National leader Judith Collins wrote to the Auditor-General over concerns about the government's decision to fund the controversial $2.75 million Mongrel-Mob led drug rehab programme. Photo / NZME
National leader Judith Collins wrote to the Auditor-General over concerns about the government's decision to fund the controversial $2.75 million Mongrel-Mob led drug rehab programme. Photo / NZME
Opposition questions about the "ethics and appropriateness" of Government funding for a gang-led project targeting Mongrel Mob meth addiction in Central Hawke's Bay have been rejected by Auditor-General John Ryan.
National Party leader Judith Collins asked the Auditor-General to investigate the $2.75 million Proceeds of Crime Fund allocation to H2R,a company run by Mongrel Mob lifetime member Harry Tam.
But Ryan has reported it appeared the decision to fund the Kahukura programme was made "in line with the process set out for the fund".
"On the aspects we are able to consider, it appears that the funding decision was made in line with the process set out for the Fund, and that there are controls in place to monitor the delivery of the programme," Ryan said.
"We have not seen any evidence to indicate that political views previously expressed by H2R's co-director had any influence on the Ministry of Health's application for funding for Kahukura, the panel's recommendation to fund Kahukura, or the Ministers' decision to fund Kahukura."
In answer to questions from Hawke's Bay Today, Collins said: "We respect the decision of the Auditor-General as, although arguably ethically wrong, the funding of the Mongrel-Mob led programme was within existing laws.
"Having identified this issue, National's Police and Corrections spokesperson Simeon Brown has put forward a piece of legislation that if passed would prevent any future Government funds going directly or indirectly to organised crime," she continued.
"The Auditor-General has ruled that Harry Tam's nationwide gang pad campaign to drum up votes for Labour did not influence the decision for him to get funding," she said.
"Regardless, the Prime Minister should reflect on the message that refusing to condemn Tam, and indeed funding his company $2.75 million, sends to the people of New Zealand.
"It is also worth noting that drug and alcohol rehabilitation professionals have condemned the programme as being planned in such a way that 'virtually guarantees it will be unsuccessful'," she said.
Collins had asked the Auditor-General to investigate the "ethics and appropriateness" of the decision, especially as the funding would go to H2R, an organisation co-directed by Tam - a lifetime member of the Mongrel Mob who has also encouraged gang members to vote for the Labour Party.
National leader Judith Collins' concerns specifically related to the involvement of H2R, of whom lifetime Mongrel Mob member Harry Tam is a co-director. Photo / RNZ
Collins also raised concerns that participants "would work at the home of the Hawke's Bay Mongrel Mob leader", Sonny Smith.
Ryan also said he would not comment on concerns raised by Brown, over a $200 koha from the Chief Human Rights Commissioner at a hui organised by the Waikato Mongrel Mob Kingdom chapter.
"It is not our Office's role to consider whether koha should be given to a particular recipient."
Kahukura is a marae-based rehabilitation programme to support whānau and communities following an increase of suicides and homicides in Hawke's Bay-based Mongrel Mob members. Photo / NZME
WHAT IS KAHUKURA?
Kahukura is a marae-based rehabilitation programme to support whanau and communities after an increase of suicides and homicides among Hawke's Bay-based Mongrel Mob members. It is expected to run for three cycles of 10 weeks a year over three years and is subject to six-monthly reviews.
Hawke's Bay Today understands that not all the funding has been released to H2R, and will be paid in increments based on outcomes in regular monitoring.
