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Green’s co-leader James Shaw has apologized for the decision to award $ 11.7 million in public funds to the private Green School in Taranaki.
He said that if he had another chance he would not support the project.
The money comes from the government’s $ 3 billion fund for “shovel-ready” infrastructure, which was seeking dozens of projects to start stimulating the economy.
The funding outraged many Taranaki public schools, frustrated by the lack of public funds given to them. It also infuriated many members of the Green Party, as the party has a policy to phase out public funding for private schools.
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* The green school decision is a symptom of a broader problem
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“The decision I made to support this project was an error in judgment, for which I apologize. “If I made the same decision again, I would not support this project,” Shaw said.
Shaw said admitting he made the wrong decision had been difficult.
“As a politician, admitting you were wrong is one of the hardest things to do. We are expected to be infallible. So much so that we can forget that people prefer their leaders to be honest and compassionate.
“Becoming a minister means being willing to question your decisions in public and, if necessary, correct them,” Shaw said.
ROBERT KITCHEN / Things
Green co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson hold an apology press conference in Parliament for the $ 11 million funding for a “green” school in New Plymouth.
But it seems that it will be difficult to correct the decision.
Shaw said the Green School had approached the government to find a solution, but that he would stay out of any negotiations because it would be appropriate for a minister to intervene.
“These discussions can take time, and regardless of what you think of the process, ministers cannot insert themselves into trade negotiations,” Shaw said.
He said the best thing that could happen now would be for the financing to become a loan.
“My personal opinion is that the best way to do this is for the support for the Green School to come in the form of a loan, rather than a grant. That would ensure that the money is returned in full, “Shaw said.
National leader Judith Collins said she would back out of any agreement to fund the school unless an actual contract had been signed.
Shaw said he wasn’t sure how far a settlement with the school had gone.
“I don’t know exactly why ministers don’t get involved in those negotiations, but we only make an announcement about one of those projects when it is advanced enough to happen,” Shaw said.
Shaw had previously apologized to members of the Green Party on a Zoom call on Friday night.
He admitted that there had been conflicting advice on the Green School project. The government’s infrastructure benchmark group gave it a high rating, “a 4.2 or 4.3 out of 5,” according to Shaw.
But the Treasury did not endorse it. RNZ has reported that this is because the school does not have a “complete private school record” and is unlikely to get it until the middle of next year.
“We believe it would be inappropriate to advertise or provide government funding for a project that does not yet have the necessary educational approvals,” says the council.
