Te Mangai Paho report 'tip of an iceberg', MPs say

11.45am

The MPs who forced an inquiry into Te Mangai Paho say the damning report released last night is just the beginning, and funding for Maori broadcasting should be taken away from the agency.

TMP chairman Toby Curtis resigned after the Treasury-led inquiry found that former employee Tame Te Rangi was involved in the allocation of grants to Maori Sports Casting International (MSCI) while he was being paid by the company for commentary work.

ACT MP Rodney Hide and National's Murray McCully, who raised the allegations in Parliament, said the funding scandal was "just the tip of a very large iceberg".

"Te Mangai Paho has been a disgrace. Separate funding for Maori should stop, it's a recipe for disaster," they said.

"If it wasn't for opposition parties, Te Mangai Paho would have gotten away completely with this."

They demanded the resignation of Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia and TMP chief executive Trevor Moeke.

"Minister Horomia has sat on his hands and done nothing... the funding of Te Mangai Paho should be rolled into New Zealand on Air," they said.

"At least, that way the money would be wasted with some accountability."

Mr Horomia initially told Parliament there had been no cash payments to Mr Te Rangi, and later admitted he had been wrongly advised.

The inquiry found Mr Te Rangi, who was radio manager at TMP, worked as a commentator at up to 50 sporting fixtures -- 44 for MSCI and six for Radio Ngati Porou.

Those commentaries involved extensive travel nationwide and, on two occasions, to Australia.

Mr Te Rangi received $2730 directly from MSCI while the company also met $13,952 of his costs.

"This is unacceptable," Mr Horomia said when he released the report.

"Mr Te Rangi knew what he was doing and got away with it until his resignation."

Mr Te Rangi resigned from TMP earlier this year after a 10-year-old fraud conviction came to light.

Mr Curtis, who had only a month to go in the job, said he did not think he was being made a scapegoat and thought it was time "someone with a fresher outlook" should come in.

He has been replaced by Wira Gardiner, former Maori vice-president of the National Party.

Mr Moeke could still be a victim of the inquiry.

Mr Horomia, when asked if he had confidence in the chief executive, replied: "That is something for the board to sort out."

Mr Hide said today Mr Horomia's comment was a signal to the board that Mr Moeke had to go.

"There's no doubt in my mind that Mr Moeke's head will roll," he said on National Radio.

Associate Maori Affairs Minister John Tamihere said dismissing the chief executive was "a possibility".

"The report is very clear on where it found fault. The board will act in a prudent fashion on it," he said.

- NZPA