$115,000 for second Maori TV station

By KEVIN TAYLOR political reporter

A Far North Maori group has received a $115,000 taxpayer grant to set up a regional television station just as the Government spends millions developing a national Maori channel.

The money has gone to Te Reo Irirangi o Te Hiku o Te Ika, which is managed by Hone Harawira, son of veteran Maori activist Titewhai Harawira. Mrs Harawira escorted Prime Minister Helen Clark at Waitangi's Te Tii Marae last month.

Mr Harawira was reluctant to talk about the new station yesterday, telling the Herald that he couldn't "be bothered, quite frankly".

When it was put to him that taxpayer money was being spent, he said: "I intend to invite [National MP] Katherine Rich up and go over the whole project with her, and I also intend to invite [MP] Muriel Newman up from Act because I understand she has some concerns about it as well."

Mr Harawira is also chairman of Te Putahi Paho, the Government's partner in Maori Television, which Helen Clark launches on Sunday.

Mrs Rich said New Zealanders would be alarmed to learn they were helping to fund a second Maori channel.

The money comes from the Labour Department's Community Employment Group.

Mrs Rich previously exposed a $26,000 grant from the group for two "social entrepreneurs" to travel the world learning about hip-hop and rap music.