What’s going on with Nanaia?

For the second day in a row the Local Government Minister has been unable to explain why her answers to questions don’t match reality, National’s Local Government spokesperson Jami-Lee Ross says.

“The Parliament works best when ministers give honest answers to questions. When their answers don’t stand up to scrutiny, we have to ask what on earth is going on.

“I asked Nanaia Mahuta whether she had received correspondence from local councils between October 26 and November 28. She said she had received no correspondence from any councils during her first month as a minister.

“This just isn’t plausible – letters obtained under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act show she had personally responded to letters she claimed she had never received.

“At best, her office is so disorganised they can’t even track when they’ve replied to mayors or chairpersons of councils in New Zealand. At worst, her office has deliberately misled Parliament.

“The Government needs to be working with local councils to address local issues but what we’re seeing here is just another example of Nanaia Mahuta not taking her portfolio seriously. Our local councils deserve better than this.”

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