A Public Service Commission review considered whether expenditure associated with the farewell and welcome aligned with the Ministry of Pacific Peoples’ (MPP) policies and guidelines, and with relevant Public Service guidance.
The review found the expenditure for the farewell did not meet the requirement of being moderate and conservative. There was inadequate oversight of expenditure and there was no agreed budget for the event. Expenditure decisions were not consistent with MPP’s Hospitality, Gifts and Entertainment Policy or its Business Expenditure Policy, and did not align with the Public Service Commission’s model standards on Chief Executive Gifts, Benefits and Expenses.
MPP spent $39,262.22 on a farewell for its former chief executive, Secretary for Pacific Peoples, Leauanae Laulu Mac Leauanae, on 13 October 2022. This included $7,500 spent on gifts for Mr Leauanae.
Mr Leauanae was not involved in planning or decision-making concerning the farewell. However, as chief executive at the time he was responsible, overall, for agency expenditure. On being made aware of the money spent on gifts he immediately repaid the $7,500 and returned all the gifts.
The review also found MPP spent $4,919.47 on travel for one staff member, formal guests and family members of Mr Leauanae to attend his welcome at the Ministry for Culture and Heritage (MCH). This included travel costs of $2,977.91 for six members of Mr Leauanae’s family to attend the welcome, which the review found was not appropriate because MPP did not follow internal policies which would have identified the spending as sensitive, with a real or perceived benefit to Mr Leauanae. He has since reimbursed MPP $4,115.38 for travel costs associated with all family members and guests. . .
The Commissioner has reminded chief executives of his expectations. He said farewells and welcomes can be held in culturally acceptable ways and still align with guidance on sensitive expenditure.
“It is important to be able to host events in a manner that is culturally appropriate, and there are well established rules and policies to support that,” said Mr Hughes.
“New Zealanders expect their tax dollars to be used responsibly and appropriately.”
The money for the gifts was repaid but that still leaves more than $30,000 on the farewell.
What planet are these people on that they think that is an acceptable amount to spend? Do they have no understanding that this isn’t their money nor any respect for other people’s?
And a bigger question: what has this Ministry achieved and is it needed?
Ele Ludemann is a North Otago farmer and journalist, who blogs HERE
2 comments:
This is the nature of Governments, the bigger we allow them to get, the more dislocated from reality it gets.
Would have been especially interetsing if a maori outfit had been involved. All these specialised race based departments seem to act only to enrich "their people". I guess they also were "imagining decolonisation", although colonisation is the generator of their support funding.
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