So who is benefiting from the pork barrel fund?
TVNZ report:
1 NEWS has learned that the Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust will profit hugely from the taxpayer investment and critics argue that it’s not a good look.
The trust will be receiving $8 million from the government to plant trees and create 60 jobs for the people of Northland.
1 NEWS has learned in a letter from the chairman to trustees that this is an “exceptionally good deal” that is “far superior” to previous arrangements, and financial returns will be substantial. …
Goldsmith said “of course it turns out that the acting chief executive of the trust and a trustee is none other than Pita Paraone, recently retired NZ First MP. It doesn’t look good”.
So $8.5 million to a trust run by a former NZ First MP.
Regional Economic Minister Shane Jones gave nearly $5 million to a group he was involved with before he was a minister.
$5 million to them.
He was further given $7.5 million for a prisoner rehabilitation programme run by a former Labour Party president who knows the minister well.
There seems to be a pattern as to how to get money from the pork barrel fund. It’s who you know.