KEY POINTS:
The $1.6 million spent on the Government's TREATY 2U Treaty of Waitangi roadshow has been largely wasted, Auckland University of Technology history professor Paul Moon said yesterday.
Professor Moon said he was concerned that public money was still being poured into the programme even though the public's reaction had been one of almost complete disinterest.
"There is no business case to support this roadshow continuing," Professor Moon said.
"The numbers just don't stack up and the organisers ought to have the courage to admit that it has failed to deliver."
He believed the Government was using the roadshow to convince the Maori electorate it had a commitment to the Treaty while actually achieving little to further effective Treaty education.
TREATY 2U had also been followed around the country by a small group of people promoting a bogus version of the Treaty's history, he said.
"The result has been a great deal of confusion," he said.
"It's now time to pull the plug on it before more funds are squandered. If the Government is serious about Treaty education there are far more effective and efficient means to achieve results in this area."
Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia said that, contrary to Professor Moon's belief, the roadshow had been a tremendous success and visited by more than 62,000 people.
Mr Horomia said the tour would continue because there was still a demand for it.
- NZPA
