May 10, 2022
Belated marae reopening proves PGF value
Former regional development minister Shane Jones says the full fruits of the Provincial Growth Fund are now becoming apparent, more than a year after he was ousted from Parliament.
ACT leader David Seymour has promised to get rid of the PGF along with a raft of other government agencies and programmes, including anything specifically for Māori.
Mr Jones says that’s just attention-seeking, and ignores the need to re-power the economy after Covid – and the fact the PGF has been rebranded with a far smaller pūtea.
He says it’s entertaining to watch rural MPs cash in on New Zealand First’s $3 billion spend-up, now the ribbons are being cut.
On Saturday he was a special guest at the reopening of Tauanui Marae in Waimana.
“The number of marae, nine or 13 in the Tūhoe area that were renovated, led to a significant number of apprenticeships, a significant number of employees so that’s just a small example where at the flax roots where there’s been some good outcomes,” Mr Jones says.