Wānanga Staff Confident About Report Findings

Wānanga Staff Confident About Report Findings

Tuia Union Chairperson, Tank Gordon says staff at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa are relieved that the Auditor General’s report is out and shows no sign of fraud, corruption or nepotism.

“The report shows the future of the Wānanga is not in danger. It has not criticised the courses or the results that the Wānanga has shown for thousands of New Zealanders.

“Staff are proud that almost 500,000 New Zealanders have been able to further their education because of the high quality courses the Wānanga has to offer.

“The issues raised showed a few holes in the administration but many of those have been rectified and the rest we can continue to work on.

“Once the council is fully reconstituted, everyone can get on with making decisions about how to resolve the issues and put the last 12 months behind them.”

Gordon says staff share the concern of Tertiary Education Minister Michael Cullen over the legality of the five member council.

“The crown appointed council is acting in breach of the Education Act by only having five members. The majority of these are government appointees and staff currently have no say over their jobs or input into decisions that affect them.

“Now staff are speaking for the first time in months and are keen to get the two elected representatives that they are entitled to on the council. We will hold elections and put forward two staff representatives who will then sit down with the council and have input into decisions made about the Wānanga.

“Staff are interested in what is best for the students. At the moment they are focussed on encouraging people to come and join Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and experience the great courses that are taught there. They want politics out of the Wānanga and are sick of it being used as a political football.”

The union has endorsed a website to support the Wānanga.

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