CTU MEDIA RELEASE
BUDGET 2006
19 May 2006
ATTENTION: Maori Issues Reporters

Disappointment at Funding for Maori Development

The Council of Trade Unions Runanga is expressing disappointment with the lack of support for Maori development in Budget 2006.

“No new funding was allocated to Vote Maori Affairs. Instead the Minister of Maori Affairs has abandoned existing programmes in order to support the Maori Potential Framework, still under development,” said Sharon Clair, CTU Vice President Maori.

“Dr Cullen’s budget has reallocated money away from existing initiatives in Whanau development, local level solutions, direct resourcing, capacity assessment and building capacity in Maori communities.”

“The new funding appears to change the focus from building on the strengths, assets and needs of Whanau, hapu and iwi, towards purchasing partnered interventions, tools and investigative studies to strengthen Maori leadership, governance and management,” she said.

“What will happen to all those capacity building initiatives at a local Maori community level? How will Whanau, hapu and iwi progress existing initiatives?”

“The CTU Runanga supports the Maori Potential Framework, particularly Whanau development, however new funding should have come in to resource the Framework, rather than cutting funding from existing programmes where they were proving successful,” said Ms Clair.

ENDS

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