28 Sep 2012

Call for fresh elections at Chatham Islands trust

7:07 am on 28 September 2012

The executive chair of a Chatham Islands Moriori trust wants fresh board elections held following accusations of lobbying by its general manager.

The Employment Relations Authority hearing into the Hokotehi Moriori Trust's general manager continues on Friday.

Maui Solomon was suspended on full pay following elections in August, but maintains he did nothing wrong and has accused his employers of illegally standing him down.

Mr Solomon says he did lobby votes for his preferred candidates before the board elections - but did that as a member of the Moriori iwi, not in his role as general manager.

The executive chair of the trust, Shirley King, lost her trustee position during the elections to Tom Lanauze and accepted defeat until learning of what she calls Mr Solomon's lobbying activities.

Ms King says she wants fresh uncontaminated elections to be held, as she says what Mr Solomon did was morally wrong.

However, Mr Solomon wants his future decided at a Special General Meeting of the trust on 24 November.