Chairwoman Donna Matahaere-Atariki’s company, called VIII (8) Ltd, received the large payment and passed it on to Ms Matahaere-Atariki for ‘‘research services to the company for whakapapa of tamariki’’.
The charity’s 2024-25 annual return — filed last week with the government watchdog Charities Services and including the accounts — also records a ‘‘Donna Matahaere-Atariki Service Contract’’ of $20,000.
The additional amount was for ‘‘provision of an education plan and services for tamariki in the welfare system’’.
When asked by the Otago Daily Times for more information about the $123,000 payment, including steps taken to ensure the contracting of Ms Matahaere-Atariki had been fair, Te Kāika did not answer by deadline.
Charities Services is overseen by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), which is investigating Ōtākou Health Ltd (OHL) — the charity behind the trading name Te Kāika — regarding a number of concerns.
It is unknown if these concerns include the two payments to Ms Matahaere.
The payments are listed in a section of the OHL audited accounts about ‘‘related parties’’ transactions.
OHL’s constitution says any payments to board directors must be ‘‘approved unanimously by the shareholders’’.
There are two OHL shareholders listed in the latest annual return — Ngāi Tahu’s Te Runaka Otakou and a company called Arai Te Uru Whare Hauora Ltd.
Both are reported in the return as each owning 50% of the shares.
However, Arai Te Uru Whare Hauora Ltd is listed by New Zealand Companies Office as a ‘‘removed’’ company — and, prior to removal, its two directors were Ms Matahaere-Atariki herself and another OHL board member, Matapura Ellison.
There are only three OHL board members — Ms Matahaere-Atariki, Mr Ellison and James Hennessy, an accountant who was previously suspended for two years for matters unconnected with OHL.
Recorded ‘‘related parties’’ transactions in the accounts also include payments from the charity to Mr Hennessy and Mr Ellison.
Mr Hennessy received $61,000 into his private company Queenstown Bay Wharf Ltd, which he 100% owns and directs.
The payment was for ‘‘rental paid for Queenstown doctors premises’’.
Mr Ellison received $2000 ‘‘for subsistence while visiting Finland on behalf of the company’’.
Although OHL’s annual return was due by the end of September last year, Charities Services gave a generous extended deadline of February 28 — that was missed.
The return includes a ‘‘Statement of Service Performance’’, an accompanying annual return summary, plus the audited accounts. The documents provide an unclear picture about the charity’s staffing, with one document claiming rising staff numbers, and two other documents indicating falls in staff.
The Statement of Service Performance says the charity ‘‘employed 62 staff in 2024, increasing by more than half in 2025 to 115 staff’’.
However, the annual return summaries for the past two years indicate falling staff numbers from a higher baseline.
The 2023-24 summary said there were 148 staff (130 full-time and 18 part-time) and the 2024-25 summary reports 105 (77 full-time and 28 part-time).
The charity’s 2024-25 accounts show a hike in revenue, from nearly $11.9m the previous year to more than $17.5m.
Most of the revenue comes from nearly $12m in contract income for provision of health and social services and from more than $2m capitation payments (payments made by the government for registered GP patients).
However, despite the revenue rise, the charity still recorded an end of year deficit in 2024-25 of $207,063.
A significantly worse deficit would have been recorded if the charity had not received $666,283 in donations, largely $284,783 from Ngāi Tahu’s regional investment fund and $307,000 from the Otago Community Trust.
The charity’s small cash reserves also slumped, from nearly $3m the year before to $1,735,354.
One member of staff at the charity, described as the ‘‘chief operating officer’’, was paid $213,000 — up from $200,000 the year before.
The charity was asked to respond to questions about its finances, but did not by deadline.
However, a Facebook post by Mr Matahaere complained about the ODT asking a ‘‘near-constant stream of questions about our operations’’.
