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Maori wardens split
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 • Alice Te Puni
THE Maori Wardens are divided, funds are frozen, the president dismissed and Tairawhiti has turned its back on the national body.

Tairawhiti District Maori wardens in a media statement say they split from the national association and cancelled the October national conference in Gisborne in support of ousted president Gloria Hughes from Waiariki.

Mrs Hughes and executive committee members, including Te Kihi Wiremu from Gisborne, were dismissed at a national hui in Turangi last weekend.

A media statement from the Tairawhiti Wardens said “it wanted to be clear” that the council and president were not involved in acts of financial dishonesty.

“A statement by the accountant at the meeting made no mention of misappropriation of monies, or theft. He said the administration and support systems were shoddy and badly managed.

“Under the constitution, the council with the president who chairs the meetings are responsible at a governance level for what has befallen us all at this time.

“They were therefore dismissed for not officiating their fiduciary duties. We need to be honest and get the story right.”

Te Puni Kokiri has frozen the national association’s funding.

Parliament grants the wardens $200,000 a year for youth projects and administration expenses. The money is administered by TPK.

A TPK spokesman said the withheld funds would be returned when the association sorted out its finances.

The association failed to supply the financial information it had to provide on an annual basis. The accounts had been untidy and had not been audited as required, he said.

Local Maori wardens said 190 members — which was more than half the people attending the Turangi hui — walked out in support of the president.

“The meeting was a disaster and purposely set up to get rid of the president. Those of us who walked away will never go back. We intend to stand alone.”

A new Tairawhiti body independent of the national association will be set up, with 280 members from Matawai south to Frasertown and Ruatoria south to Napier.

The wardens have given Mrs Hughes a week to present a new view and said she would be given proper support by way of new governance and management.

“It is our duty to protect her. We must ensure this situation never happens to her, her whanau and us ever again.

“Tairawhiti district respects and stands in total support of our elected president. Regardless of what some wardens may think, she is still in charge,” the spokesman said.

“We are truly shocked at the way our elected executives and president were treated.”

“The Maori wardens for 174 years have carried out our kaupapa . . . aroha ki te tangata (goodwill to all mankind).

“They did not have to be sacked in such a manner. The agenda items could have been resolved at the national conference and triennial elections,” the statement said.

Gisborne will no longer cater for the national conference. Tairawhiti wardens will host a “moving forward” wananga for wardens supportive of Mrs Hughes.

“We need to get past this horrible time and foster the true kaupapa of ‘aroha ki te tangata’.
AROHA KI TE TANGATA: Turanganui Maori Wardens kaumatua (from left) Lovey Brown, Te Tairawhiti District Maori Warden Association administrator Pani Callaghan and Te Hapara treasurer and Te Tairawhiti district event organiser Niki Hitaua, will spearhead a new body independent of the national association in support of their president who was dismissed at a national hui this month. Picture supplied
Comments
Kiriana Kiriwera
02:40 p.m. Thursday, Aug 23, 2012
This article is not entirely true.
Many Maori Wardens were split well before this special meeting was called to oust the president and board.
The process taken obviously attracted many who were concerned regarding the non-accountability of finances that were promised to be provided in early 2012. This was not made available three months into the New Year, hence the need for a Special General Meeting eight months into 2012, with the conference around the corner.
The accountant gave a report in accordance with what he had received, as he was unable to gain more information required from the president. She was not returning calls or e-mails. Where was she?
It is a sad day to see the conference cancelled as all present at the 2011 conference gave full support - so we should all have a say about it being cancelled.
My friends and wardens in Tairawhiti agree with this stance.
In our view, if you cannot give details for dollars accessed from your funders then you are best to be up front with your committee to prevent what has happened.
I love Maori Wardens mahi and have no qualms about aroha ki te tangata.
Mauriora
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