Activist in party row wants new state job

By RUTH BERRY

Amokura Panoho fears the publicity over her resignation and subsequent Government comments may make her "too hot to handle" for prospective employers.

While she is not seeking her old job back, she says she now has little option but to consider any offers by her former employer, the Labour Department.

Ms Panoho said yesterday that she was still taking advice over whether to take legal action against Associate Maori Affairs Minister John Tamihere.

She did not plan action against the Labour Department, which she said had treated her with respect.

Several commentators including Wira Gardiner, former chief executive of Te Puni Kokiri (the Ministry of Maori Development), have said Ms Panoho should not have had to resign because of her role as an official of the Maori Party.

Ms Panoho said she would not seek to be reinstated as northern regional manager of the department's Community Employment Group (CEG).

Her decision to resign was prompted by the difficulties already faced by the CEG over a number of its funding contracts. Its future is under review after bad publicity over those agreements.

She said she had decided at the time that it might not be able to withstand further negative publicity.

However, she said yesterday that she was now worried the publicity around her resignation might restrict her future job opportunities.

She had plannedto establish a consultancy focused on researching community development and capacity building, but feared it might now be difficult to get contracts.

If the Labour Department "came back and offered me an opportunity to go back to the organisation [in a different role] I may have to consider it".

Ms Panoho said she had not solicited the publicity and had already made a "big sacrifice" in deciding to give up her job.

She felt she had now been doubly penalised.

Asked yesterday whether the department might offer Ms Panoho another job, a spokesman said: "No comment".

Her decision to resign followed a discussion with the department, after then Acting Social Development and Employment Minister Ruth Dyson asked it to investigate a potential conflict of interest.

The complaint was lodged a day after Mr Tamihere's electorate staff attended a Maori Party hui in Auckland at which Ms Panoho briefly spoke.

State Services Minister Trevor Mallard last week alleged that Ms Panoho had pressured staff to attend the hui. But he was forced to retract that claim when the department said it was not an issue.

Mr Tamihere suggested that Ms Panoho used a CEG database and resources to invite people to the hui, but he was forced to apologise.

He admitted that he could not back up the claim, which Ms Panoho denied.

Both ministers were reprimanded on Friday by Acting Prime Minister Michael Cullen, who said they should have kept quiet.

He was concerned that a perception had been created that there was an attempt to interfere with freedom of expression.

The Council of Trade Unions also criticised the ministers, particularly Mr Tamihere.

The matter was expected to be raised in the Cabinet yesterday, but Dr Cullen downplayed any concerns.

"I have talked with my colleagues - that is as far as I am going to go at this point because it is an internal matter from here on.

"There are lessons to be learned about people making sure that they are sure of their facts before going to the public arena.

"In any case, the issue had already been dealt with - there was no need for it to be revisited [by the ministers]."

Dr Cullen would not comment "on the actual issue itself" because he said it was being handled by Social Services Minister Steve Maharey, who is responsible for the CEG.

Ms Panoho would not discuss the nature of any action she might take against Mr Tamihere.

ELEVEN DAYS OF STRIFE

July 30: Amokura Panoho resigns from management job in Labour Department after discussing with seniors a complaint by Acting Employment Minister Ruth Dyson about possible conflict between her job and Maori Party political activities.

Last week: Ministers John Tamihere and Trevor Mallard separately allege she may have been pressing others to join the party or using departmental resources to organise the party. The ministers retract their comments.

Yesterday: Ms Panoho says she would consider any offers from her former employer.