Tamihere wrote reference for fraud-row man

By FRANCESCA MOLD political reporter

Associate Maori Affairs Minister John Tamihere wrote a character reference for a man now embroiled in corruption allegations surrounding the Maori broadcasting funding agency.

But Mr Tamihere said he had simply supported a long-time constituent who made a mistake.

Under Parliamentary privilege, Act MP Rodney Hide yesterday revealed that Hemana Waaka, the head of Maori Sports Casting International, had been arrested and detained at Auckland airport after joking that his friend had a bomb in his bag the day after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

He was charged with communicating false information affecting safety, an offence under the Civil Aviation Act.

Mr Hide said Mr Tamihere had written a testimonial for Mr Waaka to use in his defence during his court appearance last year. At the time, Mr Tamihere was head of the Maori affairs select committee, which regularly monitored Te Mangai Paho's performance.

Treasury is investigating Te Mangai Paho, which funds Maori radio, television and music, following allegations an employee received kickbacks from a private company.

The allegations relate to a financial relationship between former Te Mangai Paho radio manager Tame Te Rangi and Mr Waaka.

Mr Hide revealed that Mr Te Rangi, a public servant, was being paid by the sportscasting company for acting as a guest commentator while he was responsible for giving it Government funding. Mr Hide labelled the payments "kickbacks".

Mr Waaka, a Corrections Department cultural adviser at the time of his arrest, was discharged without conviction and ordered to pay $1500 court costs in April last year. He resigned from the department in October last year.

But Te Mangai Paho has continued to fund two of his companies, which provided broadcasting services worth $613,000 last year.

Mr Te Rangi, who resigned from Te Mangai Paho in March after it was revealed he had a 10-year-old fraud conviction, also wrote a character reference for Mr Waaka.

Mr Tamihere told the Herald he had known Mr Waaka for 20 years.

He said Mr Waaka was a former soldier who had served with distinction overseas and in New Zealand. He was a senior elder at an East Auckland marae, head of Tuhoe Rugby League and had never had a criminal conviction until the airport incident.

Mr Tamihere said Mr Waaka came to him for support because he had made a mistake that was out of character for him.

"It's easy to support constituents who are successful. But as an MP I support my people in their worst moments too."

Mr Waaka did not return calls from the Herald yesterday. But he has previously said Te Manai Paho knew about the guest commentator arrangement.

Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia also came under fire in Parliament yesterday, with Opposition MPs accusing him of failing to crack down on "corruption and bribery" in Te Mangai Paho.

Mr Hide claimed that an email last year from Mr Te Rangi to Mr Waaka revealed the former public servant wanted a rental car, meals, accommodation expenses and $500 cash for working as a guest commentator. Mr Hide questioned why Mr Horomia had not called in the police to investigate.

Mr Horomia said he had not seen the email, but "appropriate action" would be taken when he received the Treasury report into Te Mangai Paho at the end of the week.