Kohanga Reo Probe A Complete Whitewash
19 MARCH 2014
Responding to last night’s release of the independent audit into Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust, Jordan Williams,
Executive Director of the Taxpayers’ Unionsays:
“The late night press conference and mischaracterisation of the report by the Ministers is shameful. The Ernst Young
review did not even look at the key allegations at Te Pataka Ohanga. It’s not vindication, it’s a whitewash.”
“The key allegation that public money, meant for teaching kids, was used for dresses, fuel and cash withdrawals, was
ignored.”
“The fact that the alleged misappropriation occurred within a subsidiary company and not Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust
is irrelevant. What other publicly funded entity can avoid audit scrutiny by simply creating a subsidiary company? If
this attitude was the norm, the public audit process would be meaningless.”
“The characterisation by Hekia Parata that the Trust's commercial arm does not receive taxpayer funding is cute. TPO
provides support to individual kōhanga reo and receives funding via them."
“Instead of getting to the bottom of the allegations, Hekia Parata and Dr Pita Sharples have chosen to turn a blind eye
to what are serious allegations,” concludes Mr Williams.
The report is available here:
The statement from the Minister and Associate Minister of Education is here:
ENDS
ENDS