Post by Kiwi Frontline on Jun 7, 2024 6:01:11 GMT 12
BUDGET REVIEW - Dr Muriel Newman.
Predictably, some of the strongest criticism was from separatists who claimed the Budget had nothing in it for Maori.
That, of course, is a lie – as is much of their rhetoric.
For a Government that pledged in their coalition agreements “to improve outcomes for all New Zealanders, and not advance policies that seek to ascribe different rights and responsibilities to New Zealanders on the basis of their race or ancestry”, far too many race-based initiatives are still being funded in Budget 2024.
The Coalition has given Te Matatini, which received $34 million over two years from Labour’s 2023 Budget for a regional kapa haka programme, a further $48.7 million over three years from 2025.
Their funding for Matariki events amounts to $3 million a year.
The Bilingual Towns and Cities Programme has been given $400,000 a year for anyone interested in adopting bilingual or te reo signage.
The $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund to invest in infrastructure with a focus on economic and climate resilience over the next three years is expected to benefit iwi throughout the regions.
The Maori Development Portfolio has received more than half a billion dollars in funding. That includes over $142 million to promote Maori language and culture, $64 million for Maori wellbeing, $56 million to improve Maori housing, $48 million to assist Maori to meet their aspirations, and $10 million to support Maori Tourism.
Whanau Ora – the quasi-government agency developed with iwi leaders to operate outside of the system of government accountability so the Auditor General is unable to monitor the spending of public money by Commissioning Agencies – received just over $182.3 million, up from $181.7 million last year.
The Office of Maori Crown Relations, Te Arawhiti, another agency set up with iwi leaders – to drive He Puapua and indoctrinate the Public and private sectors with a ‘Maori World View’ – will receive $42 million, only slightly down on last year’s $46 million.
This agency, which is also responsible for managing the Marine and Coastal Area Act claims process, hit the news last month for failing to administer claimant funding within budget. Each of the 585 applicants who have lodged customary title claims for New Zealand’s coastline are entitled to taxpayer funding of up to $458,000 for their cases. With so many opportunistic claimants and their armies of lawyers, it’s not surprising that the budget has been fully consumed. One upcoming hearing has so many participants it is expected to cost more than $16 million alone!
To sort out the financial mess, the Government has provided a one-off Budget appropriation of $17 million to pay outstanding bills. Going forward, the annual appropriation for funding all costs associated with the claims process has been capped at $12 million.
Does that sound like a Budget that had nothing in it for Maori?
In fact, the Budget bent over backwards accommodating Maori. A fair criticism is that it has done too much. For example, why should taxpayers be paying the legal fees of tribal groups who are claiming title to our coast, when the financial rewards for successful claims are massive?
And why aren’t the iwi who have become mega rich on the back of taxpayer paid settlements doing more to fund initiatives to help “their people” – or is it a matter of them keeping their hands in their pockets so taxpayers will keep on paying?.....
www.nzcpr.com/budget-review/
Predictably, some of the strongest criticism was from separatists who claimed the Budget had nothing in it for Maori.
That, of course, is a lie – as is much of their rhetoric.
For a Government that pledged in their coalition agreements “to improve outcomes for all New Zealanders, and not advance policies that seek to ascribe different rights and responsibilities to New Zealanders on the basis of their race or ancestry”, far too many race-based initiatives are still being funded in Budget 2024.
The Coalition has given Te Matatini, which received $34 million over two years from Labour’s 2023 Budget for a regional kapa haka programme, a further $48.7 million over three years from 2025.
Their funding for Matariki events amounts to $3 million a year.
The Bilingual Towns and Cities Programme has been given $400,000 a year for anyone interested in adopting bilingual or te reo signage.
The $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund to invest in infrastructure with a focus on economic and climate resilience over the next three years is expected to benefit iwi throughout the regions.
The Maori Development Portfolio has received more than half a billion dollars in funding. That includes over $142 million to promote Maori language and culture, $64 million for Maori wellbeing, $56 million to improve Maori housing, $48 million to assist Maori to meet their aspirations, and $10 million to support Maori Tourism.
Whanau Ora – the quasi-government agency developed with iwi leaders to operate outside of the system of government accountability so the Auditor General is unable to monitor the spending of public money by Commissioning Agencies – received just over $182.3 million, up from $181.7 million last year.
The Office of Maori Crown Relations, Te Arawhiti, another agency set up with iwi leaders – to drive He Puapua and indoctrinate the Public and private sectors with a ‘Maori World View’ – will receive $42 million, only slightly down on last year’s $46 million.
This agency, which is also responsible for managing the Marine and Coastal Area Act claims process, hit the news last month for failing to administer claimant funding within budget. Each of the 585 applicants who have lodged customary title claims for New Zealand’s coastline are entitled to taxpayer funding of up to $458,000 for their cases. With so many opportunistic claimants and their armies of lawyers, it’s not surprising that the budget has been fully consumed. One upcoming hearing has so many participants it is expected to cost more than $16 million alone!
To sort out the financial mess, the Government has provided a one-off Budget appropriation of $17 million to pay outstanding bills. Going forward, the annual appropriation for funding all costs associated with the claims process has been capped at $12 million.
Does that sound like a Budget that had nothing in it for Maori?
In fact, the Budget bent over backwards accommodating Maori. A fair criticism is that it has done too much. For example, why should taxpayers be paying the legal fees of tribal groups who are claiming title to our coast, when the financial rewards for successful claims are massive?
And why aren’t the iwi who have become mega rich on the back of taxpayer paid settlements doing more to fund initiatives to help “their people” – or is it a matter of them keeping their hands in their pockets so taxpayers will keep on paying?.....
www.nzcpr.com/budget-review/