Tau told to stand aside from leadership roles

Ngapuhi leader Sonny Tau has pleaded guilty to hunting kukupa and had another serious charge brought against him. Photo / John Stone

Guilty plea for hunting native birds

A Ngapuhi kaumatua says there's no room for Sonny Tau's leadership in the iwi after he pleaded guilty to hunting kukupa and had another serious charge brought against him.

Tau had initially denied hunting kukupa but admitted possessing five of the protected species when he appeared in Invercargill District Court in August. But yesterday in Auckland District Court he pleaded guilty to hunting the protected bird and was convicted on both charges.

Tau, who was former chairman of Tuhoronuku - the group negotiating Ngapuhi's Treaty Claims - was found with several kukupa at Invercargill Airport on June 16. A new charge, of conspiring to pervert the course of justice, was also brought by the police yesterday. Tau, 61, who was supported by family in court yesterday, did not enter a plea in relation to that charge. He didn't speak during a short appearance and his lawyer entered the guilty plea.

"The possession charge already has a plea of guilty entered," he told the judge.

"And I can confirm a guilty plea to the hunting charge also."

All the charges were moved from the Invercargill District Court to Auckland last week. The conspiring to pervert the course of justice charge was laid in Invercargill last week, but yesterday was Tau's first appearance in relation to the count.

Under the Crimes Act, anyone found guilty of conspiring to obstruct, prevent, pervert or defeat the course of justice may be imprisoned for up to seven years.

Ngapuhi kaumatua Kingi Taurua said Mr Tau needed to stand down from all of his leadership positions. "If Sonny was serious about his role as leadership he wouldn't have gone down there and broken the law. He should step down from all of his leadership positions. I don't think there is any room for Sonny anymore and I don't think Ngapuhi would support Sonny in his leadership roles."

Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis said Tau would need to make his own decisions regarding the leadership positions he still held.

"(But) all Maori leaders should be above reproach and set an example. It doesn't give confidence to beneficiaries of Ngapuhi when leaders have these serious convictions," he said.

In June, Tau stepped down as Tuhoronuku chairman and in September he made a last-minute decision to pull out of the board's chair elections. Last month the Ngapuhi Runanga announced Tau had taken three months "leave of absences" from all his roles at the Ngapuhi Runanga - including chairman of the group.

Northland Conservation Board chairman Mita Harris, who resigned from his position as Ngati Toro hapu kaikorero on Tuhoronuku after Tau was charged with hunting/killing and possessing kukupa, said he hoped this would be a wake-up call for Northland. "What it highlights is that this is being done by our own people. We need to think about looking after these birds and all our natural resources including marine life. We need to be kaitiaki of the land and I hope this gets a spark going within our people."

A spokesman for Minster of Conservation Maggie Barry said it was not appropriate to comment on the matter while it was before the courts but in July she said Tau can expect to face legal consequences if he is found to have broken the law. Maximum penalties for the unlawful killing or taking of protected species are a fine of $100,000 and/or imprisonment of two years.