Boardtalk Empire

We heard the news yesterday that Auckland Council’s powerful Strategy and Finance Committee is to recommend that the council’s Independent Maori Statutory Board receive $3.1 million in funding next year, $150,000 less than last year. Some will no doubt comment on the propriety of that level of funding for a nine-person, part-time board and even the need for such a board. I invite them to go for it. But what I want to comment on is the reaction of the board’s chair David Taipari, who told Radio New Zealand that the new funding was “adequate” and his board could act within it. I bet they can. But it is what Mr Taipari is reported to have said next that astounded me. He is apparently unperturbed about the funding reduction because “it could be made up in other ways.” He didn’t specify what ways but indicated a reallocation of funding sources. What sources? Presumably they are also from within council, whose statutory board this is. If so haven’t we as ratepayers the right to know what is the full and honest extent and sources of appropriations to these boards? For Mr Taipari to hint at some secret (my term) funding to make up the shortfall is at least honest but it is also arrogant and stupefying in that arrogance. It says to me that he is saying to us that it doesn’t matter how much (the council) votes to give the board, the board will get what it wants anyway. Incidentally, when I goggled the Maori Statutory Board I was directed to the council’s website where I was told, “The page you are looking for is not here. We’ve been tidying up our content so it may have been moved.” Well is that something they can spend the $3.1 million on for a start? Just saying.