Details emerge of payments to Maori for Northland prison

1.00pm

The Government paid for cards and flowers for a bereavement, video hire, cleaning, photocopying, telephone and fax calls as part of its deal with Maori over consultation for the Northland prison.

More details have emerged of how the Government spent $776,535 for the "delivery of cultural advice and services" for the prison at Ngawha.

The Corrections Department released a detailed breakdown of the spending -- including $316,692 for the Ngati Rangi Development Society -- following parliamentary questions from Whangarei-based ACT list MP, Muriel Newman.

It shows that the society received $92 this financial year for flowers and a card for a bereavement. The society also received $15,447 for meeting costs, marae hire and food for a site-blessing ceremony and consultation hui.

It received $9905 for a shuttle service for the site-blessing ceremony, mileage for fortnightly interface between departmental representatives and Ngati Rangi and travel to the site.

Development society chairman Mac Anania received $964 for mobile phone reimbursements for calls related to Corrections Department business.

Mr Anania also received $167 for fuel for Far North iwi consultation.

In the 1999/2000 financial year the Ngati Rangi Ahu Whenua Trust received $863 for reimbursement of costs related to photocopying, stationary and phone calls.

Consultants Gardiner and Parata received $2544 for video camera hire for Environment Court evidence preparation, transcribing, photocopying, phone and fax costs.

Bessie Te Haara got paid $344 in the 200/2001 financial years for cleaning services.

As part of the $1447 the department spent on koha as part of the consultation $400 went to the Ngati Rangi Development Society for the site blessing ceremony, $877 went to the Ngawha Marae for an open day, the site blessing and a hui, and Ngati Rangi Ahu Whenua Trust received $170 for a hui.

Ms Newman questioned the need for some of the payments, asking if a private enterprise was building the prison whether it would have been so lavish with its spending.

Mr Anania said the money was well spent as it was allowing the hapu to come up with some innovative ways to help rehabilitate Maori prisoners and reduce reoffending.

"Paying money now for prevention is better than paying more later for a cure," he said.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)