Gaming fund claims against Tolich

Published: 5:20PM Tuesday October 26, 2004 Source: One News

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John Tamihere's electoral chairman is at the centre of claims there was a bid to use the Waipareira Trust as a clearing house for gaming machine funds.

In a statement obtained by One News, the trust's chief executive Reg Ratahi claims former finance chief Mike Tolich wanted to use the trust to clear funds in return for a share of the money.

Tolich left his position as the trust's financial officer to become Tamihere's electorate chairman.

Ratahi says Tolich approached him about four years ago with the gaming offer.

He says Tolich wanted the trust to submit applications for gaming machine grants. He would take care of the paper work and the trust would act as a clearing house for the funds.

In return, the trust would receive 10% of the total and the bulk of the funds would be returned to Tolich. Ratahi says he declined.

Ratahi's signed statement to private investigator Phil Roigard also makes allegations about a car.

Tamihere received a Toyota Landcruiser after resigning as a director of Westland, a property development company 46% owned by the trust.

In his statement Ratahi says after Tamihere left Waipareira, Ratahi suggested to Westland boss Mark Gunton that he ask for the car back.

Ratahi says Gunton told him he had received a call from Tolich who asked him to bury the cost of Tamihere's car in the accounts. Gunton declined the request.

Ratahi refused to discuss his allegations on Tuesday. He also had no comment on a newspaper report that he's suing the trust board for $200,000 after a failed bid to oust him from his job.

Neither Tolich nor Tamihere are commenting while they wait for the results of an inquiry by QC Douglas White into other claims, including that neither Tamihere nor the trust paid tax on a $195,000 golden handshake he received when he left the trust.

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