Tainui chairman stunned after sacking by executive

Kingi Porima, the man credited with improving the fortunes of Tainui, has been sacked as chairman of the Waikato tribe's ruling executive.

At a marathon 13-hour meeting at Hopuhopu, 6km northeast of Ngaruawahia, the executive voted six to five to remove Mr Porima.

One of his supporters on the executive, former Maori Affairs Minister Koro Wetere, had left the meeting when the vote was called on Monday night.

It is understood the push against Mr Porima followed his refusal to back moves to oust embattled Waikato Raupatu Lands Trust chief executive Hemi Rau, himself a former executive member.

At last month's executive meeting, a move to dump Mr Rau failed when it was revealed one of those who voted to oust him, Peter Tuteao, had a criminal conviction.

The tribe's constitution bans anyone from a position on its parliament and executive if they have a criminal conviction which carries a jail term. However, the board voted to change the rules to allow Mr Tuteao to remain.

A source in the tribe said the vote to oust Mr Porima was called for by new executive member Justine Berryman.

Mr Porima said he was stunned by the sacking.

"After all we have been through it is like being tackled by your own team."

He would talk to his family to discuss his future.

It is understood an election will be held at next month's executive meeting to select a replacement.

Joint deputy chairmen Haydn Solomon and Sonny Wilson will share the role until then. Mr Porima has been a member of the tribe's executive since its inception in April 2000 and chairman since October 2000.

He was a key figure in a legal battle to fight the executive's sacking by the late Sir Robert Mahuta in 2000. In December that year, the High Court in Hamilton ordered the executive's reinstatement.

Mr Porima has overseen a massive turnaround in the tribe's fortunes after it posted a $48 million loss in 2001.

But the job has taken a toll on his health, with several trips to hospital to deal with heart problems.

This month the tribe's financial arm posted an $8.3 million profit for the year to March.

The profit was an improvement for Tainui Group Holdings, which has struggled to throw off the spectre of financial mismanagement and poor investment that has dogged the tribe since its 1995 $170 million raupatu settlement.

The profit, on revenue of $41.8 million, is more than double last year's.

- NZPA