April 27, 2018
Tainui no stomach for courting exposure
An advisor to King Tuheitia says the recipient of a $46,00 stomach stapling operation paid for by the king’s charity has a right to privacy.
The Charities Commission is investigating whether the payment is serious wrongdoing.
Former MP Tuariki Delamere blames the investigation on factions within Tainui leaking information in an attempt to discredit the king.
He says it’s not the business of a Sunday newspaper or the people of New Zealand who had the weight loss surgery.
"The king and Tainui are not prepared to discuss with anybody who that surgery is for. It's private medical information and frankly I agree it's outrageous. This is not taxpayer money. If there is an issue it's for Tainui themselves to sort out," Mr Delamere says.
The office of the king has brought in a senior lawyer to manage its interactions with the Charities Commission.
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