Tena koe Mere   my name is <PRESIDIO_ANONYMIZED_PERSON> and I am the deputy chair and part of the ONAC (Otara Network Action Committee charitable Trust) organisation. I am sorry this has been a hoha for you and your organisation. Our chair is currently in Perth and is negotiating the return of her whanau, mem clearly outlined for herber who has passed away back to Aotearoa. As I t was discussed at our recently held 

Whilst I personally was not involved in the agreement to disburse the payment when asked by Alice, who we know has been instrumental in working with you from the Papatoetoe end I was made aware of the invoice to be paid.

I am informed by members of the ONAC team who were at the initial discuss with Alice that she was well aware from the outset that the original cost she presented could not be met. Alice was also given the itemised budget, which was nowhere near the amount represented on the invoice. ONAC has now been placed in a situation of pressure to pay the invoice full amount simply because Alice did not take notice and heed the direction given to her in the original hui, none of which if your fault, which make it even more saddened for ONAC

Somehow Alice has decided to ignore the advice from ONAC a decided to engage your organisation without further consultation with ONAC despite ONAC earlier advise on the actual budget available for your part.

The make up of the Trustees on ONAC is four, three of us are Maori, deeply rooted in or own iwi and so when we received this invoice we were really surprised at the way that your invoice was presented and a monetary value to every item. As Maori we did find it insulting that each item had been reduced and compromised to a monetary value when we know that each item as you have outlined has no value because of their priceless value in our culture.

So that was hugely different for us as Maori on ONAC. All of us where amazed that anyone could place a monetary value as outlined in your invoice

Where too from Here

I wanted to be tika and pono here with you Mere and let you know because of the way in which Alice ignored our advise when she first came to us and we in response clearly outlined the amount available to her, I took the decision and advised the trust not to pay the invoice. Whilst the amount that we stated in the original conversation with Alice we could pay which is $145, we will not be paying the full amount of the invoice.

This is the main reason why we will not be paying the full amount of the invoice, however I have to say Mere, it is not the only reason. 

As Maori on the trust we are torn by the way each item has been compromised and given a monetary value and we cannot in good faith be part of something that reduces our culture in a way we deem disrespectful., as I’ve said though we may not be of this rohe but all of us are deeply rooted and actively invloved in the Iwi that we are from and so for us this seems very usually and extraordinary.

Please I hope you can understand our dilemma here. This money is obviously tax payer monies which has been entrusted in ONAC. We intend to honour that trust placed in us from the local board, despite others who think they can be friverless with tax payers money. At the end of the day ONAC has to account back to the local board for the way and manner in which this money was used.  As you know Mere for our people its all about honour and respect and so too is it for us in ONAC.