1 May 2009

NZAID will be used as a slush fund - says opposition Labour MP

8:37 am on 1 May 2009

The Foreign Affairs Minister, Murray McCully, will today outline changes to the way New Zealand's foreign aid is delivered.

It's understood they will include bringing the functions of the semi-autonomous body, NZAID, back into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

It's also expected that its mandate will change from a focus on poverty alleviation to economic development.

But the Labour Party MP, Phil Twyford, says the move will be a disaster for the quality of New Zealand's overseas aid programme.

He says the changes will see the programme being used as a slush fund for diplomatic and political agendas.