Government rattled over race-based funding, says Hide

3.00pm - By KEVIN NORQUAY

An outburst by Education Minister Trevor Mallard over a mosque being built with taxpayer money shows how touchy the Government is about race-based funding, Act MP Rodney Hide says.

Mr Mallard was yesterday furious with his officials after being forced into an embarrassing backdown over the mosque, at Christchurch's Hagley Community College.

Mr Mallard had "condemned" the college's spending of $121,000 of taxpayer funding on a mosque.

He was then told his own ministry approved the spending and officials attended the opening.

Mr Mallard's criticism of the mosque has grown steadily from last August, when he said: "Under Tomorrow's Schools, the Ministry of Education funds space and it is up to the board of trustees to decide how that space is used."

In October 2003, he told National MP Phil Heatley in a written answer "no" he did not think it appropriate for the college to use accommodation deficiency funding for a mosque.

In his response to Mr Hide, he "condemned" the spending.

Mr Hide linked the changing attitude to the pressure Labour is coming under over race-based funding.

"The Government has a sensitivity about what can be seen as race-based funding, that they didn't have last year," he told NZPA.

"I don't think it augurs well for Mr Mallard as Race Relations Minister, when he is clearly unable to be consistent and seems to be more responding to what is in the polls, than what is any policy or principle."

Mr Hide said the Labour caucus was split on whether it supported the building of a mosque in a school.

"Tim Barnett opened it and attacked those who criticised it.

"Dr Ashraf Choudhary calls it needs-based funding, and the minister still thinks it is wrong, while his own department actually approved it."

Mr Mallard was angry ministry officials had not fully briefed him, as he would not have made "comments in that tone" if they had.

The funding was an advance on the school's accommodation entitlement , he said.

"I still believe public funding in schools should only be used for educational purposes and I will be discussing this with the Secretary of Education.

"I will also be discussing with the secretary the fact that I was not briefed on the actions of the Christchurch office when this matter was first raised last year.

"It is my expectation that both the school and I will receive an apology for the embarrassment we have suffered.

"While I stand by my view that the spending is inappropriate, I apologise to the school for the anguish they have suffered."

Mr Hide yesterday raised the issue with auditor-general Kevin Brady by letter.

A report last November said the "government-funded mosque" cost $121,000.

The two-room classroom provided a place for worship and washing facilities for the school's 130-strong Muslim community.

It meant the students no longer had to walk 45 minutes to Christchurch's only mosque for daily prayers.

College principal Brent Ingram was quick to demand an apology when he heard about the attack.

He said money for the prayer rooms had not come from the building improvement budget.

The school made a special funding application to the ministry for the prayer rooms after it asked the school to enrol more refugee students, he said.

- NZPA