Ructions as board members rolled

The saga has more twists and turns than the museum's tram lines. Photo / Supplied

Volunteer dissent over Motat's future direction has escalated to the boardroom, with chairman Peter Drummond and long-serving board member Albert Lovell rolled.

The Motat Society, which represents more than 300 Motat volunteers and staff, has voted not to re-appoint the pair to the board, replacing them with society chairman Ian Hambly and commercial lawyer James Doughty.

Mr Hambly has been locked in a dispute with Motat management for 19 months over alleged wrongdoings in his role as a collection manager.

The society has also launched an Employment Relations Authority case to determine whether volunteers who become collection managers and receive an honorarium have the same legal status as employees.

Motat's management, which plans to centralise collections management within a small professional unit, is opposing the claim.

In a further twist, a volunteer who supports Motat's management has launched High Court proceedings challenging the appointments of Mr Hambly and Mr Doughty and the use of society reserves to fund the ERA case.

Alan Curtis, a volunteer for more than 40 years, is seeking a judicial review of the appointments process and says he has backing from a number of volunteers.

He alleges the society's appointments committee lacked independence in appointing Mr Hambly to the board.

"How can you appoint somebody on to the board with which you have a personal grievance?

"The museum has to run as a business and because these people don't like the answer they are taking this case [to the ERA]."

However, 74 members at the society's AGM on September 29 overwhelmingly supported the society's executive.

A group of collection managers first raised concerns in the Herald in August about the collections management review and Motat's management team.

Mr Drummond and acting board chairman Paul Bayly yesterday played down the ructions, Mr Drummond saying it was not unusual for a director to be replaced.

But the chairwoman of Motat's electoral college, Vanessa Neeson, says she is dismayed that the society did not re-elect Mr Drummond after promising he would be reappointed.

The electoral college represents Auckland local bodies which this year provided $10 million in ratepayer funding for Motat and appoints six board members.

Mrs Neeson says the society showed a lack of integrity in replacing Mr Drummond, a high-profile director of public utilities and community organisations.

She says Mr Drummond played a vital role in fundraising for Motat's $13 million new aviation hall.

"It's absolutely crucial that's supported and taken to fruition," she said.

"The act says once elected it's your duty to do your best for Motat. One would have to ask if that's the case with what the society's doing at the moment."

Mr Hambly says while he assured Mrs Neeson several months ago that Mr Drummond would be reappointed, things had changed after the collections management review was announced.

He says the planned changes would "fundamentally change the nature of Motat" which relies on volunteers to fill what would normally be paid curatorial roles.

The board's first meeting after Mr Hambly's appointment was adjourned for a legal opinion on the appointments and departures process.

The board meets again today.

WHO IS PETER DRUMMOND

* Experienced director and chairman with extensive knowledge of the Auckland water industry. A director of Watercare and Manukau Water; previously on board of Vector, Mid Central Health and Hort Research Ltd.

* Has served on a number of community organisations, including the children's charity, Variety.

* Helped launch Lifeline.

* Currently chairs Appliance Connexion Ltd, Waitemata Harbour Clean Up Trust, United Fire Brigade Association and Variety Medical Missions South Pacific.

* Was this year made a member of the NZ Order of Merit for services to the community.

* In August, appointed deputy chairman of Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development Ltd, a Council Controlled Organisation in the new single Auckland council.