Sacked trustee keeps up criticism

By JON STOKES

One of the trustees removed from the embattled Waipareira Trust said yesterday she was ousted for questioning the quality of its management.

Airini Tukerangi has continued her criticism of the West Auckland urban Maori authority, urging the release of an audit into the trust's financial performance.

"We were sacked for questioning the quality of governance and management," says Ms Tukerangi, a trustee removed at a special meeting of the trust last month.

In July Ms Tukerangi levelled accusations of mismanagement and unauthorised spending and asset sales within the trust by the chief executive Reg Ratahi, chairman Eynon Delamere and chief financial officer Bruce Bryant.

The Herald revealed yesterday that Ms Tukerangi and four other trust members critical of management had been removed from the board.

Ms Tukerangi has urged the remaining trustees to make public the Deloittes audit - to investigate allegations of financial mismanagement - expected to be tabled at a special trust meeting tonight.

Deputy chairwoman Naida Glavish said yesterday that the audit would be tabled at the meeting.

She also confirmed that five trust members - Denis Hansen, Ms Tukerangi, Everdina Fuli, Peter DeHar and Ngaire Harris - had been removed from the 15-member board at a meeting last month.

She said this was because of actions taken by the group in July which included attempts to suspend chief executive Reg Ratahi and chairman Eynon Delamere, and for making "a number of serious and damaging accusations in the media".

The trust sought legal advice from constitutional law specialists Chen Palmer & Partners, understood to have cost up to $20,000.

"The legal opinion received stated that the actions of the five trustees ... in seeking to take over the management of the board, were not authorised, because they did not comply with the board's constitution.

Ms Glavish said the opinion also stated that the group used "none of the options available to lawfully raise concerns".

Ms Tukerangi said the motion to dismiss the group was based on selective interpretation of legal advice.

"We dispute the legality of our sacking."

She stood by her accusations levelled against the trust's management and was eager to read the audit.

"We have an annual general meeting next month, we will be raising concerns there and seeking the mandate of the whanau."

Ms Glavish said the trust had nothing to hide, and was "absolutely confident the audit will show the accusations made were totally without foundation".

"The board remains committed to answering all allegations made against it and the CEO and other parties involved, and will do so publicly in a ... duly authorised manner."