Even the Employment Relations Authority is climbing into the suppression argument – by bowing down to a request for secrecy.
The ERA has determined that certain information presented as part of an employment dispute between Waikato-Tainui Te Kauhanganui Inc (the Tainui iwi parliament) and its former chief executive Hemi Rau be kept secret.
The reason: to protect the interests of “various non-parties and to avoid inappropriate and unnecessary controversy.”
Given that one of the players involved in the Tainui organisation is New Zealand’s most infamous undie buyer Tuku Morgan – controversy should not be feared. Tainui is used to it.
Hemi Rau was dumped in December by the iwi, ostensibly because he leaked information to the media, namely the Waikato Times.
The Waikato Times then wrote a story about the appointments of two people to the office of the Maori king. Both men were apparently linked to an auditor-general’s report into undeclared payments at a Huntly Maori school.
So, it seems Mr Rau was unhappy about some activity, he spoke out about it and was busted – because a reporter broke a cardinal rule of the trade and revealed her source.
The ERA determination on the employment dispute could be out next Thursday.
Private Bin reckons there could be a big payout going the way of the former boss.
Comments and questions9
You perhaps need to check your facts before you write about things you have limited knowledge of. Hemi Rau was dumped because he was accused of leaking information which was used in the story about the two men in charge of the Maori King's office, who were named in an auditor-general's report. Not the other way around. Also the reporter maintains she did not reveal who her source was and it was only alleged that she named Hemi Rau as her source by Tuku Morgan and a son of one of the men named in the orignal story. It is common knowledge that Hemi Rau and Tuku Morgan have had a difficult relationship and that both men have wanted to push each other out of the tribal organisations many times before. So perhaps you need to also ask if there was another reason as to why Tuku Morgan would have said the reporter revealed to him who her source was when she clearly says she didn't and stated at the employment relations authority hearing that Hemi Rau was not her source. Another cardinal rule of the trade is trying to get things correct, is it not?
Hi. Yeh, I also thought the reporter never actually revealed her sources...? I think one person just said she did because it suited him to get rid of the other guy? I think there was a bit of intentional manipulation and weasling to try and get the info from the young journo, but I understand - or she insists - nothing was ever revealed??
Perhaps we need to stop letting the media play out our raru on the public stage. How often does this happen ? Is the tikanga of sorting indifference at hui with the whanau whanui a thing of the past ? I don't think so !!
Yes, I read that one of the accused men's sons asked her if Hemi was her source, and he then said something like "she paused which i interpreted to mean that he was the source". she never actually revealed her source.
I don't think Tainui should be above the media... that's half of the problem with this whole situation... They should be subject to the same scrutinity and transparancy as any other organisation (like the church, the UK royal family etc)... The media SHOULD be reporting on this, not sweeping it under the King's carpet
It is ridiculous to suggest "tikanga" and hui are the way to resolve these issues. Clearly as the action to dismiss was taken by the tribal executive, and the decision to fight this move through the employment authority by the CEO, there was a clear understanding that hui were NOT the appropriate way to resolve this issues. That the genesis of this dispute was the dissemination of information that was clearly in the interests of tribal members shows that hui and "tikanga" are inadequate in providing the protections and transparancy required of a multi-million dollar democratically elected governance and management structure.
That the debate on this issue is so extensive shows not only the high level of interest, but also the value on not relying on shadowy backroom debate that goes no where!
So Tuku and his kangaroo court blames Rau for leaking information to the media, and we have the journalists concerned denying that Rau was the leak? You cannot sack a person on such shonky hearsay "evidence" and expect that person to just take it. Will be an interesting Thursday, definitely so.
The truth will come out in the end. Total support for Hemi Rau.
HEMI RAU IS TRAITOR TO THE BONE BORN BY GREEDY DOG SYNDROME
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