Tamihere calls for measured response to Te Mangai Paho

By AUDREY YOUNG political editor

Associate Maori Affairs Minister John Tamihere has called for a "measured" response to the scandal surrounding the Maori funding agency Te Mangai Paho.

"We have to be measured about our response and make sure that our penalty fits the crime, rather than taking a sledge hammer to something when a hammer would have done."

The future of the broadcasting funding agency is under threat - but not just because of the scandal.

The Cabinet is due to receive a major review of Maori broadcasting policy this month, particularly its role in preserving the Maori language.

The latest trouble may lend more weight to merging the agency with NZ On Air.

Te Mangai Paho chairman Toby Curtis has resigned after a report detailed failures of the agency to address a serious conflict of interest.

The job of chief executive Trevor Moeke is also in jeopardy. He and the board allowed their former radio manager, Tame Te Rangi, to work as a guest commentator for a sportscasting company they funded.

The Treasury-led report showed that the company, Maori Sports Casting International, paid $11,221 to third parties for Mr Te Rangi's expenses, and $2739 directly to Mr Te Rangi for his work on up to 44 occasions.

The new board of Te Mangai Paho will meet on Thursday and is expected to discuss Mr Moeke's job.

Mr Tamihere would not say what steps should be taken but he believed Maori organisations received different treatment when things went wrong.

"The problem I have is that every time one of our people makes a mistake, we all wear it."

He cited the case of former Auditor-General Jeff Chapman's fraud conviction in 1997.

Some colleagues must have been aware of his fraudulent invoices and yet still held their jobs.

"Sometimes the punishment meted out is far in excess of cleaning up what the crime was. I think we have got to be measured about that."

Te Mangai Paho

Te Mangai Paho was set up under the Broadcasting Act 1993 as a Crown entity to protect Maori language, culture and taonga after a Court of Appeal ruling.

It was originally under the wing of Commerce but is now under the Maori Development Ministry, Te Puni Kokiri.

It allocates funds to iwi radio stations, and funds radio and television programmes and music recordings.

Last year it funded $30 million of television and $10 million of radio and cost $1.6 million to run (eight full-time staff and one part-time).