1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: How disappointing is the revelation that Faro Order money has 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:06,640 Speaker 1: been used to fund them more Onana Pacific a rugby team. 3 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:09,720 Speaker 1: How disappointing is that this is not a criticism of 4 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 1: the team. I mean, the team has been one of 5 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: the rock star stories of the Super Rugby season. This 6 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: is about the funding. This is the kind of revelation 7 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:20,319 Speaker 1: I reckon that does huge damage to public confidence and 8 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 1: government use of taxpayer money, because this is money that, 9 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,480 Speaker 1: to our minds, is supposed to be going to some 10 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 1: of the most vulnerable people, to helping Mari and Pacifica 11 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 1: families with things like health, medical appointments, baby jabs, education, housing, 12 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:38,839 Speaker 1: that kind of thing. But instead we find out it's 13 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 1: been going to fund a rugby team for elite athletes. 14 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 1: This has been going on for at least two years. 15 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 1: One of the outfits that's contracted to spend Faro Order 16 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 1: funds Pacifica Medical Association Group. We're going to call them PMA. 17 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: PMA has been giving seven hundred and seventy thousand dollars 18 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 1: a year to more Onana Pacifica. Now, if they do 19 00:00:57,320 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 1: it again this year, we haven't got the financials, but 20 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: if they do it, again this year at the same level, 21 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: it will be total two point three million. That's a 22 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:06,919 Speaker 1: lot of money now, credit where credit is due. Credit 23 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 1: to the new final Order Minister Tama Portucker or to 24 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 1: his department, either of which appears to have already stopped 25 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:17,479 Speaker 1: this in its tracks, taken the contract off PMA, given 26 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:19,959 Speaker 1: it to a new outfit. That outfit has to abide 27 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 1: by a much tighter set of measurements around the spending 28 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: end of the money, and a bit more clarity about 29 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: whether they are getting their bang for their buck when 30 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:30,679 Speaker 1: they spend the dollars. But once again, even though it 31 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:32,679 Speaker 1: has been stopped, and credit where credit is due, once 32 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: again though tax payer money has been wasted. And the 33 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: lesson here, if there is a lesson, is that it 34 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:40,959 Speaker 1: is absolutely fine to hand out tax payer money to 35 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: a third party. But if you do that, they have 36 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:45,680 Speaker 1: got to be rules and there has got to be supervision. Otherwise, 37 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: money that we all think is going to families who 38 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 1: need it could instead be propping up a rugby team. 39 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 1: For more from Heather Duplicy Allen Drive, Listen live to 40 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 1: News Talk sa'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow 41 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.