March 24, 2014
Kohanga Reo lashing out at Maori Television
The head of news and current affairs at Maori Television, Julian Wilcox, says the Kohanga Reo National Trust is trying to box its way out of a corner.
Trust spokesperson Derek Fox has criticised media coverage of alleged mis-spending in the trust’s commercial subsidiary Te Pataka Ohanga, and accused reporters of being rude and juvenile.
Education Minister Hekia Parata last week asked the Serious Fraud Office to look into allegations about the company, only hours after clearing the trust of any abuse of public funding.
Mr Wilcox says he stands by the channel’s reporting, and calling its reporters kids is derogatory.
"Derek is in a position at the moment, and to a certain extent the Kohanga Reo Trust Board, is in a corner and a lot of pressure is being applied on it, not just by media but also the minister has asked the board to answer some questions. Sometimes when you are forced into a corner you try to box your way out of it and I guess that’s what Derek’s doing to a certain degree," he says.
Mr Wilcox says Te Kohanga Reo National Trust has refused to answer questions not just from media but from parents and whanau concerned at what is happening in the movement.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH JULIAN WILCOX CLICK ON THE LINK http://www.waateanews.com/play_podcast?podlink=MTY0NDI=
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