PRESS RELEASE
14 December 2007

Starship To Return Nz First Donation

Bryan Mogridge, Starship Foundation Board Chairman has issued the following statement:

Starship accepted the money from NZ First in good faith and were told that the donation was legal.

It’s most unfortunate that the money wasn’t given in the spirit of genuine philanthropy but rather, it appears, to gain political capital and media leverage.

I have been overseas and have only just arrived back in the country and had time to study the situation. We have decided it’s in the best interest of the Starship Foundation and the sick children of New Zealand to return the money to NZ First.”

We would have been grateful for the money if the intent had been genuine philanthropy. It’s up to NZ First now to decide what to do with it.

(ends)

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