Maurice Williamson National Research Science & Technology Spokesperson
23 November 2000
Gap between spin and reality gets clearer
Despite the Government's rhetoric it is becoming even clearer that the Closing the Gaps policy is aimed solely at Maori,
National's Research Science & Technology Spokesperson Maurice Williamson said today.
Mr Williamson was commenting after the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Research Science and Technology appeared
before the Education and Science Select Committee meeting today.
"I asked the Chief Executive of MORST if he had been given a new brief by the Government in terms of targeting its
Closing the Gaps programmes.
"Dr James Buwalda told the committee that MORST is working to the original brief from the Labour-Alliance Government
that Closing the Gaps programmes are to be targeted at Maori. It has been given no instruction to do otherwise.
"I had earlier asked for written responses to the select committee from MORST. Not one of my questions on the
implementation of Closing the Gaps programmes mentioned Maori, yet every sentence of the Ministry's response related to
programmes targeted at Maori.
"The Government's latest spin that its Closing the Gaps policy is wider than that just doesn't wash. Today's admission
from MORST comes after officials from the State Services Commission, Te Puni Kokiri and Child Youth and Family confirmed
that they are still working to the original brief targeted exclusively at Maori," Mr Williamson said.
Ends