October 16, 2013
Acting CEO named as pressure goes on
The Maori Television board has appointed the channel's main bean counter as interim chief executive while it reviews what it should be looking for in the top job.
Chair Georgina Te Heuheu says Alan Withrington, the general manager finance and administration, is one of Maori television's longest serving staff members and has fulfilled the role of acting chief executive a number of times in the past.
He takes up the role next Monday, with Jim Mather finishing on Friday to head Te Wananga o Aotearoa.
Mrs Te Heuheu says the board is reviewing its criteria for the position and a planning with the recruitment agency to conduct a more targeted search for candidates with the knowledge, experience and personal characteristics to lead the service through its next phase of growth.
Meanwhile, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is defending Labour's Clare Curran for raising questions about Mrs Te Heuheu's links to one of the candidates in the aborted job search.
Ngati Rangiwewehi has called for Ms Curran's resignation for her comments about Paora Maxwell, a former Television New Zealand executive who made it to the shortlist against advice from the recruitment consultants.
Mr Peters says Mr Maxwell's iwi needs to understand Maori Television is on a short rope.
"This is an organisation that took upon itself to appoint a fraudster out of Canada with no qualifications, an absolute imposter, so they should remember that and understand why some parliamentarians are taking a more acute interest in this appointment than they would with some others," he says.
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