15 February 2005

Hon Matt Robson MP, Progressive Deputy Leader

Fair scrutiny needed, not a political witch-hunt

It is important that Te Wananga o Aotearoa is subject to fair scrutiny and held to account for its use of public money in the same way as any other tertiary institution.

It should be remembered, however, that the Wananga has brought many, many, thousands of people into the education system – people who would otherwise have had nowhere to turn to in order to gain the skills they need for employment. And their Greenlight literacy programme is an effective tool to address illiteracy. There are 530,000 adult New Zealanders who are illiterate or functionally illiterate, as reported by Treasury in December 2004.

“However after Question Time today I fear that the Wananga is going to be the subject of a political witch-hunt. It is important that they are not judged in the kangaroo court of the ACT Party, but are accorded due process by the responsible Ministers,” said Progressive MP Matt Robson.

Matt Robson asks his Labour colleagues not to take fright because of accusations made by ACT in their typical manner.

ENDS

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