Tariana Turia, Co-leader of the Maori Party, told aMarae documentary into Te Kohanga Reo National Trust, thatthe "practices at a national level are highly questionable".

Her comments were made following concerns that have beenraised from kohanga reo throughout the motu into thelegality and ethics of the National Trust Property Puteapolicy.

Te Kohanga Reo National Trust was established in1982 to advocate for, promote, encourage and support kohangareo and whanau.

"Maori have always celebrated the uniqueinitiative pioneered by the kohanga reo trust, to immerseour mokopuna in their language, customs and values. Ko tereo te mauri o te mana Maori" stated Tariana Turia,Co-leader of the Maori Party.

"We have, however, beenconcerned about the questions that have come from kohangawhanau regarding the impact of the Property Putea" statedMrs Turia.

"Kohanga members have been concerned that theamount of disposable income available to kohanga reo wasbeing limited" said Mrs Turia "because a proportion of thefunding kohanga receive from their bulk grant was beingdirected to the National Trust".

The Property Putea was apolicy agreed to by the Kohanga Reo National Trust and theMinistry of Education in which the distribution of theDiscretionary Grants Scheme (DGS) was able to be used as aloan by the National Trust.

"The Gallen report in 2001suggested there may be 'legal questions' around theMinistry's involvement in allowing past DGS payments to beused as a loan" said Mrs Turia.

"It also suggested theTrust would be answerable for

"the inequity createdamongst the kohanga reo whanau, namely those who have repaidtheir loan, those who are currently paying off their loans,and those who will receive the grant and will not berequired to repay as a loan".

"In light of these ongoingconcerns last week our education spokesperson, Te UruroaFlavell, tabled a request for an inquiry with the Educationand Science Select Committee" said Mrs Turia.

"Theinquiry calls for an assessment of user satisfaction at theindividual kohanga level, in the interpretation ofcompliances and regulations at the local level initiated bythe National Trust; and their impact on kohangareo".

"Within the context of this inquiry, we will also beasking questions of the Government as to the legality of theProperty Putea scheme, with particular interest in the roleof the Minister of Education at that time, and the Ministryof Education in this policy" said Mrs Turia.

"The originalvision from the early beginnings of kohanga" said Mrs Turia,"was that the assets and resources would be devolved towhanau, so that the decision-making and accountability wouldreside at a whanau and hapu level".

"The reason we haveasked for this inquiry is that we have received too manyquestions, asking who has benefitted from the Trust'sactivities".

"The Maori Party is also asking questions asto why such concerns are still current, five years after theGallen Report first brought them to the attention of theGovernment".

"We will await the response of the SelectCommittee with great interest".

BackgroundInformation

The working group chaired by Sir Rodney Gallenrecommended that DGS monies be used to establish new kohangareo buildings, to enable buildings to be licensed withoutincurring repayments by those kohanga reo receiving capitalfunding.

The working group called for the Property Puteato be discontinued, but stated that "the Government has aresponsibility to support the Trust to work through theimplications of changing its policy".

On 27 March 2003 anew tripartite agreement was signed between EducationMinister, Maori Affairs Minister and Te Kohanga Reo NationalTrust. The agreement was to provide a significantopportunity for the Government and the National Trust "tostrengthen its relationship so that quality results for bothwhanau and mokopuna, are delivered in kohanga reo, asrecommended by the joint working group chaired by Sir RodneyGallen".

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