7 November 2002 Media Statement

Te Whare Manaaki Disabilities Charitable Trust

Four government agencies dealing with Te Whare Manaaki Disabilities Charitable Trust in Northland have stopped further funding in the light of recent or past problems, Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey said today.

The Department of Child, Youth and Family Services, who report to Steve Maharey, had the sole remaining contract with the Trust when it stopped providing services on 16 October 2002.

Steve Maharey said he is issuing details of the former contracts between the Trust and all relevant government agencies in order to clarify the degree of exposure caused by the collapse of the Trust.

“I am advised that four government agencies have had recent contractual relationships with Te Whare Manaaki Disabilities Charitable Trust in the past:
- the Department of Internal Affairs has provided grant funding to the Trust in the past. It has now cancelled a pending grant of just under $6500 as a result of its recent problems. The Department will continue to work with the Trust to see if it can overcome its problems and keep providing services;
- the Ministry of Health cancelled a $14,000 sub-contract on 30 September this year after the Ministry did not receive audited accounts; and
- the Ministry of Social Development and the trust agreed at the end of June 2001 that a $44,000 disability services contract would not be renewed. This followed concerns over the supply of information to the Ministry.

“Child, Youth and Family (CYF) had the sole remaining contract with the Trust when it stopped providing services on 16 October 2002. The contract was for for emergency housing and information services worth $11,267 a year.

“Because the contract was for a small sum monitoring of it is done once a year. The last monitoring report in July 2002 indicated the trust had delivered services in excess of contracted amounts. CYF was advised last month by the Department of Internal Affairs that police were investigating the trust.

“We must now await the outcome of the police inquiry to see what it uncovers,” Steve Maharey said.

ENDS

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