A Northland runanga board hit with "staggering" employment dispute costs received poor advice from its disciplinary committee, the board's new chair says.
The Employment Relations Authority has found that Te Runanga o Whaingaroa mishandled the dismissal of then CEO Melanie Catanuto last September and ordered it to pay Mrs Catanuto lost remuneration from last September and $12,000 in distress compensation.
New board chairman Allen Heta said the runanga treatment of Mrs Catanuto was influenced by its disciplinary sub committee.
However, a board member did not pass on information from the runanga's legal counsel to the sub-committee - information that could have changed the trust's decisions, Mr Heta said.
"This information is critical to a board or an employer in moving on, and ensuring that it makes the correct decisions, being guided by counsel. This board is absolutely stunned that such crucial information was withheld," he said.