GUEST BLOG: John Tamihere – Open Letter to the Serious Fraud Office

Kia Ora

My name is John Tamihere and I sat on the Finance and Performance Committee of the Auckland Council in 2016.

The sale of the Auckland Council Civic Administration Block (CAB) Building was advanced by way of a paper to this committee.

As usual, with all Panuku papers (Auckland Council Property Company), they advised council that they had carried out an exhaustive search for purchasers of the site, given they had moved to purchase the Auckland Saving Building on Albert Street.

Council representatives on this committee were left with no idea as to who had bid on the CAB building, what dollar values were bid on it and why the final decision was made to advance interests with a company known as Tawera Group in 2016.

We were not advised of the sale price, and in regard to my recollection was sold on the basis of bringing a $500 million investment into Aotea Centre.

We now know that the building footprint together with 5000sqm was sold by Panuku for $3m.
We also know that standard commercial terms were not met, in that a 10% deposit was not paid.

We also now know that the development agreement signed on behalf of ratepayers failed for want of due execution and delivery.

We need you to investigate this transaction because:

1. The footprint being sold as bare land is not a sale marked to market. In effect this is a strategic parcel of land the value is in excess of $3m

2. You must investigate why council officials overseeing this deal settled this parcel of land at a low rate and without a proper deposit being paid as is usual on commercial terms
3. You must investigate the connections between council officials involved in these negotiations and any pecuniary interests by way of connection with the purchaser or the purchasers’ agents and or other legal personalities

4. You must investigate why this sale agreement was not terminated for want of execution and completion as was promised to myself and other members of the Finance and Performance Committee in 2016

5. You must investigate why the property was not taken back to a tender process in 2019 given firstly the lack of meeting conditions outlined in the development agreement and the fact that this property footprint continues to rise in value because the CRL Aotea station is destined to be the one of the busiest rail headson population through put in this country’s history.

I am aware of several other transactions conducted by this office (Panuku) which fit in to the same category of conduct.
I look forward to your responses.

John Tamihere