Rt Hon Winston Peters

New Zealand First Leader

Member of Parliament for Northland
3 OCTOBER 2016

National Outed On Fundraiser at School – Not Before Time

The National Party has been outed on its intention to use state secondary school students as ushers and performers for a self-described “high-end” National Party fundraiser.

“It’s gobsmacking that Whangarei MP Dr Shane Reti, National MPs performing in the show, and Ministers who were to attend believed this was appropriate.

“Students at Bream Bay College, at Ruakaka, near Whangarei, were really being bribed to perform in the National Party Variety Concert with Dr Reti saying he would donate a scholarship in recognition of their participation.

“A backlash from the community, and a call from the news media, has obviously forced the relocation of the concert, and not before time.

“Students were also to provide full sound and lighting services at the party fundraiser which had been stitched together between the school and Dr Reti.

“The school leaders are on record, when excusing the participation of the school students, saying the school was going to perform for its boss, namely Minister of Education Hekia Parata, and that ‘students would want to perform for their Prime Minister’.

“The question now still remains, are the students being asked to perform at the new venue and, if so, on what basis? Before the curtain comes down on this curtain raiser, we need to know some answers.

“The National Party should understand, where the students are concerned, politics must end at the school gate and no political party should be allowed to act as they were doing at Bream Bay College,” says Mr Peters.

ENDS

© Scoop Media