Hide says Maori funding agency gave wrong answer

Act MP Rodney Hide says he has discovered another false response to a parliamentary question about payments to a former Te Mangai Paho (TMP) employee.

He said yesterday that he had proof the Maori broadcasting funding agency knew it had given Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia the wrong answer to a question in February.

Mr Hide began revealing early this year payments to former TMP employee Tama Te Rangi by a sports broadcasting company. At the same time, Mr Te Rangi was approving grants to the company.

There was an inquiry and TMP chairman Toby Curtis and its chief executive, Trevor Moeke, resigned. Mr Moeke is still working for it as a project manager.

Mr Hide said he had emails that showed on February 20 Mr Moeke asked Mr Te Rangi whether he had received any cash from the company, Maori Sports Casting International.

He said in the email: "This is a matter of a parliamentary question. I need to be absolutely clear about this."

On February 21 Mr Te Rangi replied, saying he had received two cash payments.

On February 24 Mr Horomia replied to Mr Hide's written question: "I am advised by my officials that there have been no payments of cash by Maori Sports Casting International to any employees of Te Mangai Paho."

Mr Hide raised the issue in Parliament last Thursday and Mr Horomia said he had been relying on advice from officials. Now Mr Hide has written to Prime Minister Helen Clark asking for an explanation: "You need to make it clear to your ministers, senior civil servants and your own staff that you expect questions to be answered correctly and completely.

"Senior civil servants are failing to disclose information that is politically embarrassing," he said in the letter.

Mr Hide said he was taking it up directly with Helen Clark because Mr Horomia was ill.

The minister was ill early last week, when he did not attend Parliament, but he returned on Thursday.

- NZPA