National leader Judith Collins says an almost $100 million funding boost for marae upgrades, announced by the Government today, is "bordering on very dodgy behaviour".
Just eight days out from the election, with more than half a million people having already voted as of yesterday afternoon, Collins said the joint announcement by NZ First's Shane Jones and Labour's Nanaia Mahuta, should not be happening.
"A total of 351 marae all over the country will receive much-needed upgrades while more than 3100 local jobs will be created through this investment which totals $96.5 million," Jones said in the announcement.
"It also means close to $100 million will filter into communities, through wages and into local businesses supplying building materials and fittings."
The statement by the Government said this funding was earmarked for marae upgrades in May . In that statement it states up to $70m was set aside for upgrades of marae, town halls, Pasifika churches and war memorials.
"The high number of marae applications we received not only met the criteria for the renovations programme but also met the Government’s $100 million Worker Redeployment allocation so were funded from both," Jones said.
"Many marae are in desperate need of repairs and maintenance work, like other community facilities, and this funding is realistically the only financial investment some of them will ever receive," Mahuta said.
Collins said Labour leader Jacinda Ardern "shouldn't be allowing this".
"Presumably Jacinda Ardern knows about it and Grant Robertson is signing it off for Shane Jones, it is extraordinarily arrogant but worse than that it's verging on corruption of the system."
The NZ First minister said it was not “unconstitutional” or “the work of a political rascal”.
Ardern said today it was reallocated funding that was decided "some time ago as part of the Covid recovery" after being asked if it were appropriate.
She said there was a view some of the provincial growth fund should be used to create jobs "quickly, get people into employment, and do that across the country".
"What we have done is continue to roll-out of shovel-ready projects as part of the Covid recovery."
On Collins' accusation of it being dodgy, Ardern said that would "be calling into question many previous National Government's campaigning, where they have continued with operation of Government at the same time".
Jones, too, hit back at Collins' comments, calling it "not the act of a political rascal", but one from a "constitutionally mandated minister who remains a minister until the day of the election".
"Investment, jobs and cashflow in rural New Zealand's economy is absolutely important, and it's not correct to say that this is somehow unconstitutional," he said.
"It is the work of a minister who is delivering on the final segments of the Provincial Growth Fund."
The funding will go to a variety of marae around New Zealand, with 77 in the Bay of Plenty and 59 in the East Coast the biggest recipients, alongside 34 marae in Northland.
Jones is NZ First's electorate candidate for Northland - the seat being a lifeline for the party as it languishes below the Parliamentary threshold in the latest polls.
"Honestly - voting has already started," Collins said. "Pouring money in a last ditch attempt to win a seat like that, it's bordering on very dodgy behaviour, it's totally unacceptable."
"What it does show is the absolute desperation doing that at a time when the polls are open and people are already voting. It's so wrong."
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