Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CHAIR REPORT
Presented to Te Arataura
Executive Meeting
25 March 2011
RULE 3 Objects
• The Objects of Te Kauhanganui underpin all references, application and discussion of the Rules
in this Report.
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Kauhanganui. This is essential to ensuring that Members are in fact, acting in the best interests
of their Marae at each meeting of Te Kauhanganui.
• In this context, Te Arataura is asked to attach high priority to distributing all information
required for each meeting1, with the Notice of Meeting (i.e. no less than 21 clear days prior).
This requires the Chair, Te Arataura and Senior Management to ensure their reports are
submitted to the Secretariat in a timely manner (i.e. no less than 2 days prior to due date for
distribution).
RULE 11 Quorum
• A reminder that “the number of Elected Members present in person who together hold at
least 50% of the Total Marae Votes shall constitute a quorum for any Meeting of Te
Kauhanganui.”2
• Status quo on checking quorum requirements before commencement of each meeting is
optimal. A quorum check during a meeting, i.e. in the event that Te Kauhanganui resolves to
extend the duration of a meeting, is messy.
• It is suggested that a governance policy be developed to provide procedural guidelines to
ensure efficient checking of quorums, and other particular procedures in alignment with the
Standing Orders (e.g. registering and recording leaves of absence, etc.).
RULE 12 Voting
• Voting in Te Kauhanganui is inefficient and messy. The ‘Table’ should not be consuming time
counting votes, and the Chair is suggesting that the Office of Te Kauhanganui enlist neutral and
independent community workers (e.g. JPs) to scrutinise the voting of each decision. This
service is cost effective (i.e. koha) in comparison to staff members, who are expected to attend
weekend meetings.
• In addition, there is currently no policy that deals primarily with procedures related to
facilitating Secret Ballots. As a matter of convention, the Chair must be consulted and well-
informed of arrangements for all meetings of Te Kauhanganui, which includes Secret Ballots,
i.e. choice of scrutineers, process of facilitation, including the appropriate storing and disposal
of ballot papers.
1 Contents of Meeting Package – Notice of Meeting, Minutes, Chair Report, Executive Report, Senior Management
Reports, and other Information/Reports relevant to General Business Items listed on the Agenda.
2 Rule 11.1 (p.11).
3 Rule 13 (p.11).
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o Order 19.5 – Members called to order by the Chairperson shall resume their seats and/or
stop speaking, as the case may be. Should any member refuse to obey, such member may
be directed to withdraw from the meeting. Upon such direction, any such member shall
withdraw and shall not be permitted to return during the meeting, or any period thereof of
that meeting that the Chairperson may determine.
o Order 19.7 – In addition, no matter shall impute improper motives, or make offensive
remarks about the private affairs of any other member.
o Order 19.9 – Any member making a disturbance or creating disorder whilst any other
member is speaking, or at any other time during a meeting, and who refuses when called
upon by the Chairperson to desist, may by resolution of the meeting be held guilty of
contempt.
o Order 19.11 – Every member guilty of contempt by reason of any Standing Order or
breach thereof, shall be censured by the Chairperson, who may also order the member or
members to leave the meeting. Every such censure, contempt and removal shall be
recorded in the minutes.
• Whilst the Chair is expected to maintain order during all meetings of Te Kauhanganui, the
Standing Orders remind us that such a responsibility lies with all Members, especially the
Officers of Te Kauhanganui and Executive Members, who are elected to Office on the basis of
their leadership.
• In relation to Order 19.7, the Executive Chair has created a precedent. Reference to the “price
of Office” and the Executive’s promotion of, and support for, investigating the private affairs of
Members, as well as the affairs of Marae, has prompted widespread reaction among the Iwi.
• From mid to late February, and again at the beginning of March, the Chair received
incriminating information pertaining to the personal and professional activities of several
Executive Members (and their families), the Executive Chair, a Senior Management Employee,
and other Members in the House.
• Information regarding the financial affairs of various Marae has also been brought to the
attention of the Chair. It is not clear whether any of the information is accurate, but based on
precedence, the Chair has been advised to seek guidance from Te Kauhanganui in the first
instance, then lodge the factual information with the Police. Subject to further enquiry.
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SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING OF TE KAUHANGANUI – 20 MARCH 2011
Resolutions: Refer Appendix B – Summary of Meeting Resolutions
Wording of Resolutions
• All reports, excluding Management reports (which are pre-approved) must contain separate
resolutions for decisions that require approval. The February 2011 Chair Report included
Resolutions 1, 2a & 2b, which sought approval for 2 different matters. These were endorsed at
the February General Meeting. The report in its entirety was subsequently approved by way of
resolution at the March meeting.
• This practice will prevent the use of ambiguous terms like “receive” because Members agree
with only parts of a report, but refuse to approve other parts. For example, the Executive
Chair’s Report(s) for Nov-10 & Feb-11 was “received” but it’s difficult to determine what this
means.
• Conclusively, use of the term ‘receive’ can be interpreted as Members having heard or perused
a report, but further discussion is required, OR the report has simply been received, but no
decisions as to its content are required. Either way, all Resolutions need to be more clear,
concise and comprehensive.