MP claims $250,000 misappropriated from health provider

A private investigator had been called in after about $250,000 of taxpayer money had "gone missing" from central Auckland organisation Tihi Ora Mapo, Act MP Heather Roy claimed in Parliament yesterday.

The organisation, which receives $1 million a year from the Ministry of Health, contract local Maori groups to provide for local communities.

Mrs Roy said she was concerned there had been a "misappropriation" of health money through Tihi Ora Mapo.

Private investigator Michael Crawford, of Advanced Investigations, was contracted by Ngati Whatua, which was concerned about the money, she said.

He had been called in to investigate Tihi Ora's chief executive, Kere Cookson-Ua, who had been on sick leave for "many months," she said.

"In fact, he's still on the payroll but no one can find him - he's not on the phone. And it seems that $250,000 of taxpayer money has gone missing."

Mr Crawford was getting "absolutely no co-operation" from those in a position to help him, Mrs Roy said.

Mr Cookson-Ua had refused to release two laptop computers owned by Tihi Ora.

"Mr Crawford believes that there is compelling and incriminating evidence on these laptops.

"He believes that there has been serious misappropriation of funds," but the police had not been called in.

"No search warrant has been executed to secure the incriminating evidence. Why haven't the police been called in?"

The Minister of Health, who had known about this since last October, was "doing nothing". The ministry was conducting "internal investigations," Mrs Roy said.

The ministry's Deputy Director-General of Maori Health, Ria Earp, said through a spokesman that the ministry was aware of allegations that had been made regarding Tihi Ora. "These allegations are being investigated and managed by the board of Tihi Ora.

"The ministry's been in close communication with the board of Tihi Ora and will ensure these allegations are investigated thoroughly."

Last night Tihi Ora chairman Tom Parore said the board was dealing with the matter appropriately as they had initiated the private investigation and contacted the Ministry of Health straight away.

He told the Herald that lawyers had been involved in the matter since it started in about October and that Mr Cookson-Ua had been stood down. "There has been a due process going on about the allegation and we expect to come to some resolution about it within the next week.

He confirmed Mr Cookson-Ua had not been co-operating with Mr Crawford.

- STAFF REPORTER, NZPA