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National leader Judith Collins says a funding increase of nearly $ 100 million for marae updates, announced today by the government, is “on the verge of very unreliable behavior.”
Jacinda Ardern – Judith Collins. Proceedings. Source: 1 NEWS
With the election just eight days away, with more than half a million people already voting as of yesterday afternoon, Collins said the joint announcement by NZ First’s Shane Jones and Labor’s Nanaia Mahuta shouldn’t be happening.
“A total of 351 marae nationwide will receive much-needed updates, while more than 3,100 local jobs will be created through this investment totaling $ 96.5 million,” Jones said in the announcement.
“It also means that about $ 100 million will leak into communities, through wages and into local companies that supply building materials and accessories.”
The government statement said this funding was intended for marae improvements in May. In that statement, he claims that up to $ 70 million was set aside for improvements to marae, town halls, Pasifika churches and war memorials.
“The large number of marae applications we received not only met the criteria for the renovation program, but also met the Government’s $ 100 million Worker Redistribution allocation, so they were funded by both,” he said. Jones.
“Many marae are in dire need of repair and maintenance, as are other community facilities, and this funding is realistically the only financial investment some of them will receive,” Mahuta said.
Collins said Labor leader Jacinda Ardern “should not allow this.”
“Presumably Jacinda Ardern knows this and Grant Robertson is signing it on behalf of Shane Jones, he’s extraordinarily arrogant but worse than that, he’s on the brink of system corruption.”
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The New Zealand prime minister said it was not “unconstitutional” or “the work of a political scoundrel.” Source: 1 NEWS
Ardern said today that this is a reallocation of funds that was decided “some time ago as part of the Covid recovery” after being asked if it was appropriate.
He said there is a view that part of the provincial growth fund should be used to create jobs “quickly, get people to work and do it across the country.”
“What we have done is continue to implement out-of-the-box projects as part of the Covid recovery.”
On Collins’ accusation of being unreliable, Ardern said that “would be calling into question many previous campaigns of the National Government, where they have continued with the Government operation at the same time.
Jones also responded to Collins’ comments, calling them “not the act of a political scoundrel” but rather a “constitutionally mandated minister who remains a minister until Election Day.”
“Investment, employment and cash flow in New Zealand’s rural economy are absolutely important, and it is not correct to say that this is somehow unconstitutional,” he said.
“It is the work of a minister who is complying with the final segments of the Provincial Growth Fund.”
The funds will go to a variety of marae in New Zealand, with 77 in the Bay of Plenty and 59 on the East Coast the largest beneficiaries, along with 34 marae in Northland.
Jones is the NZ First electorate candidate for Northland – the seat is a lifesaver for the party, languishing below the parliamentary threshold in recent polls.
“Honestly, the voting has already started,” Collins said. “Spending money in one last attempt to win a seat like that is on the verge of very dubious behavior, it is totally unacceptable.”
“What it does show is absolute desperation in doing that at a time when the polls are open and people are already voting. It’s very bad.”
