Top cop to investigate Davy case

By LOUISA CLEAVE

A complaint against John Davy has been laid with the Wellington police by Te Puni Kokiri, the Ministry of Maori Development.

The Wellington district crime manager, Detective Inspector Norm Cook, has confirmed that he is heading the investigation.

The Maori Television Service says it supports Te Puni Kokiri's action and is also seeing if it can lay criminal charges against its disgraced former chief executive.

Chairman Derek Fox says he backs the move and will talk to Wellington police today.

The board also intends to consult its lawyers about possible action against Mr Davy.

Last night, Mr Fox offered at a meeting in Wellington to resign over the Davy affair but his offer was unanimously reject by his board and the Government's partner in the television service, the Maori electoral college Te Putahi Paho.

Te Puni Kokiri laid its complaint with the police on Tuesday, the day after Mr Davy was sacked.

"It was just a procedural matter of informing the police and providing them with information to make a determination of how they want to progress the matter," chief executive Leith Comer said.

"Clearly, it's not for us to judge whether there is a criminal act. That is the job of the police."

Mr Comer said Te Puni Kokiri took the action because the Crown had a financial interest in the service.

It had commissioned Ernst & Young to review Mr Davy's work during his short-lived employment, ... [but] we're not experts to understand what the police believe is serious criminal action".

Ernst & Young briefed the board and Government ministers yesterday on its review. Finance Minister Michael Cullen and Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia said they were "encouraged" by what they had heard.

Mr Horomia also announced yesterday that director Wayne Brown had agreed to stay on the Maori Television Service board another month.

Mr Brown had said he wanted to step down because of other work commitments.

Mr Fox said last night that there was no reason to believe Mr Davy had entered into any business deals of which the board was not aware.

"Disclosed documentation either relates to day-to-day commitments entered into in the normal course of business or is not binding," Mr Fox said.

A spokeswoman for the service said Mr Fox was keen to pursue a criminal investigation against Mr Davy and was awaiting legal advice.

"The board wants some more detail on what that process would involve," the spokeswoman said.

The Government is still waiting for a second report on who was responsible for running security and credit checks on Mr Davy.

Ernst & Young is looking into the appointment process, and its findings are expected next week.

Mr Davy spent nearly seven weeks as chief executive of the Maori Television Service before he was exposed as having lied about his educational qualifications, previous work and sporting achievements.

Mr Fox said investigations had not identified any serious financial risks incurred by Mr Davy.

Last night, Hone Harawira did not want to get caught up in all of the recriminations and accusations in the aftermath of Mr Davy's sacking.

"Let's just accept the fact a mistake was made but let's not go tearing ourselves to shreds over it. Let's go on with the business."

He still had confidence in the board's directors, four of whom were appointed by the college with the help of recruitment agency Millennium People.

"One good thing for Maori development is a crisis. It tends to make the eyes sparkle.

"[Derek Fox] put it best himself when he said our best defence to the criticism is to get this channel to air successfully."

It is still not known whether Mr Davy was involved in a recent deal to lease space at the Viaduct Harbour for the Maori Television headquarters.

Work has begun on outfitting the space for its new tenants.

Builders working on the site, and nearby tenants, told the Herald that Maori television was moving in.

Mr Fox had previously said the service was close to signing a lease.

Rent on the 1700sq m is between $285 and $295 a square metre, or about $500,000 a year.

Meanwhile, the Herald has learned that Mr Davy applied for eight jobs through a top recruitment agency but did not get past the application stage on any, let alone score an interview. One was in Greymouth.

Sources at the company said Mr Davy's CV simply did not stack up.

The CV he supplied appeared to be the same or similar to the one he sent to Millennium People, which recommended him for the Maori Television Service top job.

Mr Davy could not be reached last night for comment.

- Additional reporting by Julie Middleton, Anne Gibson, Audrey Young, Ainsley Thomson

TOMORROW: The Davy Disease. What drives someone to create a life built on lies? Experts offer insight into a curious condition.

Full coverage: Maori TV