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Pee Kay
No Minister
I loved this post by Bob Edlin. To me he has perfectly illustrated how the media love fawning over these wonderful mythological creations and stories.
This marvellous project was fronted by a pair of Ngāti Rangi “celestial researchers”, Riwaru Tihema and Rauroha Brown. Apparently they teamed up with the usual cohort of local educators and kaumātua to market the thing as an essential “teaching resource”.
Nothing says modern education curriculum quite like dropping kids outside to navigate by the stars and learn vague environmental lore!
When it came to actually funding this glorified, open-air stone circle in Ohakune, the creators of Te Tatau o Rongonui seem to have hit the local bureaucratic jackpot.
They secured a cash injection from the Whiria Ngā Hua enterprise fund. But in a stunning display of transparency, the exact monetary value of the grant has conveniently been kept under wraps by both the creators and the funding panel.
Why are we not surprised?
Now we see how taxpayers have actually carried the cost of the edifice.
This specific fund, Whiria Ngā Hua enterprise fund, is a partnership model and is financially backed by the Māori Health Authority and the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency.
Why are we not surprised to see the long-suffering taxpayers have been forced to foot the bill for this overhyped ‘compass’.
They love to slap a slick, benevolent label like “Whiria Ngā Hua enterprise grant” on these projects as they desperately pretend it is a gift from a benevolent fairy godmother rather than a direct raid on the taxpayer. Their wording is designed to disguise the fact that hardworking taxpayers are being forced to bankroll an overpriced stone circle under the guise of cultural enlightenment.
This article was originally published by No Minister.
