Cullen orders $75,000 pay cut for Maori leader

By RUTH BERRY political reporter

High-profile Maori leader Sir Graham Latimer has had his fees from a land claims body slashed by the Government.

Sir Graham has been making more than $100,000 a year as chairman of the Crown Forestry Rental Trust. But Finance Minister Michael Cullen has capped Sir Graham's annual trust income at a quarter of that, $25,000.

Trust chief executive Karen Waterreus said yesterday that Dr Cullen had set a limit on the number of days Sir Graham and other trustees could work for the trust.

It follows concerns expressed before several Maori Affairs select committees in recent years about Sir Graham's fees.

Dr Cullen, responsible for determining how much trustees are paid, indicated he was concerned about the fees.

Ms Waterreus said the change, which took effect at the beginning of this month, meant Sir Graham would be able to claim for 50 days a year of trust work at an unchanged daily rate of $500.

Last financial year, Sir Graham worked just over 200 days and was paid $104,500. The year before he was paid $105,500.

Sir Graham has defended his fees, saying the trust's work was extensive.

Ms Waterreus declined to say whether the trust was happy with Dr Cullen's decision, but said "trustees are working with it".

Dr Cullen has raised trustees' daily rate from $400 to $450, but set an annual limit of $12,500.

The trust has six official trustees, three appointed by the Crown and three by the New Zealand Maori Council and the Federation of Maori Authorities, although two people are now filling one Crown position.

Professor Whatarangi Winiata is the other person who will take a pay cut.

Professor Winiata received $21,000 in the 2001/2002 financial year and $34,000 the year before.

The trust was set up in 1990 to help treaty claimants prepare and negotiate claims involving forests.

It has been criticised for the slow progress made in resolving those claims, but has blamed the Government for the delays, citing its policy of refusing to let claimants negotiate forestry-only claims. Sir Graham, also the head of the New Zealand Maori Council, could not be reached for comment yesterday.