September 21, 2015
Te Aupouri Maori Trust Board under scrutiny
Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell has appointed Wellington accountant Grant Taylor to investigate the affairs of Te Aupouri Maori Trust Board.
Mr Taylor is the managing director of accounting and audit firm EY’s Wellington office.
The board closed its Kaitaia offices three weeks ago, citing challenging financial circumstances, and handed most of its programmes to other social service agencies.
Mr Flavell says the investigation is to find out what caused the board’s financial melt-down.
He says Evan Nathan has been appointed as interim manager to help the board manage its affairs until it is formally dissolved under the Te Hiku settlement legislation.
At that stage the tribe’s $21 million settlement will come under the control of a new post-settlement body, Te Runanga o Te Aupouri.
Mr Nathan, a director of Tyson Nathan & Associates, helped set up Te Puni Kokiri’s Maori business facilitation service.
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