September 25, 2012
Tenths in denial says Love critic
A critic of the Wellington Tenths Trust says the capital’s land-owning incorporation is in denial about the need to clean up its act.
Jason Fox says the re-election of Sir Ngatata Love as a trustee shows the lack of courage by beneficiaries.
Sir Ngatata stood aside as chair last month after the Serious Fraud Office opened an investigation into consultancy fees paid by developers to his partner, Lorraine Skiffington, for projects on Tenths land.
Mr Fox says Sir Ngatata was not at the meeting, but beneficiaries were swayed by an impassioned speech by his daughter Catherine Love.
“I would never put my daughter up to defend myself and if you’ve got something to say, come along and say it yourself. That was one of those moments where you shake your head in disappointment, so what we’ve got going on here is a lot of denial about what is in fact occurring with the Serious Fraud Office,” he says.
Mr Fox has also asked the Serious Fraud Office to look into the transactions of associated bodies chaired by Sir Ngata, including the Palmerston North Tenths and the Port Nicholson Settlement Trust.