Theme 12 'Financial management'

Māori are represented as financially inexperienced, incompetent or corrupt.
 
Cues
Fraud, forgery, inappropriate use of money, allegations, incompetence, mismanagement, nepotism, financial disarray, fake, Treaty settlement, audit (of Māori organisation), conflict (within Māori organisation).
 
Examples
  • “Iwi Services investigated by police” Northern News, Page 1, February 7, 2007.
  • “Senior officials of the Kohanga Reo National Trust have been accused of failing to act on serious complaints about misuse of a preschool’s money.” New Zealand Herald, March 1, 2007.
  • “Maori drug and alcohol service Te Rito Arahi faces a torrid time after a devastating audit and a staff rebellion” Press, March 17, 2007.
  • “There’s more drama at Maori Television Service following the sudden announcement that its third chief executive in less than two and a half years is quitting” One News, August 27, 2004.

Assumptions

  • Māori are not accountable in the same way as Pākehā for money they receive.
  • Māori handling money is a new thing; accounting is not part of Māori culture.
  • Māori will often employ their family members – nepotism.
  • Māori shouldn’t have this money in the first place.
  •  Māori don’t generate wealth.
Effects
  • Māori groups feel under constant scrutiny by the state and public about how they deal with their money.
  • Māori have difficulty getting loans and development finance.
  • Undermines Māori Treaty claims and Māori provision of health and social services.
  • Provides ammunition for those opposing Māori initiatives.
  • Stigmatises Māori as a people.
Alternatives
  • Māori ethical values are built into Māori business.
  • Māori have a long history of being entrepreneurial.  By the time of the Treaty, Māori were supplying Auckland and Sydney with food transported in their own ships.
  • Māori do a lot with little.
Download all 14 themes in a booklet (landscape A4 pages)