By PATRICK GOWER
Police are investigating a South Auckland budgeting service after complaints that beneficiaries have lost thousands of dollars.
Detectives from Papakura have launched the investigation into Takanini Community Support after allegations that it failed to manage beneficiaries' money properly.
The agency, which received money from the Department of Work and Income on behalf of beneficiaries with custodial accounts, closed in June. Nobody connected with it could be reached for comment last night.
Hunua MP Warren Kyd has complained to the police and the department and has called for an independent audit of the agency.
However, a police spokesman said they were having trouble tracing the agency's management.
Tania Turei, a Beachlands mother of two, said she was one of those caught out and had been left with about $2000 in bills that had not been paid when the agency closed.
"I signed a custodian form stating that they would take full run of my income. Their job was to handle my finances and pay everything off, and I was given a housekeeping allowance which I had to learn to survive on.
"I trusted them with the money, and that everything was getting paid off, but in actual fact it wasn't.
"I got suspicious two weeks before they closed down. People were coming to me and saying, 'You haven't paid your bill yet'."
"I knew that wasn't right so I rang up the woman who paid the money. She told me not to worry, that it had all been paid. She thought I was dumb, you see. The majority of people she takes are beneficiaries and she thinks she can have us on but she can't."
Mr Kyd said: "I have had several complaints like this already and people are still coming forward."
He said Work and Income had given the budgeting service the right to hold custodial accounts even though it was not part of the Federation of Budgeting Services. It apparently worked on commission.
Detectives check budgeting aid group
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