Tainui leader fuming over double-dip insinuation

Treaty claims facilitator Tukoroirangi Morgan. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Act MP David Garrett has asked for assurances that Tukoroirangi Morgan's work as a Treaty claims facilitator has not involved double-dipping.

Mr Morgan was paid $141,000 in director's fees as well as a $100,000 success fee for completing Tainui's Waikato River settlement. The Government also contracts Mr Morgan as a Crown facilitator to help move other iwi through the settlement process. Between November 2008 and March 1, the Office of Treaty Settlements (OTS) paid Mr Morgan $171,093.61.

In Parliament yesterday, Mr Garrett asked Treaty Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson if he could assure the House that Mr Morgan was not charging twice - once to OTS and then again to Tainui.

Mr Finlayson said it was the tribe's business what they paid Mr Morgan.

However, "any payments made by the Crown to Mr Morgan for facilitation work have been for those services with [iwi groups Mr Morgan has worked with]. That work is quite different from the Crown's engagement with Waikato Tainui".

Mr Morgan was angry yesterday at the insinuation. "I'm not going to enter into this kind of crap. I don't give a shit about what David Garrett is saying," he said.

A spokesman for Mr Finlayson later told the Herald that the Government was getting "value for money" for Mr Morgan's service.

"Mr Morgan's facilitation work is paid in exactly the same way as any other Crown facilitator - he is paid for the work he does, and he has done a fine job for the Crown in helping resolve negotiations. He invoices for work that's been performed, he provides meeting reports and updates, and he works with Crown officials and iwi negotiators."

His current contract expires in June but he's worked with Te Toko Toru, Ngai Tai, Te Pou a Haokai and Te Whakarau.

Mr Morgan and Lady Raiha Mahuta, who also co-negotiated for the tribe, were recognised by the iwi and gifted korowai (cloaks) at Turangawaewae Marae's poukai, an annual meeting between King Tuheitia and followers yesterday.

Since 2008 the Government has paid Sir Douglas Graham $177,264 to untangle the claims in Tamaki Makaurau, while Sir Wira Gardiner was paid $76,496 and former MP Mahara Okeroa got $10,018.