Andrew FalloonNational says it is ‘‘staggering’’ that so far less than 5% of the Government’s regional development funding has been earmarked for the South Island, while Northland has been promised nearly half the money. ‘‘The mainland accounts for 30% of New Zealand’s regional population,’’ National South Island regional development spokesman Andrew Falloon said. ‘‘By contrast, Northland makes up less than 7% of our regional population.’’Mr Falloon said Regional Development Minister Shane Jones was ‘‘taking money off taxpayers in every other region in the country to hand around in Northland’’.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 13, 2018 19:57 UTC