Davy's sacking just a glitch, says Maori TV chairman

By MATHEW DEARNALEY and FRANCESCA MOLD

The sacking of the Maori Television Service chief executive is a "glitch" but the channel should still be on air by the end of the year, the MTS board chairman, Derek Fox, said last night.

Just hours after dismissing Canadian John Davy over discrepancies discovered on his CV, Mr Fox said there was no shortage of potential candidates within Maoridom for a replacement.

But he said none of them had put themselves forward for the job before Mr Davy was selected from a shortlist of six applicants.

He hoped they now would.

Mr Davy, a Canadian, was fired for providing false information to the board about his background. The issue came to light after a Herald inquiry.

Mr Fox said the board was deeply disappointed at the setback but Mr Davy had done some "good work" in developing management policies and negotiating contracts for it.

The service had been about to reveal a time-line and budget for its launch.

It was now time to "refocus on what we came here for, which is to start a Maori television channel".

Mr Fox said he was "pretty cross" about what had happened and how it would reflect on the Maori Television Service.

It was possible legal action would be taken against Mr Davy, he said.

A leading broadcaster said last night that the launch of the channel should be delayed until all problems had been sorted out.

Tainui Stephens, chairman of Nga Aho Whakaari (Maori in Film, Video and Television), said he felt disappointed by the "ludicrous" event and the possibility that it could delay progress of the channel.

One of the reasons it had happened was pressure on the board to get the channel on air.

"We have to ask ourselves what went wrong, who made mistakes and why did it happen?"

Mr Stephens said the channel's going to air should be delayed, because efforts should be made to fix problems in the procedures.

"It's house on sand, house on rock stuff. We want to make sure it is built on rock."

The service was announced last July as a "partnership" between the Government and Maori.

The channel was to cost $33.7 million that financial year, rising to $40.3 million in 2002-2003 and to $47.7 million in 2003-2004.

One MTS board member, Wayne Brown, who said he sent a letter of resignation last week because he could no longer attend meetings, said blame for the chief executive fiasco rested squarely with two parties - Mr Davy, for "being a bullshitter", and recruitment agency Millennium People, which failed to make proper checks.

The board was not at fault.

"A board chairman doesn't run around ringing universities in the United States."

Opposition MPs, who are calling for heads to roll, are expected to put pressure on the Government to accept some of the blame when Parliament sits today.

National's Maori Affairs spokeswoman, Georgina te Heuheu, said the Government had appointed three members to the board and was passing the buck by blaming the recruitment company.

Some of the responsibility must be "sheeted home" to Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia, she said. "He said he had full confidence in the board so he needs to take a hard look at his stewardship of the service."

National broadcasting spokeswoman Katherine Rich said Mr Fox and fellow directors were responsible for the bungled appointment.

Full coverage: Maori TV