The Foreign Affairs Minister must confirm he is suspending funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) after making contradictory statements, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.

New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director Jordan Williams says, “Taxpayers have forked out more than $10 million in the last decade for this agency, only to discover that an internal report alleges it is guilty of ‘nepotism, retaliation, discrimination and other abuses of authority’.”

“With the agency now under investigation, suspending payments would be the obvious way to reassure taxpayers that our money isn’t used corruptly.”

“The next payment is scheduled for June, and we don’t know how long this investigation will take. Winston Peters needs to reassure New Zealanders that the agency won’t receive any taxpayer funds until the Agency can show it has tidied its act up.”