This is the Twitter reaction so far to the official report released about the allegation involving the Kohanga Reo National Trust, and then the handling of this by the Minister of Education, Hekia Parata. As usual, the tweets below are in rough order of latest through to oldest, and will be updated. [Read more below]
Nothing on TVNZ te Karere last night about Maori TV and Kohanga reo fiasco - political reporter did a sports story. Strange
@MorganGodfery the median income for Māori women is NZD $19.9K and grew kohanga with aroha-yet corporates push USA education models & no OIA
Seems to me that Kohanga Reo scandal has been pushed onto the spotlight to deflect attention from Key & Collins' Milkgate. #themblardyMaaris
Snubbing of #NativeAffairs and @maoritv by those involved with the Kohanga debacle is like "they told on me. I'm not playing with them now."
I'd never thought I'd live to see the day when Geoff Robinson runs rings around Derek Fox.
Annabelle Lee-Harris @n8tvaffairs
Derek Fox is refusing to speak to #NativeAffairs says we have to settle our issues with the kohanga trust. I thought he was there spokesman.
Fox is the biggest sell out. A sell out to the privately owned TPO Trust. What sort of a spokesperson is he if he refuses to talk to MTS.
Derek Fox deflecting question about which KR Trustees are appointed for life as "they are alive" was cringe-inducing.
Marama Davidson @MaramaDavidson
I approach this Kohanga Reo and SFO with caution personally but even I am having trouble with $50k koha? Crikey that feels rude. Answerplese
20 March
FWIW the Ernst and Young Kohanga Reo inquiry report cost around $90,000. At 21 pages that's $4,285 per page.
@felixmarwick Oddly, the $90k EY booked is around the sum total of dodgy shenanigans @N8TVAFFAIRSTV first reported on.
@JennyKayNZ @felixmarwick @N8TVAFFAIRSTV These sort of reports are supposed to be fire retardants, not accelerants.
Hekia/Iritana/Derek all #NaatiByNature The tie to the Chair of MTS whos shitty at her own MTS for the story.All part of #CorporateWhakapapa
What's Corporate Whakapapa?For instance, when those at the very top try to cover up scandals are related by whakapapa. #CorporateWhakapapa
Who would've thought a state broadcaster could help out a govt caught up in scandal just by NOT broadcasting anything. How does that work?
Was Hekia complicit with @TeKarereTVNZ in keeping @n8tvaffairs out of the presser loop 2 nights ago?
I hear Willie and JT are circling for any possible positions on Kohanga Trust which may become vacant soon. #ItsAJoke !?
@felixmarwick I'm excited to see Parata stretch 'It's under investigation by the SFO so I'm unable to comment' into 10,000 words of jargon
So a test for @TeKarereTVNZ and editorial independence. Remember how you had those stories about aggressive tactics used by @N8TVAFFAIRSTV
@TeKarereTVNZ is a joke. Not one story on Kohanga scandal and TPO under investigation. Is Derek Fox back a editor?
Morgan Godfery @MorganGodfery
@kiaora4that @TeKarereTVNZ Eh. Really? This affects tens of thousands of Maori and no story - negligent.
Greatest Maori story of the year and @TeKarereTVNZ are nowhere near it. The State broadcaster says no story to see here.
The loyal viewers of @TeKarereTVNZ have been cheated because of its refusal to cover the TPO scandal. How dare they.
The Kohanga Reo audit does the reputation of Ernst Young no favours whatsoever. Shabby fee taking lapdogs?
Rino Tirikatene @RinoTirikatene
So was it Derek who decided not to send the presser out to @maoritv. A bit petty? Was that arranged in conjunction with Hekias office?
Morgan Godfery @MorganGodfery
Is @TeKarereTVNZ afraid that if they report on the Kohanga shambles they'll be next in line for the muzzle? Or is it patch jealousy?
Morgan Godfery @MorganGodfery
A $50,000 koha is more than the average Maori worker can expect to earn in a year. That's insulting excess. #kohangareo
Q for Derek Fox: Was Dame Tāwhiwhirangi the Kohanga Reo National Trust member who received the 50k? She was tied to original alligations
Annabelle Lee-Harris @n8tvaffairs
Te Kaea is reporting that Kohanga co chair Tina Olsen-Ratana was the recipient of the 50k koha revealed in the EY audit. #NativeAffairs
Kohanga reo Trust - Maori TV drifting toward cluster funk
@BillyRalston @Head_Weasel it's embarrassing and unacceptable. Did Sharples & Parata seriously think they could cover up the crap? Wtf??
