Hon Nanaia Mahuta

Te Minita Whanaketanga Māori

Minister for Māori Development

15 June 2018

PĀNUI PĀPĀHO

MEDIA STATEMENT

Māori Development Minister Mahuta has announced that she has directed an investigation into the affairs of the Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board under section 33 of the Māori Trust Boards Act 1955.

“In my capacity as Minister for Māori Development I have received a range of complaints and requests from a number of beneficiaries for an investigation into the Board,” says Minister Mahuta.

The Minister has appointed Michael Heron QC to investigate the facts in relation to the governance, management and 2017 triennial elections of the Board.

The investigator will report back in August at which time the Minister will consider the findings and assess the options.

“I am committed to having this investigation happen in a timely and efficient manner so that the people of Te Whakatōhea can find a resolution and are able to progress with their aspirations for the future,” Nanaia Mahuta says.

Note to Editors:

The Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board is based in the Ōpōtiki region and was established under a Māori Purposes Act in 1949 and is governed under the Māori Trust Board’s Act 1955. It represents six divisions of Te Whakatōhea. Two members from each division are selected to make up the Board’s 12 members. Those divisions are: Ngāi Tamahaua, Ngāti Patu, Ngāti Rua, Ngāti Ngāhere, Ngāti Ira and Te Ūpokorehe.

The purpose of the Board is to administer its assets in accordance with the Act for the benefit of its members. The Board’s asset base includes dairy farms, kiwifruit orchards, forestry shares, property investments, fisheries assets, aquaculture ventures, social, health and education services.

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