Canterbury Mornings

The government has announced $10 million of funding from the Provincial Growth Fund for the renovation and improvement of Pasifika churches in the regions.Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones says 27 churches will benefit, as part of the Covid-19 response and recovery plan.The money would allow much needed renovations and improvements on many provincial Pasifika churches while providing up to 400 temporary construction jobs, Jones said.Former Massey University religious historian Dr Peter Lineham told Chris Lynch he's never seen anything like it."I've never before seen government money directly used for renovations to church buildings."Lineham says these churches do provide a lot of social care."They tend to be strongly connected to particular Pacific nations - effectively becoming a New Zealand-based village."But Lineham says the fact the money's been invested in fixing up buildings is very strange.LISTEN ABOVE