Fox sick of being on front page

By RUTH BERRY

Veteran Maori broadcaster Derek Fox yesterday suggested that the "bruising and brutal" time he had faced defending the Maori Television Service - rather than a female worker's complaint against him - spurred his sudden resignation.

MTS chairman Wayne Walden announced late on Friday that he had received Mr Fox's resignation.

He said it came during an investigation into a "human resource" issue between MTS and Mr Fox.

The investigation involved a complaint made against him by a female employee, but Mr Walden said privacy reasons prevented elaboration.

Mr Fox has not returned Herald calls.

He appeared on TVNZ's Marae programme yesterday but refused to discuss the complaint, saying only: "I can't tell you about that."

He said his letter of resignation had made it clear he had resigned because he was fed up with attacks on both himself and Maori broadcasting in general and was leaving for "family and personal reasons".

"That's it. Sooner or later you can get a bit ho-ha [bored with it]."

MTS refused to be further drawn into the debate yesterday. A spokeswoman said there would be no further comment.

Mr Fox, MTS's first chairman and since February its chief executive, said he had been involved in Maori broadcasting for 30 years and had spent the past 20 supporting moves to set up a Maori channel.

"The last two as chairman of MTS and also as CEO, they would be probably the most bruising and brutal years that I have had to face.

"Every week some cowardly mongrel in the Parliament of New Zealand decides that he can beat up on Derek Fox without stepping outside to say any of those things.

"There's a feeding frenzy from time to time in the newspapers," he said.

"I suddenly realised, maybe several weeks ago now, the effect it was having on my kids, and for me that was the last straw.

"I started looking at whether I really wanted to keep doing this under those circumstances."

Asked why Mr Walden had linked his resignation to the complaint, he said: "Mr Walden, I guess, he's free to say what he says. The reality is that I'm the one who has taken all of the shots over the last two years.

"I'm sick of being on the front page of the newspapers."

Mr Fox said he had told MTS he was interested in making programmes for the service, but it was probably too early to see if that would happen.

In the meantime he was "looking forward to the freedom of going back and becoming a private citizen".

The Herald understands that, before his resignation, Mr Fox sounded out some key people about relaunching the Maori party he tried to set up before going to MTS.

But he suggested yesterday this was unlikely, conceding that his resignation "probably" signalled an end to his public profile.

He delivered a broadside at some in the Maori TV production community, saying: "There are plenty of people [who] have an agenda not to see Maori TV work. Some of those people are within ourselves, which is one of the most debilitating things."

Mr Fox said his departure should not significantly affect MTS, as most key measures were in place to get it to air.

MTS reports to the Government and Te Putahi Paoho, the Maori Television Service Electoral College.

College chairman Hone Harawira said yesterday that while Mr Fox's resignation was very disappointing, "I see no reason why it should be a setback".

"I agree with Wayne Walden that the organisation is nearly up and running. Derek will be a loss, there's no two ways about it, but he himself has set up most of the contracts and programming schedules already."

Mr Fox said yesterday that he expected MTS to be on air by the end of the year.

The Maori TV saga

July 2001: Government announces establishment of MTS, gives on-air date of June 2002.

March 2002: MTS board appoints Canadian John Davy chief executive.

April 2002: Davy sacked for faking qualifications.

February 2003: Fox resigns chair to become CEO.

April: Wayne Walden appointed chairman.

May: MTS legislation passed in Parliament.

Friday: Fox suddenly resigns.
Yesterday: Fox says resignation and complaint not linked. He's just "fed up".