June 20, 2013
Trustee cracks down on rent shirkers
The Māori Trustee says his office can no longer be considered a soft touch.
Jamie Tuuta is on a national roadshow explaining his new direction for the Māori Trust Office, which has been renamed Te Tumu Paeroa.
The office manages 100,000 hectares of Māori land for 2000 trusts, companies and joint ventures.
Mr Tuuta says since taking the job 18 months ago he has restructured its internal systems, developed centralised policies rather than allowing five regions to set their own path, prioritised engagement with owners, and cut rent arrears from 8 percent to under 4 percent.
"That has required us to get tough with people, to change the perception and attitude out there in the marketplace where many still believe that Māori land and our organisation is a soft touch. That has changed and we have had to do that by pursuing court orders, taking people to court, seeing bankruptcy and the like and that has sent a clear message to the marketplace that it is unacceptable for people to be paying rent late," Mr Tuuta says.
Te Tumu Paeroa is holding a road show meeting in the Bruce Mason Centre in Takapuna at 6.30pm tonight, and at the Toll Stadium in Whangarei at 11 tomorrow morning.
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