So James Shaw was hell-bent on getting the $12m grant for the Green PRIVATE school - or else he would have held back the whole shovel-ready scheme of 150 projects.
And it's clear that Hipkins as Education Minister was also involved.
So much for his apology & his 'lack of judgement'. He knew exactly what he was doing.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/polit...-included.html
Newshub can reveal just how hard Green Party co-leader James Shaw advocated for the $11.7 million promised to the privately-owned Green School in Taranaki.
The Green School was one of 150 projects getting a piece of a $3 billion pie - the shovel-ready infrastructure fund - and Shaw was willing to put them all at risk.
Newshub has obtained an email that went to Government ministers and the Treasury from Shaw's office and it included a stark ultimatum.
"Minister Shaw won't sign this briefing until the Green School in Taranaki is incorporated."
The email said Shaw discussed the ultimatum with the Education Minister.
"Minister Shaw has also discussed this one with Minister Hipkins.
"Sorry to be the spanner-in-the-works, but if we can get the project included, he'll sign everything this afternoon," the email said.