Tainui releases another top businessman

By VANESSA BIDOIS and PAUL YANDALL

HOPUHOPU - The flamboyant basketball coach and businessman who negotiated multimillion-dollar business deals for the Tainui tribe has lost his job.

Special projects manager Jeff Green has failed to have his contract renewed and becomes the second high-profile executive to leave the tribe's corporate entities in two months.

The chief executive of Tainui Development, Greg Parker, made a surprise exit late last year and is now threatening legal action.

Although the tribe's assets have grown to $243 million over the past three years, the corporate arm of Tainui reported a $9 million fall in profits last year.

Tainui spokeswoman Sue Sarich said last night that a press statement about Mr Green's departure would be released this morning, but the tribe's senior legal adviser, Shane Solomon, was reported as saying Mr Green's contract had not been renewed when it expired on New Year's Day.

Mr Green could not be contacted for comment.

He was a key player in negotiating some of the tribe's estimated $30 million of business deals, including the controversial $3.5 million stake in the Auckland Warriors rugby league club.

He was also involved with investments in the Puka Park resort lodge, a $6 million stake in Hamilton's Novotel Tainui Hotel and $10 million in the proposed Riverside Casino.

Mr Green is also known for his coaching of the Waikato Warriors basketball team.

Mr Parker said yesterday that his contract was still valid when he left the company on November 30, and he was considering taking legal action.

"Put it this way: it wasn't because I did a bad job. There were other issues involved."

He refused to divulge what those issues were.

Tukoroirangi Morgan, the former Mauri Pacific MP and Tainui beneficiary, said last night that Mr Green was the victim of meddling by tribal leaders.

"I actually think the Tainui leaders should leave well enough alone and allow those people who have the business skills to run the show," Mr Morgan said.

Tainui critic Dr David Gilgen, who opposed the controversial Warriors deal, said Mr Green's departure was "internal politics and political gamesmanship."

Mr Green, an accountant with computer expertise, was working with a Maori business development organisation in Wellington when Tainui's principal negotiator, Sir Robert Mahuta, asked him to join the team.

Dr Gilgen said: "I'm really surprised because he was virtually Sir Robert's mouthpiece."