Tainui considers Rickards for top job

Clint Rickards. Photo / Dean Purcell

Tainui board members could not decide last night between former Assistant Police Commissioner Clint Rickards or Parekawhia McLean for one of the tribe's top jobs.

The board will have a conference call tonight to thrash out who is the best person to lead the tribe's administrative arm.

Both candidates presented yesterday to Te Arataura, the tribe's executive board.

The race is thought to be so close that board members called for a 24-hour grace period to go through supporting information, a source said.

"It was so tight we agreed to wait for 24 hours, that allows us to read through their profiles. We'll have a conference call tonight to iron out issues because one or two [board members] were not quite prepared to make a decision."

Tainui people had largely forgiven Mr Rickards who was acquitted of rape after allegations by Louise Nichols.

"I believe Tainui they're no different from other iwi. Raruraru [problems with Mr Rickards] outside of the tribe is for the public but within the tribe there is support."

Ms Nichols is angry that he's has been considered.

She's voiced her discontent in the past about Mr Rickards becoming a lawyer and working for the Waipareira Trust under John Tamihere.

The tribe has assets worth more than $500 million. Tainui Group Holdings are responsible for growing that asset.

While the new CEO won't have a say in how those assets are grown, they will be charged with running tribal programs out of Hopuhopu and helping to implement Te Arataura's vision.

Ms McLean is well known in Wellington Government circles while Mr Rickards has been a Tainui parliamentary member for two years.

The job opened up this year after the tribe's former high flier Hemi Rau was fired for breaching media rules and leaking information to the press.