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National | Kiingitanga

Tuku Morgan speaks out about his scathing letter to King Tuheitia

Former advisor to King Tuheitia, Tukoroirangi Morgan speaks out for the first time since his scathing letter to the King just over a week ago.

He says, “My criticism is not new it’s been levelled at challenges that face the office of the King, the SFO investigation involving Rangi Whakaruru.”

Morgan’s letter criticises King Tuheitia's leadership skills and says his chief advisor Rangi Whakaruru is paid $250,000 and takes extended trips overseas that achieve nothing - all funded by the King's trust.

“As a member of Waikato-Tainui, I have a responsibility to ensure that tribal monies, these are monies owned by the people, that belong to the people, hard fought and hard won as a result of two treaty settlements, is spent wisely.  There are far too many questions, far too many concerns for someone like me to sit silent and allow that kind of behaviour to continue,” he says.

When asked about a solution, Morgan says the King's chief advisor Rangi Whakaruru must go while under investigation from the Serious Fraud Office.

He says, “In relation to the matter of the King that’s for the tribes of the motu to decide not for Tuku Morgan to decide but what I can say is I have a view around Rangi Whakaruru, Rangi Whakaruru must go."

Morgan also responded to King Tuheitia's speech yesterday calling on the Prime Minister to make her ministers more accountable to the needs of Māori.

Tuku Morgan called the posturing of the King hypercritical telling Māori Television the King should clean up his own backyard first.