May 19, 2014
Smug budget with nothing for Maori masses
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says the budget offered a few lollies for Maori elites, but avoided the main challenges facing Maori families.
Bill English’s sixth budget included a $3 million a year boost for iwi radio after a 13 year freeze and set money set aside for a Maori centre for research excellence, which the Tertiary Education Commission has refused to fund.
But Mr Peters says it’s in housing, health, education and jobs that Maori really need assistance.
"In a country where people have been 1000 years, at the very bottom of the heap, no wage rises at all for half the population including Maori, and Maori youth unemployment in some areas 22 percent, so you’re got almost one in four out of work. What was in the budget for them? Absolutely nothing," he says.
Mr Peters described the budget as complacent and smug.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH WINSTON PETERS CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MTgyMjg=
Copyright © 2014, UMA Broadcasting Ltd