Open Communication, Genuine Engagement, Transparency and Accountability
- Target:
- Ngatiwai Trust Board
- Region:
- New Zealand
- Website:
- www.facebook.com
Ngaio McGee attended the Trustee meeting on 27 Mar 2015. Iwi members up until recently were permitted to, as observers only. Ngaio then attended the Information Hui-aa-iwi the next day and asked about what she had heard regarding the Treaty Claims Committee access to the Whakapapa in the members register.
This resulted in the following email:
From: Jim Smillie [mailto:jim@ngatiwai.iwi.nz]
Sent: Friday, April 24, 2015 4:55 PM
To: Ngaio McGee
Cc: Haydn Edmonds; Moana MacDonald
Subject: Board meetings
Ngaio,
At their “in committee” meeting today the Trustees expressed their concern at your actions in making comments at a recent general meeting, and on facebook on matters which you have picked up during your attendance at Board meetings. You have previously been advised that Board meeting discussion should not be made public until my meeting summary is published or until the Board minutes are approved at the following Board meeting.
The Board has directed me to advise you that if there is a re-occurrence of such comment then you will be excluded from attending future Board meetings.
I trust that this makes the Board’s position clear.
Yours faithfully
Jim Smillie
Chief Executive
The latest information not included in the panui for April 2015
https://www.facebook.com/NgaioMcGee/posts/10202983084217916
vs
http://ngatiwai.iwi.nz/component/k2/231-board-meeting-summary-24-april-2015
The Communications Report at the Hui-aa-iwi
http://ngatiwai.iwi.nz/downloads?view=category&id=18
vs
What they have really been doing to meet OTS requirements
http://www.ngatiwai.iwi.nz/downloads?task=document.viewdoc&id=132
Legally - NTB is listed under the Charitable Trusts Act 1957, for the benefit of all New Zealanders. This makes all general public beneficiaries. All beneficiaries are permitted to attend Trustee Meetings. This makes the info at these meetings Public. The sharing of Publicly available information is a legal right under New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.
The next Trustee Meeting is on 26 Jun 2015. They tend to schedule them for the last Friday of the month. Come, observe, understand.
As members of Ngatiwai we believe:
All members, including Ngaio McGee have the right to attend Ngatiwai Trust Board (NTB) meetings and to speak openly about NTB activities.
NTB has a responsibility to respond in a timely and polite manner to all reasonable requests from Ngatiwai members including those who express an opinion differing from that of NTB.
That in selectively limiting communications on particular issues i.e. Treaty claims, NTB is restricting the full participation of informed Ngatiwai members.
Our whakapapa is tapu and information recorded in the iwi members register should not be used for any purpose without our express permission.
The following processes should be introduced by NTB:
• Online publication of minutes for all general meetings/hui-a-iwi.
• Access to trustee meeting minutes allowing copies upon request.
• Support for a review of the trust deed.
• Any suspension of Trustee's should be taken back to the Marae.
The Open Communication, Genuine Engagement, Transparency and Accountability petition to Ngatiwai Trust Board was written by Ngatiwai.e.Marae and is in the category Miscellaneous at GoPetition.