Gerry Brownlee MP
National Party Maori Affairs Spokesman
11 August 2005
Taxpayer money for surfing
National Party Maori Affairs spokesman Gerry Brownlee wants to know whether Parekura Horomia plans to fund more Maori
surfing with taxpayer money.
“Should scarce Te Puni Kokiri money be spent on surfing? Most taxpayers would say no.”
Mr Brownlee is commenting after Parekura Horomia confirmed that Te Puni Kokiri provided funding from the Whanau
Development - Sport and Culture Fund, to assist in training coaches, judges and other surfing officials.
“Given Labour’s track record with this Ministry, I can almost guarantee there will be no critical analysis to find out
whether the money was well spent.
“The size of the funding is irrelevant. What is relevant is whether taxpayers think funding for Maori surfers is part of
Te Puni Kokiri’s core business.
“Clearly it is not,” says Mr Brownlee.
ENDS