MP on contestable fund panel is a bad move

The appointment of National MP, John Hayes, to the "independent" panel which determines the disbursement of the Sustainable Development Fund to non-government organisations is a bad move, says Opposition Spokesperson on Overseas Development Assistance, Maryan Street.

"The appointment of a sitting MP to this panel is entirely inappropriate and, once more, taints overseas aid with an overt political agenda," said Maryan Street.

"This panel is responsible for disbursing a contestable fund to New Zealand-based non-government organisations (NGOs) which are carrying out international development work overseas. It also has Peter Kiely, a well-known National Party lawyer, on it.

"This compounds the micro-managing and politicised approach the Minister of Foreign Affairs is taking to overseas aid, especially in the Pacific. NGOs who wish to apply for funding to do development work overseas, will be required to present politically acceptable applications.

"They will have to find private sector partners to deliver start-up businesses, rather than address the elimination of poverty, maternal health, infant mortality, HIV/AIDS or any other of the Millennium Development Goals in the Pacific. You have to fix these things before you can get sustainable businesses going.

"What is worse is that any NGOs who are critical of the government's politicising of the aid agenda will undoubtedly find themselves at the end of the queue when money is handed out," said Maryan Street.

"This compounds the problem of giving an untendered aid contract in Niue to former National MP Mark Blumsky last year and then making him High Commissioner there. NGOs play an important role in civil society and muzzling them does everyone a disservice, especially those people in the Pacific who look to New Zealand for effective aid to be delivered to improve their health and education opportunities so that they might have the ability to become self-sufficient," said Maryan Street.

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