Provincial Growth Fund gives millions to Shane Jones-connected project

“Shane Jones has big questions to answer after his Provincial Growth Fund gave millions to a project he once chaired”, says ACT Leader David Seymour.

On 23 February, $4.6 million of funding was announced for the Manea Footprints of Kupe Cultural Heritage and Education Centre in the first round of the Provincial Growth Fund.

“A media report from March 2015 shows that Mr Jones was to chair the Manea project and that it was struggling to obtain funding under the then-National Government.

“Last month, in response to a written question, the Minister confirmed he had a conflict of interest in relation to the project.

“He must now come clean on the exact nature of his current relationship with the project and whether he played any role in the decision to provide it with money through his Provincial Growth Fund.

“The Provincial Growth Fund will dispense $3 billion over the next three years. It has already been rocked by allegations of mismanagement.

"The people of New Zealand must be reassured by Mr Jones that conflicts of interest are being well-managed and that his personal connection to this project played no role in the decision to provide it with funding”, says Mr Seymour.

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