NZ First leader Winston Peters has sparked debate over the management and financial priorities of Māori organisations, raising concerns about asset dissipation and high salaries for executives.
While discussing Fonterra’s recent sale of its consumer division, including fresh milk, cheese, yoghurt and butter, to French food giant Lactalis for $4.2 billion, Peters said Māori organisations share the same corporate mindset.
Peters says he is frustrated by what he calls a lack of transparency and a disconnect between leadership and community needs.
“I see Māori organizations that were multi, multi million dollars in wealth, and that the whole lot’s been dissipated away. You want me to point out who they are? It’s all over the country… the Waipareira Trust is the worst of them all, really. And you all know that out there, don’t you?” says Peters.
He also questioned executive pay scales in those organisations.
“You know, how many of the staff are on my $500,000 or more? All earn more than the Prime Minister. And whose money is that? That’s their people’s money. You know what’s going on. And I want one day for the Māori media to expose what’s going on here,” says Peters.
Peters claims nepotism at Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust “knows no bound,” saying Māori at the bottom are being left behind while those at the top benefit.
