Horomia Must Front Over Resignation

ACT New Zealand Finance Spokesman Rodney Hide said today it was not good enough for the Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia to disappear declaring the resignation of Maori Television Service Chief Executive Derek Fox an operational matter and nothing to do with him.

"We have been warning Parekura of the problems for months. Parekura has characteristically done nothing. He's useless.

"In the last four years, Mr Horomia has poured $69,516,000 of hard-earned taxpayers' cash into MTS - all to no result. The entire exercise - thanks to Parekura - has proved a costly mistake for taxpayers and a total embarrassment for Maori," Mr Hide said.

"It is clear that things at MTS must be far worse than we had ever dared imagine. After all, Mr Fox survived the John Davy appointment.

"The Government should put everything on hold and call in the Auditor-General to find out where the millions have gone.

"It is very hard to see how Maori Television can be up and running at year's end as promised.

"I dare say we will see another prominent National Party figure dragged out of retirement to fix this Labour Party mess.

"I suggest Helen Clark gives Doug Graham a call because Jim Bolger is busy with Kiwi Bank, and Wira Gardiner is flat stick sorting out Te Mangai Paho," Mr Hide said.

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