Roberts seeks Trust House seat

Craig Roberts

Concerns about the direction of Trust House and its financial decision-making have spurred him to run in the Masterton Licensing Trust byelection, says candidate Craig Roberts.

Mr Roberts, 39, a business delivery manager at Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre, has announced he will be standing for the seat left vacant by the death of chairman Craig Cooper, saying he brings business acumen to a board which otherwise lacks financial experience.

The trust owns 75 per cent of Trust House, which owns properties and hospitality businesses around Wairarapa and provides grants to the community.

Mr Roberts said the trust could be making better decisions on how it invested its money.

"The reason I'm standing is because I'm concerned about the direction of the trust. I don't think the board is balanced in the regards to having a business focus ... there's no one on the trust that has any proven financial experience. I think that the trust isn't balanced at the moment in terms of skill sets to provide good governance."

One of his reasons for standing was to grow the trust as a community asset, Mr Roberts said.

"Why are some of the poorest people in the Wairarapa subsiding unprofitable hospitality businesses outside of Masterton? How does this benefit the Masterton community who effectively own Trust House?"

Running successful businesses would generate profits that could be used to pay a "social dividend" back to the community and community groups, he said.

According to Trust House's annual report, sales in 2014 fell by 5.9 million as a result of outlet closures, with community grants down 1 per cent on the previous year.

He was running under the slogan "community grants from profits not pokies", and supported the Masterton District Council's "sinking lid" policy on the number of gaming machines, Mr Roberts said.

"At the moment it's so reliant on pokies, and community organisations are reliant on those grants. Trust House can do more in terms of problem gambling ... I'm sure they comply with the law but I'd like to see an increased focus in terms of what they can do to reduce harm."

A father-of-four, Mr Roberts was previously the general manager of finance and support services for Trust House, chief financial officer of Oldfields, and is a qualified accountant, chartered secretary and project manager. He was a councillor for the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants and was the chairman of the organisation's Wairarapa Local Leadership group.

He holds a double degree in commerce and administration and tourism and services management from Victoria University.

Voting opens on Tuesday, April 21 and closes at midday on Wednesday, May 13.

Eligible voters may enrol or amend their details on the electoral roll by:

-Calling 0800 ENROL NOW (0800 36 76 56)

-Visiting www.elections.org.nz

-Completing an enrolment form available at any NZ Post outlet.