October 04, 2012
Wananga chair blocks king’s choice
A stoush between the Maori King and Te Wananga o Aotearoa is heating up.
King Tuheitia has a right to appoint a representative to the wananga board, but chair Richard Batley is refusing to seat his nominee, Su Cullen.
Ms Cullen, the daughter of wananga founder Rongo Wetere, was the subject of criticism by the Audit Office several years ago about what were alleged to be conflicts of interest.
But the programmes she developed are still used by the wananga, and are also being picked up across the Tasman.
Ms Cullen says the King, a former wananga staff member, is concerned about the governance of the organisation and about the way it is handling the removal of Chief Executive Bentham Ohia.