6. PITA PARAONE (NZ First) Link to this
to the Minister of Maori Affairs
What progress can he report on increasing the capacity and capability of Māori wardens since Budget 2007?
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Minister of Māori Affairs) Link to this
The increase in funding to Māori wardens has allowed for greater focus on the tasks at hand, and has complemented the training that has been delivered to date. There has been an increase in the overall number of Māori wardens, which now stands at 530. In addition, the provision of police vehicles to enable wardens to travel to carry out their duties has been seen as good support, and has provided real benefits to many communities across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Is he satisfied that previous impediments to the granting of funding have been resolved, and can he reassure the House that the additional funding is, in fact, improving the services provided by the Māori wardens?
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA Link to this
I can most certainly guarantee that, and the role that they are playing is spread around the country. Just recently, 65 of them were at Waitangi, and they were at all the great celebrations of Waitangi Day around the country. They are everywhere.
Can the Minister make a further comment about the contribution made by the Māori wardens at Waitangi last week, where in excess of 46,000 people were in attendance to commemorate the 168th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi?
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA Link to this
They certainly managed a good flow of traffic and helped people who needed to find their way, and they certainly looked after everybody who was there. They also serviced all the other celebrations around the country.
Can the Minister confirm that the additional $2.5 million secured in Budget 2007, and the further funding for 2008 and beyond, to increase the capacity and capability of the Māori wardens are among the many achievements secured through New Zealand First’s confidence and supply agreement with the Government?
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA Link to this
It is certainly a partnership to be celebrated, and I thank that member and his party most wholeheartedly on behalf of all our communities and the Māori wardens.
Dr Pita Sharples
Madam SPEAKERWhat is the actual operational relationship between the New Zealand Police and the Māori wardens, and have any concerns been raised with the Minister about that relationship?
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA Link to this
There are certain perceptions in the sense of those issues and strains in the urban areas—and that member knows that—but the police are certainly working in partnership with the Māori wardens, and I welcome that.
Rt Hon Winston Peters Link to this
With reference to the $2.5 million of funding mentioned by my colleague Pita Paraone, that is just the beginning, is it not, of a much more substantial investment in the Māori wardens in the future to bring them up to date in terms of their equipment and training in the 21st century?
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA Link to this
There are several ways that we support the wardens, and in part that is right. As for training, 94 people have been trained by the police and Māori communities, and we will head towards 200 in the next 5 months. Kia ora.