DoC spent $ 5k on farewell gift
The Department of Conservation spent $ 5159 on two farewell gifts for outgoing boss Lou Sanson, documents released this year show.
He got a $ 4584 kauri carving, made by a Bay of Plenty- based carver, and a sperm whale tooth carving, worth $ 575, from Jade and Bone, the online shop of carvers Brian Flintoff, Clem Mellish and painter Robin Slow.
DoC director- general Penny Nelson said the gifts were approved by DoC’s previous senior leadership team, who have all moved on.
But Public Service Commissioner Peter Hughes calls the spend a “totally inappropriate use of taxpayers’ funds” and says it should not have happened.
Sanson’s career at DoC spanned more than three decades, including a stint at Crown entity Antarctica NZ. He was DoC director- general for eight years and retired in October 2021.
The spending was recorded in January 2022, with details in Annual Review documents for fiscal year 2021/ 22, released via Parliament’s select committee process.
Sanson said he “played no part” in approving or organising his Beehivehosted farewell event or the spending on the gifts. The event was held “some time” after his retirement to avoid Covid- 19 restrictions on gatherings.
“I had no idea of the value of the gifts and understood [ they were] from staff and ministers,” Sanson said. Upon learning, through Newstalk ZB inquiries, that DoC paid the bill, Sanson said he offered to return them.
Mike Tully, DoC’s acting directorgeneral, said the department could not recoup the expenditure and was “not seeking the return of the gifts as they were carved for him [ Sanson]”.
Then- Conservation Minister Kiri Allan ( Labour), presented Sanson with the gifts at a farewell gathering hosted at the Beehive, Sanson said, while previous Conservation Ministers, Eugenie Sage ( Green Party) and Nick Smith ( National), made speeches.
Sanson said he believed the gifts were “to recognise the work I had done with iwi on Treaty settlements and the strong relationships I developed across Aotearoa”.
The Annual Review documents say DoC’s 2021/ 22 policy on gift- giving to staff stipulated that: “Gifts should be reflective of the occasion or event and not be lavish or excessive”.
Peter Hughes said: “As a result of this particular expenditure, the current director- general of the Department of Conservation reviewed and tightened the agency’s policies on sensitive expenditure and gifts. That was the right thing to do.”
The Public Service Commissioner has oversight of the core government agencies that make up the public service, including DoC.
DoC’s updated policy suggests specific caps for spending on employee farewells and retirements.
For 10 to 20 years of service, it recommends a “funded team farewell morning or afternoon tea” to the value of $ 150 and a funded gift to the value of $ 150. For 20 to 30 years of service, it advises a funded farewell morning or afternoon tea to the value of $ 300 and a funded gift to the value of $ 250.
And for more than 30 years of service, it advises, “farewell food to the value of $ 400 and a farewell gift to the value of $ 400.”
Nelson said two events were held to send off Sanson and paid for with public funds: A dinner at a restaurant in Hokitika, attended by 23 local people, which cost $ 927.39; and a formal farewell at the Beehive, attended by about 90 people, which cost $ 2818. Neither event included travel or accommodation costs. Newstalk ZB