Labour refuses full wananga consultant costs

National’s Education spokesman, Bill English, says Labour is refusing to reveal the amount spent on consultants at Te Wananga o Aotearoa over the past three years.

He is commenting on revelations today that Education Minister Trevor Mallard is paying the wananga’s Crown manager, Brian Roche, $2,600 a day.

“If the wananga’s financial problems are as bad as Mr Mallard says then Mr Roche will be on the job most days.

“However, Mr Roche is just the latest in a series of advisers that Mr Mallard has put in to the wananga.

“Graham McNally was development adviser at the wananga for at least two years.

“I have asked Labour for the daily rates, expenses and total payments for Mr McNally, but Mr Mallard has supplied only the extravagant daily rates.

“The public deserves to know how much Mr Mallard has spent on consultants on the wananga while he sat on his hands and did nothing.

“He will have to reveal the consultant costs eventually, so he may as well do it now,” Mr English says.

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