Oranga Tamariki has apologised for providing inaccurate information to RNZ about its sexual violence programmes for children.
Photo: RNZ / Dom Thomas
It had said in an OIA response last year that it underspent by $4.4m on the crisis support, and harmful sexual behaviours programmes; however, it has now revised that upwards, to a $4.52m underspent (equating to about 40 percent of what was allocated to the two programmes).
Child advocates and the government expressed disappointment that OT did not spend all the money available to it.
Also, the agency had told RNZ the unspent money would be carried over into this year's funding.
It now says that is not the case, and the unspent funding was in fact returned to the Crown as the law dictates.
"We realise that by providing inaccurate information to you, we have put the accuracy of your reporting at risk," the agency's general manager of public, ministerial and executive services Steve Groom said in a letter to RNZ.
"We apologise sincerely to you and your audience for this error.
"We will be reviewing how this occurred and putting in place measures to reduce the risk of similar inaccuracies in the future."
