Ngai Tahu turmoil turns nasty

Internal revolt within Ngai Tahu is continuing, with seven tribal leaders banding together to push for change from within their governing body, Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu (Tront).

Some of them say that because they've spoken out, a "nasty" campaign has started, which includes an anonymous letter being sent to media naming 10 iwi members and alleging, among other things, that some associate with rapists and murderers.

The typewritten note was sent to the Otago Daily Times this week. The author identifies the 10 as anti-Tront iwi members.

Otakou Runanga chairman Tahu Potiki said the letter amounted to "threatening, bully-boy tactics".

He also alleged that his emails to other iwi leaders had been hacked.

For three weeks, the tribe has been in turmoil, a situation started by revelations it would be spending $52 million over four years on a cultural centre. Last month, Ngai Tahu Holdings Corporation chairman Wally Stone, who advised against that spending in the current market, was dismissed.

Mr Potiki said asking for "transparency" had seen all sorts of "hell" break loose.

"This is because we want to have a debate about how much a building costs, how much senior management get paid and why they got rid of Wally Stone. In [a Ngai Tahu] election year, these are reasonable questions to ask, yet these nutbars think they can shut down all discussion because they want to hold on to power.

"And they think they're going to intimidate us with this sort of crap."

Chairmen from seven of 18 papatipu runanga - the constituents that make up Tront - yesterday publicly called for radical change in the way Te Runanga interacts with their members. They represent Hokonui, Otakou, Arowhenua, Awarua, Wairewa, Kaikoura and Ngati Waewae.

The Herald requested an interview with Tront chairman Mark Solomon. But a spokeswoman said he was unavailable. In a written statement, he said he would not be involved in any further media debate.

Awarua runanga chairwoman Hana Morgan said too many important decisions were being made in committee, without any accountability to members, eroding papatipu rights.

"We've tried going through our representative," she said. "They [Tront] ignore us. We've said, 'Come to the marae, listen to what we're saying'. They don't do that. It's like we're becoming invisible."