MP Foss backed in kura controversy

Tukituki MP Craig Foss

A ministerial colleague of Tukituki MP Craig Foss has backed his claim he was initially unaware a new kura kaupapa in his electorate was planned for Havelock North.

Labour has accused Mr Foss of sitting on information about the Ministry of Education's plans to move Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Wananga Whare Tapere o Takitimu to the former Arataki Motor Camp site.

The Opposition claims answers to written parliamentary questions from Education Minister Hekia Parata showed Mr Foss knew of the Havelock North plans a month before claiming to be caught "on the hop".

Mr Foss denied this and, yesterday, was backed by Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye.

Mr Foss, a minister outside Cabinet, found out a new kura was planned for Hastings when it was announced by Ms Parata and Ms Kaye on April 14 but "it wasn't until May that I learned of the detail - moving the Hastings kura to Havelock North", he said.

"Any suggestion from Labour that I knew earlier is flat out wrong and typically negative, nasty stuff."

Ms Kaye said Mr Foss "was not informed ahead of time" and the initial announcement "was very high level".

"The detail of the relocation was provided later to a range of parties," she said.

In a written parliamentary question to Ms Parata, Labour's Ikaroa-Rawhiti MP, Meka Whaitiri, asked when the minister had advised Mr Foss that a new kura was to be built in Havelock North.

"Mr Foss was informed of the relocation of Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Wananga Whare Tapere o Takitimu on 14 April 2015," Ms Parata said, in her answer.

Labour's Tukituki spokeswoman, Anna Lorck, said yesterday that Mr Foss had still not answered the "simple question" of exactly when he knew about the Havelock North move.

Mr Foss did not answer Hawke's Bay Today's question as to why he chose not to make any public comment on a multi-million dollar Government development within his electorate between April 14 and May 13.