A long-running investigation into West Auckland social services provider Waipareira Trust’s hundreds of thousands of dollars of political donations to the campaigns of its chief executive John Tamihere has concluded with the charity avoiding deregistration.
Incredible.
A further story reports:
As the Waipareira Trust faced pressure from regulators in May 2023 over whether it would recoup more than $385,000 advanced in contentious loans to support the political campaigns of its chief executive John Tamihere, the charity awarded its boss a bonus totalling the exact amount owed to enable repayment.
This was just blatant defiance of the regulator and the law. They were told the it was illegal to donate to political campaigns, so they said it was a loan. They were then told the loan must be repaid, and they paid a non-contractural bonus to Tamihere in the exact amount of the loan, which effectively did make it a donation again. It was blatant defiance, yet the charity regulator rewards them with a wet bus ticket instead of reregistration.
A spokeswoman for regulator Charities Services also said the settlement would see changes at the top of the Waipareira Trust. “Tamihere will no longer be employed by Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust,” the spokeswoman said, adding that he would remain employed by a cluster of other charities restructured as the Waipareira Investment Group.
In a statment published Thursday afternoon on Waipareira’s Facebook page, chairman Raymond Hall acknowledged the CRB decision, but disputed any change in role for Tamihere.
“There are no changes to Waipareira’s trustees or executive leadership because of this decision. John Tamihere continues in his role as chief executive officer of Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust,” Hall said.
Charities Services just look like incompetent fools.
David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders
3 comments:
"Charities Services just look like incompetent fools" - No, they ARE incompetent fools and so will be our Government if it lets this stand.
We can't say it often enough, "Charities Services ARE incompetent fools" - females of whom I am heartily ashamed.
For persons with genes akin Tamahere, the power of cancellation is hugely enhanced. Judges and Charities Services staff not beyond.
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