A government probe into under-fire charity Te Kāika is more wide-ranging than previously known, the Otago Daily Times can now reveal.
The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) confirmed last year it was "actively looking" into Ōtākou Health Ltd — the health and social services charity branded Te Kāika — and was concerned about loans made to board chairwoman Donna Matahaere-Atariki and her son, chief executive Matt Matahaere.
In response to an Official Information Act request, DIA charities services manager for business improvement Helen Steven said the investigation into Te Kāika was wider than previously known.
The investigation included into incidents of repeated late filing of compulsory annual financial and service reports — which should be filed within six months — and "a number of more substantive concerns regarding Ōtākou Health Ltd".
Charities Services director Charlotte Stanley said her department’s findings would not be released "until the investigation, along with any regulatory process that may follow, was fully concluded.
"We are not able to provide details of the investigation or a firm timeframe at this stage."
The government department had previously said it would aim to provide "an update on the investigation" next month.
Recent DIA information confirmed that, over the past decade, Ōtākou Health Ltd had been granted 17 extended deadlines for filing its returns late and often still failed to meet them.
The DIA recently granted the charity an extension to provide its latest annual return — due at the end of last September — by February 28, 2026.
"We do not anticipate providing any further extensions," Ms Steven said.
Historically, charities services has focused on supporting charities to meet their reporting obligations — even when submitted late — but this was changing, Ms Steven said, due to the importance of reporting on time.
"We are now shifting to set much clearer expectations across the sector that filing annual returns on time is critical for upholding appropriate compliance standards, meeting statutory administrative obligations and maintaining public accountability.
"Being a charity is a privilege that comes with obligations and responsibilities. We will take robust action where there are breaches of these obligations."
The DIA has powers to issue formal warning notices, recommend the Charities Registration Board deregister a charity or disqualify its officers or prosecute a charity for breaching Charities Act obligations.
The ODT asked for copies of the procedures the DIA follows when investigating charities, but these were withheld by Ms Steven on the basis it could "compromise the effectiveness of our investigative processes and compliance activities".
Ōtākou Health Ltd was asked to comment on the DIA investigation, including the late filing of returns and "more substantive concerns".
A spokesperson for the charity said it would complete the annual return by the agreed extension date of the end of the month.
"Late filing extensions are a normal administrative process and do not indicate wrongdoing," they said.
The spokesperson said that DIA "has not shared any substantive issues with OHL [Ōtākou Health Ltd] ... We would appreciate the opportunity to see any specific concerns in writing, so they can be addressed clearly and transparently."
