Nippert on Waipareira Trust
Matt Nippert reports:
Charlotte Stanley, general manager of regulator Charities Services, addressed the Charities Review Board in July 2024 to deliver the findings of a five-year investigation into political funding by the Waipareira Trust for the campaigns of its chief executive, John Tamihere.
This funding occurred through what she described as “inflated payments” to Tamihere, a former candidate for Auckland mayor, and later Te Pāti Māori candidate and co-leader, and current party president.
Stanley recommended the Charities Review Board (CRB) take the ultimate sanction available to it and deregister Waipareira.
“The trust had engaged in support for political candidates or parties by way of support to its CEO, which is not charitable. In addition we think that the trust also does not qualify as charitable because of inflated or excessive payments to its CEO for his personal benefit,” Stanley told the CRB, according to briefing notes for the meeting.
Ms Stanley was 100% right, but sadly her board are cowards and backed down.
Here’s what the so called charity did:
- Spent $393,993.16 on two political campaigns – Tamihere for Mayor, and Te Pati Maori for Parliament. Any board member who approved that should be sacked for not knowing it was illegal.
- When caught out, defended it as legitimate, and finally under pressure agreed it would be repaid and converted it into a loan.
- Then did nothing to actually have the loan repaid, and charged no interest on the loan.
- Again under pressure, they then paid Tamihere a bonus salary of $393,993.16 – the exact amount of the loan, allowing him to repay it.
It is worth noting 99% of their income comes from taxpayer funded contracts. They have charitable status because they are meant to be helping the community, not the CE’s political ambitions.