“When this was discovered during the process of responding to your OIA request, the matter was addressed with the kaihoe [staff member] concerned (the details of which are a confidential employment matter),” said Whakaata Māori interim director of people, language and culture Hiria Pointon.
“Whakaata Māori subsequently engaged a specialist data recovery and digital forensics business to recover the document in order that it could be disclosed to you. However, this was not successful. The hard copy of the file still exists, a copy of which has already been disclosed to you.”
The Herald initially asked questions in September about Taurima’s event, attended by 45 people, in the Hawaikirangi studio on Sunday, August 25.
The nature of the event has not been disclosed, although one internal document to Taurima suggests a celebration. “The wireless microphone is all set to sing your heart too [sic].”
The taxpayer-funded, public broadcaster says Taurima had a “verbal agreement” to hire the studio and that he always planned to pay for it privately.
Whakaata Māori’s own “draft” processes and procedures state that hirers need to pay for the studio in advance unless agreed otherwise.
An invoice for $1679 was sent to Taurima almost three weeks after the party – at 1.28pm on September 12, a senior leader at the broadcaster requested that the invoice be generated. He said he was catching up on his inbox.
This request came an hour and a half after the NZ Herald applied under the Official Information Act (OIA) for all documents in relation to the event, including any invoices.
The Herald has received a number of other documents under the OIA, including a PDF hard copy of the hire agreement dated August 7, but Whakaata Māori later said this was not actually sent to the chief executive “due to human error”.
The studio’s “draft” processes and procedures manual says the rental agreement must be signed and returned to confirm a booking.
The Herald’s inquiries were sparked by anonymous sources questioning how the event was being funded.
Whakaata Māori says Taurima was always paying for it privately and any suggestion otherwise would be defamatory.
It has put the Herald on notice and started copying in NZME’s general counsel to its responses.
“Should you/NZME publish any defamatory allegations about Mr Taurima, he will have no alternative other than to take court action to protect his good name and reputation and that of Whakaata Māori.”
The Herald’s inquiries have uncovered revelations of the deleted file and a written hire agreement that was not sent to Taurima in the first place.
In its latest response, Whakaata Māori has included two emails from an independent data forensics firm tasked with trying to find the original Word document.
“Further forensic works to locate the file could be undertaken but this would be at an hourly cost without guarantee of locating the file needed,” according to a Datalab staff member, whose name has been redacted.
A Whakaata Māori staff member replies that given the “comprehensive recovery steps already undertaken” they did not believe it necessary to proceed with the “forensic option”.
Timeline
Sunday, August 25: Whakaata Māori chief executive Shane Taurima hosts a private event in Whakaata Māori’s television studio Hawaikirangi.
Wednesday, September 11, 9.02am: The NZ Herald, tipped off to the event, asks questions about the costs and who paid.
Wednesday, September 11, 1.30pm: Whakaata Māori says Taurima hired “part of the Hawaikirangi facility for a private whānau gathering”.
It says: “All costs, including hireage, catering and related expenses were covered privately. The facility is available for public hire at standard commercial rates which were applied in this case.”
It also says: “There was no requirement for approval from the board or the Minister as the event was a private booking made under standard commercial terms, independent of Whakaata Māori’s organisational activities.”
Wednesday, September 11, 2.18pm: In response to further questions from the Herald, the broadcaster reiterates: “This was a private event and no expenses were paid for by Whakaata Māori. All costs were covered privately.”
Thursday, September 12, 7.08am: The NZ Herald sends further questions, after receiving further anonymous allegations.
Thursday, September 12, 11.09am: Whakaata Māori responds, saying the NZ Herald “regrettably” remains “misinformed about the private event”.
It says Taurima “does not possess a Whakaata Māori credit card and no Whakaata Māori credit cards, funds or accounts were used for the private whanau event held on 25 August”.
“We repeat that there is nothing unusual about the facility being hired by third parties. This occurs regularly. In this instance, the facility was hired for the event under standard commercial terms and all expenses were privately covered from the outset with no need for reimbursement.”
The media company adds: “The allegations in your questions are not only misleading but seriously defamatory of Mr Taurima. Should you/NZME publish any defamatory allegations about Mr Taurima he will have no alternative other than to take court action to protect his good name and reputation and that of Whakaata Māori.”
It copies in NZME’s general counsel to its response.
