Ministers sure no taxpayer money used

WELLINGTON: Government ministers are confident no taxpayer money was caught up in donations to the Maori Party that have been referred to police for not being declared in time.

A donation of $50,000 from National Urban Maori Authority is one of three that have potentially breached Electoral Commission laws.

Any donation of more than $30,000 must be declared to the commission within 10 working days of it being received.

The authority is a registered charity which provides advocacy for four urban Maori authorities — Te Kohao Health in Kirikiriroa, Te Whanau o Waipareira Trust in West Auckland, Te Roopu Awhina ki Porirua and Manukau Urban Maori Authority.

Those organisations run health and social services which are funded, in part, by the North Island Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency.

The Ministry of Maori Development said no money from Whanau Ora was given directly to the authority.

It monitors the Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency's financial statements which are independently audited by KPMG.

It said there was no evidence funding was being used inappropriately.

Whanau Ora Minister Peeni Henare was confident no taxpayer money had been used to fund the Maori Party.

‘‘All of the reports I've received on the money that's being spent and the outcomes we've achieved have been on the money and if there's any concerns by the police in the investigation then it will come through,’’ he said.

Maori Development Minister Willie Jackson, who chaired the authority from 200417, said: ‘‘I know how the organisation was set up and the last thing you want to be doing is giving away Whanau Ora money.’’

One of the other two donations being investigated is from Maori Party vicepresident John Tamihere, who gave $158,000.

There is also a $120,000 donation from Aotearoa Te Kahu company.

Its sole shareholder is a trustee service owned by Wellington law firm Morrison Kent Lawyers.

Maori Party president Che Wilson said questions about where the donation came from needed to be directed to Mr Tamihere or the company.

Mr Tamihere said he would not comment until after the inquiry was completed. — RNZ