April 13, 2021
No Whanau Ora funds for Maori Party
Government ministers say they are confident no taxpayer money was included in donations to the Māori Party that have been referred to police.
The Electoral Commission referred the three donations totalling about $320,000 because they were not declared within 10 days of being received, as is required for sums over $30,000.
They include almost $50,000 from National Urban Māori Authority, a charity that brings together Hamilton’s Te Kohao Health, Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust, Manukau Urban Māori Authority and Te Roopu Awhina ki Porirua.
Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson, who chaired NUMA until 2017, says the authority does not receive Whānau Ora money on its own behalf but distributes contracts among members.
Whānau Ora Minister Peeni Henare says Whānau Ora fund have gone where they are supposed to, and he is confident none has ended up with the Māori Party.
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