Thursday, September 12, 11.24am: The NZ Herald requests an interview with Taurima.
Thursday, September 12, 11.59am: The NZ Herald files an Official Information Act request, seeking all documents, correspondence and communications in relation to the private party, as well as “invoice/s for the event, the dates they were charged, the dates they were paid and how they were paid”. Under the OIA, Whakaata Māori has 20 working days to respond to the NZ Herald’s request.
Thursday, September 12, 1.28pm: Internally, the director of technology and operations Andrew McNaughton sends an email to another staff member, titled “catching up on my inbox”. Under the heading of invoicing, he requests that an invoice be now raised to Taurima for the private event.
Thursday, September 12, 3.54pm: In response to the interview request, Whakaata Māori thanks the NZ Herald “for your inquiry”.
“We have responded to all questions received to date. If you have additional questions, please feel free to send them through in writing and we will review them as appropriate.”
Friday, September 13, 10.38am: McNaughton emails Taurima directly with the invoice: “Arohamai for only sending this now, there were no additional costs to your event; the price I said still stands for the hire and associated equipment.”
October 10, 1.38pm: Whakaata Māori responds to the NZ Herald’s OIA request with a number of documents and items of correspondence. Among the responses is the studio’s “draft” processes and procedures. It states that a rental agreement for the studio “must be signed and returned to confirm booking”.
It also outlines payment terms: “Full payment is required in advance unless otherwise approved by Director of Technology and Operations or CE.”
A letter is also attached, marked private and confidential, from McNaughton to Taurima.
It is dated Wednesday, August 7 and refers to ‘Hawaikirangi Studio Booking”. “Thank you for choosing to hire Hawaikirangi. I have attached the Hire Agreement. Please sign a copy and return to me … and keep the original copy for your records. The agreement contains all the terms and conditions of hire.”
The four-page hire agreement lists total charges of $1679.
It requests that the hirer – in this case, Taurima – sign the agreement and return it to the supplier (Whakaata Māori). The final line states: “I have read and agree to these terms and conditions of hire of Hawaikirangi facilities and have the authority to make the payments according to this agreement.”
The agreement is unsigned.
November 4, 3.57pm: The NZ Herald sends further questions, asking why it took just under three weeks for an invoice to be sent to Taurima for the private event – and an hour and a half after the NZ Herald had made an OIA request for a copy of the invoice.
November 5, 2.51pm: Whakaata Māori responds: “We repeat, all costs for Mr Taurima’s private whānau event, attended by 20 adults and 25 children, were covered privately, with no use of public funds at any point. The hire agreement, dated 7 August 2024 and included in the information provided to you on 10 October 2024, clearly specifies these costs as private expenses.
“As this agreement was in place four weeks prior to your first inquiry, the timing of the invoice, paid in full, is of no consequence. To suggest otherwise is misleading and does not represent the agreement entered into for the event, and the use of the facility. It would also be defamatory on which we reserve all rights.”
December 5: The NZ Herald lodges a further Official Information Act request, asking for the original email that McNaughton sent to Taurima, containing the letter and hire agreement of August 7.
December 11, 4.11pm: Whakaata Māori responds, saying an “oral agreement” was made between Whakaata Māori and the chief executive. It says such an email does not exist. “A written agreement was prepared to formalise this arrangement but due to human error, the written agreement did not reach the chief executive as intended.”
It also says the Herald has raised a number of questions which Whakaata Māori has responded to. “This process has required a significant investment of time and resources. As such, Whakaata Māori considers this matter closed.”
December 11, 4.45pm: The NZ Herald applies for the data properties of the hire agreement Word document.
December 12, 4.44pm: Whakaata Māori supplies a screenshot showing the document was created on August 7 at 9.28am and modified on September 12 at 9.56am.
December 16, 8.54am: The NZ Herald requests, under the Official Information Act, the original Word document file.
February 4: Whakaata Māori says the Word file was deleted on December 13 “without the knowledge, authorisation or agreement of Whakaata Māori or the kaihautu (Taurima)”.
“When this was discovered during the process of responding to your OIA request, the matter was addressed with the kaihoe concerned (the details of which are a confidential employment matter). Whakaata Māori subsequently engaged a specialist data recovery and digital forensics business to recover the document in order that it could be disclosed to you. However, this was not successful. The hard copy of the file still exists, a copy of which has already been disclosed to you.”
Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME.
