National denies Brethren claims

Steve Maharey

National has dismissed as nonsense claims by Education Minister Steve Maharey that the party formed its policy on the funding of independent schools to favour the Exclusive Brethren.

In Parliament yesterday Mr Maharey highlighted the announcement last April by National leader Don Brash that if elected his party would increase the state's contribution to the funding of independent schools to 50 per cent.

"This means, for example, that the Exclusive Brethren schools would receive double their current funding, an additional $4.5 million over three years.

"Not a bad return for a $1.2 million investment in the National Party," Mr Maharey said.

During the last election campaign a group of businessmen who are members of the Exclusive Brethren spent $1.2 million campaigning against the Labour Government.

Dr Brash has confirmed he had met with Brethren members, although since it was revealed a Brethren member had hired a private investigator to tail Labour MPs he publicly cut links with the church.

Independent schools receive funding from the Government based on a percentage of the average total cost of state schooling.

National MP Tau Henare accused Mr Maharey of a cynical and vindictive targeting of the 1300 children at Brethren schools, but Mr Maharey said Dr Brash needed to confirm whether National had changed its education policy on independent schools at the Brethren's behest.

National Nelson MP Dr Nick Smith, who developed his party's 2005 education election policy, said Mr Maharey's claims were a nonsense and a diversion, and National's position on funding for independent schools was a long-standing one.

"That in fact was the policy of the National Government from 1990 to 1999.

"I never met with the Exclusive Brethren at any time in discussing that policy, and the statements by Mr Maharey are just a make up to divert attention away from Government's rorts in both immigration and election spending."

Ironically, it was Labour which successfully negotiated the Exclusive Brethren's entry into the current independent school's funding system, a deal which then education minister Trevor Mallard yesterday expressed some regret over.

"As things have turned out, it is not something I am particularly happy with, but it was done in fairness to them at the time."