REVEALED: DIA Spends $67,000 Without Minister’s Sign-Off

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal, through a Official Information Act request, that the Department of Internal Affairs has redirected $67,000 of public money from its core functions to sponsor the 2025 Te Matatini kapa haka festival — all without sign-off from Minister Brooke van Velden.

DIA described the deal as a way to “enhance visibility” and demonstrate its commitment to Māori–Crown relations, while securing access to corporate hospitality. Despite never supporting any comparable community or cultural event in this way before, DIA agreed to this sponsorship at the deputy chief executive level with no Ministerial approval.

Taxpayers’ Union Investigations Co-ordinator Rhys Hurley said:

“These funds were meant for delivering public services — not topping up a festival the Government already funds. Public servants have raided their own operational budgets to play sponsor and score perks.”

“Who’s really getting a new passport while supporters are cheering their home kapa haka teams? What’s next — picking up your marriage certificate at the rugby?”

“The link between offering services and this festival is a joke. This is bureaucrats dipping into service budgets for a trip they don’t need and can’t justify.”

“The rationale in the Official Information Act response and the internal memo to the chief executive don’t match up. One claims the sponsorship is about community 'connection and service delivery', while the other talks about 'branding, logo placement, and access to the corporate lounge."

“If bureaucrats want to play patron of the arts, they should do it with their own money — not yours.”