Moeke quits top job but stays with Te Mangai Paho

Trevor Moeke has quit as chief executive of Maori broadcasting funding agency Te Mangai Paho (TMP) but will stay on as a "project manager", board chairman Wira Gardiner announced today.

Mr Moeke went on paid leave last month while a review into his performance was carried out.

The review was prompted by several matters, including a Treasury report which criticised the way TMP handled a conflict of interest involving former employee Tame Te Rangi.

Mr Te Rangi was involved in approving grants to a sports broadcasting company while he was being paid by it for rugby commentaries.

Since then there have been disclosures of failed contracts TMP signed with production companies which were supposed to make programmes for the new Maori Television Service.

The review, conducted by Herewini Te Koha, focused on Mr Moeke's handling of the Slightly Offbeat Productions project and his attempts to retrieve some licences while the company was in liquidation.

Mr Gardiner announced today that the review found Mr Moeke "acted professionally" in his handling of the project but that he had become a "focal point" for resulting negative publicity.

"Understandably, the findings of the investigation are an immense relief to Mr Moeke and his family, all who have been under severe stress over the past few months," Mr Gardiner said.

"Notwithstanding the clearing of his name, Mr Moeke acknowledges that an ongoing role as chief executive of TMP when there are significant questions about the future of the agency would not be helpful."

Mr Moeke had therefore resigned as chief executive, effective immediately. However, the board had asked him to remain on staff to "effect the tidy handover to help resolve any outstanding matters and to tackle a number of projects that the board has in mind".

"He has agreed to this request and will remain on staff as a project manager for the next nine months," he said.

Mr Gardiner refused to say whether Mr Moeke would take a pay cut, saying that was a matter for himself and Mr Moeke.

However, he confirmed he would not receive any severance payment.

Mr Te Koha's review found also:

* Some aspects of Mr Moeke's performance in handling the matter of Mr Te Rangi could have been done better;

* Mr Moeke's actions to recover the Slightly Offbeat Productions licences were lawful, and his actions were with the best intentions of TMP in mind and that he kept his board fully briefed at all times, and

* some aspects of his performance could be improved but normally they could be dealt with in a standard management process.

Mr Te Koha will take over as chief executive, a role Mr Gardiner has been filling for the past few weeks.

"I retreat back to the exulted heights of $440 a day as chairman of the board and I propose to operate two or three days a month in that role," Mr Gardiner said.

"Some would say that (is well paid) but I would suggest to you that if you had been in the private sector, like I have been, for the past eight years then that would not be a sensible response."

Mr Gardiner remains the only spokesman for TMP, refusing at the press conference to allow Mr Te Koha to answer questions directed at him.

However, Mr Moeke said in a statement he had been vindicated by the review.

"During the past months untrue and distressing statements have been made about me - by certain politicians and by the media - and I would now expect that those concerned, if they have an ounce of decency, will apologise," he said.

He believed he had been subjected to a "trial by media", which included reporters staking out his house.

"It is a sad fact that despite being vindicated, it is still necessary to stand down as chief executive to restore public confidence in the agency," he said.

But National MP Katherine Rich and ACT MP Rodney Hide, who exposed much of the TMP problems, challenged the vindication and said Mr Moeke's retention was the "ultimate deceit".

"The bizarre arrangement that will allow Mr Moeke to stay at TMP for nine months can only be described as a golden handshake," they said.

"It's now official, there are two standards of accountability in New Zealand - one for Maori and one for everyone else."

The MPs accused Mr Moeke of overseeing a "lolly scramble" of taxpayers' money.

In the latest incident, Mrs Rich told Parliament yesterday that taxpayer money was used to buy two sets of golf clubs used by directors of DreamTime Entertainment for youth game show Te Wero.

She also disclosed that an Audit New Zealand report on the Te Wero contract showed 13 cheques had been cashed, totalling $19,810, which was described as petty cash but had no supporting documentation.

A separate inquiry is under way into all the contracts and the effectiveness of TMP's monitoring of them.

The agency's future itself is uncertain and last month State Services Minister Trevor Mallard admitted it might be better for New Zealand on Air to handle funding of Maori broadcasting.

- NZPA