Kohanga Reo halts staff credit cards

KOHANGA Reo has cancelled credit cards issued to members of a related entity and a staff member has been suspended after allegations of misspending.

Education Minister Hekia Parata summoned Te Kohanga Reo National Trust Board members to her Beehive office for an explanation last night after it was alleged public funds were misused by Lynda Tawhiwhirangi, the general manager of Kohanga Reo’s commercial arm Te Pataka Ohanga (TPO).

Prime Minister John Key promised the book would be thrown at the trust if allegations aired by Native Affairs about spending on TPO credit cards were proved.

Kohanga Reo receives about $79 million in government funding.

The programme said Ms Tawhiwhirangi’s purchases allegedly included a Trelise Cooper dress, a wedding dress, and a 21st birthday present for a woman who was in a relationship with one of her sons and had carried out work experience at the trust. There was also a $1000 cash withdrawal from a BP Connect as koha for a tangi which she did not attend.

The trust tried to stop the programme going to air through a court injunction but it failed.

In a statement, TPO said it had cancelled all credit cards issued to the trust’s governors and staff and their future use would be considered following an urgent investigation.

Directors had also suspended a TPO staff member and had launched an investigation into the staff members’ actions, director Druis Barrett said.

An interim director would be appointed to the board and Kohanga Reo had commissioned an independent financial audit.

Ms Parata said she and Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples were meeting the board to discuss what investigations were necessary. But she reiterated there were more than 400 Kohanga around the country catering to about 9000 children.

‘‘We have had no irregularities reported around that so we need to be in a position to distinguish between the provision of that service for early childhood and what is happening in the trust.’’

Labour Maori affairs spokesman Shane Jones said Mr Sharples needed to ‘‘get off his chuff’’’ and act over the growing list of dysfunctional Maori entities. The Crown Forest Rental Trust was ‘‘at war with itself ... and dysfunctional, Maori TV cannot find its feet to get a decent CEO, the Kohanga Reo’s gone mad buying [a Kardashian handbag], so they’re out for the count, Maori forestry’s in a hell of a mess,’’ Mr Jones said.

‘‘I’ve never seen a wider array of Maori organisations in a state of dysfunctionalism.’’ There were also allegations of misspending involving the Maori Language Commission last year.

Mr Jones said an urgent investigation was needed to restore confidence in Kohanga Reo.

Dr Sharples said he bore no responsibility.

‘‘I’ve got oversight for the policy, not for spending money.’’

Mr Key said Kohanga Reo’s books had been audited regularly. The audits had not raised any concerns.

‘‘There’s a wider issue, though, about other money spent ... If there are irregularities then I would expect the full force of the law to be applied.’’

According to Native Affairs, court documents allege the purchases were signed off by Ms Tawhiwhirangi’s mother-in-law, Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi, a director for Te Pataka Ohanga and a lifetime member of the Kohanga Reo National Trust.