Maori Board chair accuses councillors of 'making stuff up'

Board chairman David Taipari. Photo / Supplied

False information from councillors is behind a dispute over funding for Auckland's new Maori Statutory Board, its chairman has alleged.

The board has engaged a barrister to prepare legal action against the Auckland Council for slashing its 2011/2012 budget from $3.4m to $1.9m in a close decision last night.

Its chair, David Taupari, who was appointed to lead the board by Mayor Len Brown in November, said there was no evidence to show the proposed budget was unreasonable.

He accused councillors of stirring up a public outcry over the board's funding.

"As soon as the Council produces one statement or shred of evidence relating to our unreasonable costs then I'm happy to hear it.

"Instead we've been told our budget has been cut because of public outcry. Why is there public outcry - because of the misinformation that's been provided by some councillors."

Mr Taipari said the board had sought the help of an independent consultant and worked with council officers to ensure it was asking for a reasonable level of funding.

He wanted a court judgement to show last night's decision to cut that budget was not legally available to Council.

"Our reading of the law is that, if our proposed costs are reasonable, the council has no discretion about meeting those costs, so tonight's council decision is probably in breach of the law."

"You can lodge a motion for the sun not to come up tomorrow morning but in the end it's still going to come up. We've followed the law all the way through. People are making this stuff up. It's time to end that."

The legal action would not harm his board's relationship with Council, he said.

"I don't see how this will affect the relationship. It could improve it because it would remove the guessing.

"This is not about the relationship. This is about the board getting its due."

Mayor Len Brown last night played down the looming legal battle.

He praised councillors for reaching a reasonable budget that represented the sometimes-emotive view of the community.

The board was entitled to seek a declaratory judgment, which normally was dealt with quickly, he said.

Asked what would happen if the board won, Mr Brown said: "We will deal with that at the time. But we have made the decision today with the best information to hand after a long process of debate ... and a budget we want to work forward from."

The council also voted to formally request the Government to clarify the intentions of its legislation, and set up a working part of three councillors - Alf Filipaina, Des Morrison and Penny Webster - to work with the Maori board to agree on a final budget and work plan for 2011-2012.