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The New Zealand Māori Council is accusing officials of slowing down the release of funds to programmes designed to get people into jobs.
Executive director Matthew Tukaki says projects approved by ministers in May under the Provincial Growth Fund, Mana to Mahi and other schemes are still waiting for money to flow from the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment.
He says officials are also knocking back projects that have broad support from iwi, local government and business before they even get to ministers.
Organisations are having to either put off programmes or go into overdraft to start them having been told they are approved.
"For Māori unemployment that could go as high as 12 to 14 per cent over the coming months, there better be some justification for that government department about why the funds are not moving from the train station." Mr Tukaki says.
He says the ministry is too big and needs to be broken up.
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