Report set to hit at Maori agency

The Maori development agency Te Puni Kokiri is expected to face serious criticism in a parliamentary report due out today, with questions raised over whether it is breaching its legislative duties.

Other questions are likely to be raised about the effectiveness of the agency's new policy direction "Realising Maori Potential" in the Maori Affairs select committee's financial review into the department.

The Herald understands concerns will be raised about TPK's increasingly diminished focus on monitoring and auditing other Government agencies which provide services to Maori.

When Helen Clark's Government first came to power in 1999 it devoted significant attention to its then-named Closing the Gaps agenda - which sparked a growth in Maori-targeted programmes - and to TPK's responsibilities to ensure Maori programmes and services were being properly delivered.

Despite auditing being one of its primary functions under the Ministry of Maori Development Act, the monitoring role was not recognised as an outcome in TPK's most recent annual report.

This might in part recognise a change in Government focus, for during the time covered by the annual report the Government moved to alter, reframe or rename some of its Maori programmes, in response to Opposition pressure.

But it is understood that the committee is nevertheless set to question whether the decrease in monitoring means the agency is breaching its legislative obligations under the Act.

The committee is likely to call for the Government to direct the department to do its job, or to call for a change in the Act, the Herald understands.

The report is also believed to raise questions about the "Realising Maori Potential Framework" - casting doubt on whether staff know what that means.

Committee chairman Dave Hereora would not comment on the report until its release.

Former Maori Affairs Minister and National Associate Maori Affairs spokesman Tau Henare said he too could not talk about it.

But he said "there have been major changes in terms of the number of agencies that are being monitored. The annual report and the post-election briefing shows that".

"I can guarantee they haven't been fulfilling their obligations under the Act ... Either change the law or get rid of them [TPK]."