Winston Peters, when he was Foreign Minister, attends a meeting at the 40th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ministerial meeting in Manila in this August 1, 2007 file photo. Peters has offered to stand aside while authorities look int
IN PHOTO: Winston Peters as Foreign Minister attends a meeting at the 40th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ministerial meeting in Manila in this August 1, 2007 file photo.Peters has offered to stand aside while authorities look into fraud allegations involving political donations made to his party, media reported on August 29, 2008. The leader of the New Zealand First Party, Peters made the offer as he met Prime Minister Helen Clark about the allegations, which he has denied, Radio New Zealand reported. Reuters/Cheryl Ravelo

The New Zealand First Party has flayed the John Key government’s budget presented on May 21 and called it a “Red’ Budget for its perceived neglect of Northland and other regions. Blasting the government for its imbalanced funds allocation, New Zealand First Leader and Northland MP, Winston Peters said, “the regions are off National’s radar in Budget 2015 and promises made to Northlanders by the Prime Minister have been broken. If regional New Zealand wanted confirmation that ruling National Party has no plan for them, then the $50 million extra allocated for Whanau Ora proves it in bucket loads."

The MP said Whanau Ora was a waste of money and was slammed by the Auditor-General, yet it got twice the money to that going into regional research institutes. He called it "amazing bribe", using tax payers’ money to secure Maori Party votes. Peters still hoped Northland will get one of the new public-private Primary Research Centres which will receive NZ $25 million over three years, even though it is hardly a big sum to be shared among several new institutes.”

Projects Ignored

The NZ First leader said the Budget did nothing, contrary to National’s pre-election promises to Northlanders. Peters listed the botched projects in Northland, which were denied any consideration by the Budget. They included Puhoi to Wellsford highway, 10 two-lane bridges, ultra-fast broadband rollout, cell phone coverage upgrading of Auckland - Whangarei railway and development of a port in Whangarei – Northport.

New Zealand First MP Pita Paraone from Whangarei also complained that the budget denied the much needed boost for New Zealand’s struggling regions like Whangarei and Northland, which are crippled by unemployment. “Whangarei and the Northland region have 9.9 per cent of the population unemployed. Nationally, 51,000 people are out of work in regional New Zealand,” he said.

According to the MP, Northland region has already been researched for its problems and opportunities for development in forestry, dairy and aquaculture have been identified by Tai Tokerau Growth Study. “What the North needed was actual investment in identified opportunities. But this Government has once more failed to deliver,” said Paraone.

Mayors’ Initiative

Meanwhile, seven mayors joined hands and gave a call for more cash to be spent on economic growth across Manawatu/Whanganui. The mayors of Palmerston North, Horowhenua, Manawatu, Rangitikei, Tararua, Ruapehu and Whanganui asked the Horizons Regional Council to set aside $690,000, in $230,000 allotments over three years, to promote the collective regional economy. Palmerston North mayor Grant Smith said it is quite ground-breaking as no other regional council in New Zealand has the collaboration of seven district and city mayors, reported Stuff.Co.Nz.

(For feedback/comments, contact the writer at k.kumar@ibtimes.com.au)

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