@mstevnz Parata, Fox and Tawhiwhirangi, all #NaatiByNature #cuzzy
And where's the other minister responsible for Kohanga, Pita Sharples. No where to be seen, just like the Party he used to lead.#DuckDive
Seems Aunty Hekia is economical with the truth, so much so it's a lie. She says no public money spent by Kohanga. #nekminit complaint to SFO
19 March
When I suggested that just issuing a statement was refusing to front the kohanga reo national trust suggested I was blackmailing them ??
Interesting that the Kohanga Reo National Trust Board neglected to send the statement it released earlier today to any Maori TV reporters
Did Parata really just go from stonewalling defence over TPO, to dobbing them in to the SFO, in just over 12 hours? #NewRecord
NTKHRT wants to discuss the audit report with its supporters first before it releases the report. What, like Te Karere
Rino Tirikatene @RinoTirikatene
Kohanga enquiry is a white wash because it failed to look into part of the Trust that's so contentious,TPO.That's what we want answers to
There was a time when Derek Fox would've digging like badger to get the good oil. Now he's covering up holes. Hope the money's worth it.
Derek Fox was a pre-eminent Maori journalist, now he's joined the dark side of spin doctoring, & he's crap at it.TKR stink like #kangakopiro
Labour promising full review of Kohanga Reo. @matuashane says unless there's change at head office he'd struggle to give them another cent
> Shane Jones @matuashane Mar 19
@felixmarwick check out Te Karere, don't knock actual Kohanga, they've been gud for the Reo, the SFO is admission of failure by Mao Minita
> Felix Marwick @felixmarwick Mar 20
@matuashane I'm not knocking kohanga. Nor have I.
> Shane Jones @matuashane Mar 20
@felixmarwick apologies, I was talking about overall coverage, I've been wee bit sensitive re the actual Kohanga fanau on the ground.
Chris Bramwell @rnzgallerychris
Te Kohanga Reo Trust Board finally puts out a press release ... doesn't mention the SFO
Surely setting up a separate trust and sticking money in it that no-one except you control, is equivalent to theft as a servant.
The Kohanga Trust issue reinforces the importance of #NativeAffairs. We need an independent and informed Maori media voice more than ever.
Unbelievable, Speaker denies an urgent debate from @NanaiaMahuta on the Kohanga Trust report because its not 'nationally significant'.
Greens says Kohanga Reo Trust inquiry a whitewash. NZF calling it a brownwash
The Kohanga Trust issue reinforces the importance of #NativeAffairs. We need an independent and informed Maori media voice more than ever.
Seems like the Kohanga Reo presser and whitewash hasn't generated as much shitty media as I would have thought
I agree with the Taxpayers Union. Everything about the Kohanga Reo Trust audit report and its release is a debacle. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/9844400/Kohanga-Reo-audit-a-whitewash …
Angry Backbencher. @AngryBbencher
Sure I could ask Parata questions about the Kohanga Reo/TPO fiasco. But any answers would be incomprehensible. Even to my superior intellect
Morgan Godfery @MorganGodfery
Day two of wanting someone to track down JT to deliver his "dumb Maori" line. This is what these people are: dumb #Kohanga #Parata #Sharples
@n8tvaffairs @markcubey Then call Parata direct. Door-knock her if needed. Play hard but fair. All in the game.
Morgan Godfery @MorganGodfery
Protecting the board was clearly unacceptable to the government. Sharples and Parata must've got a dressing down.
Did Parata really just go from stonewalling defence over TPO, to dobbing them in to the SFO, in just over 12 hours? #NewRecord
18 March
Jessica Williams @mizjwilliams
that ernst and young report on the kohanga reo trust board is a classic case of completely missing the point. unbelievable.
It’s becoming hard to count the ways in which tonight’s release of the Kohanga Reo Trust audit report was wrong. #NativeAffairs
one thing to note is that the TPO GM is the daughter of a board member of Kohanga Reo National Trust #moneyforthewhanau #ttrttpt
Annabelle Lee-Harris @n8tvaffairs
Paratas press sec hung up us when asked why #NativeAffairs never received media advisory re kohanga audit tonight. Now won't answer phone
Annabelle Lee-Harris @n8tvaffairs
Despite numerous requests to Parata's office re kohanga audit, tonight's media advisory never got sent to any of the #NativeAffairs team
Morgan Godfery @MorganGodfery
Parata and Sharples call a presser at 8pm. Consequence: journalist's whose evening you just ruined will probably give you grumpy coverage.
Hekia & Pita having a press conference for Kohanga Reo inquiry at 8pm tonite. Old maori metaphor reminds us only bad news and kehua at night
Katie Bradford @katieabradford
Very odd...Hekia Parata and Pita Sharples are holding a press conference at 8pm on the inquiry into public funding of Kohanga Reo
Annabelle Lee-Harris @n8tvaffairs
Kohanga audit was due mid Dec. Its finally released mid March.. At 8pm.. Strange.. #NativeAffairs
