Police have referred a complaint concerning Manurewa Marae to the Serious Fraud Office, as the South Auckland institution faces mounting pressure over alleged financial mismanagement, electoral law breaches, and the abrupt cancellation of taxpayer-funded social services.
The marae, which received nearly \$30 million in government funding since 2020, has axed programmes including a food bank, youth initiatives, and social work support, despite recording multi-million-dollar surpluses in recent years.
Speaking to legacy media, whistleblowers, including former staffer Te Kou o Rehua Panapa, have accused the marae’s board of financial opacity and governance failure, calling for resignations and a forensic investigation.
Allegations previously surfaced that personal data collected during the Covid response was misused for political purposes linked to former CEO and current Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Kemp.
The marae denies wrongdoing, attributing the cuts to expiring contracts.
The SFO has confirmed receipt of the complaint and is liaising with police.
About bloody time. Bet JT has his arse covered though.
Maori mafia don is slippery as an eel.
Clubhouse shenanigans