Companies Office lets Qantas director off hook

The Companies Office has dropped charges against another director of Tasman Pacific's failed airline, Qantas New Zealand.

Rob Campbell, the chief executive of Tappenden Holdings, which was an investor in Qantas NZ through the Zazu company, was one of seven airline directors to face charges following its receivership in April last year.

"Tappenden is satisfied with the outcome announced by the Companies' Office today," Campbell said. "However, we were always confident that we would have successfully defended the charges in court as I, Trevor Farmer, and Tappenden Holdings insist on the highest standards of corporate governance."

Campbell, along with fellow former Tasman Pacific directors David Belcher, Kevin Doddrell, David Skeggs, Fred Watson, Ken Cowley and Farmer, originally faced three charges each, relating to their alleged failure to prepare signed accounts at all.

However, charges have been dropped against Farmer, who was Tappenden Holdings' alternate director with Campbell, and Skeggs.

The remaining directors are due to appear in court on July 22.

The charges, brought last June, related to the failure of Tasman Pacific and its sole shareholder, Zazu, to file the June 2000 year's accounts by December 31.

Each charge carried a potential penalty of up to $100,000.

- NZPA

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