in fact improving the services provided by the Maori wardens? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: I can most certainly guarantee that and the role that they are playing is spread around the country. Just recently 65 of them were at Waitangi and they were at all the great celebrations of Waitangi Day around the country. They are everywhere. 
Pita Paraone 
: Can the Minister make a further comment about the contribution made by the Maori wardens at Waitangi last week where in excess of 46000 people were in attendance to commemorate the 168th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: They certainly managed a good flow of traffic and helped people who needed to find their way and they certainly looked after everybody who was there. They also serviced all the other celebrations around the country. 
Pita Paraone 
: Can the Minister confirm that the additional $2.5 million secured in Budget 2007 and the further funding for 2008 and beyond to increase the capacity and capability of the Maori wardens are among the many achievements secured through New Zealand First’s confidence and supply agreement with the Government? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: It is certainly a partnership to be celebrated and I thank that member and his party most wholeheartedly on behalf of all our communities and the Maori wardens. 
Dr Pita Sharples 
: I seek leave to ask an additional question. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 
Dr Pita Sharples 
: What is the actual operational relationship between the New Zealand Police and the Maori wardens and have any concerns been raised with the Minister about that relationship? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: There are certain perceptions in the sense of those issues and strains in the urban areas—and that member knows that—but the police are certainly working in partnership with the Maori wardens and I welcome that. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: With reference to the $2.5 million of funding mentioned by my colleague Pita Paraone that is just the beginning is it not of a much more substantial investment in the Maori wardens in the future to bring them up to date in terms of their equipment and training in the 21st century? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: There are several ways that we support the wardens and in part that is right. As for training 94 people have been trained by the police and Maori communities and we will head towards 200 in the next 5 months. Kia ora.