America’s Cup financing: New Zealand team issues ‘public condemnation’ of ministry, as part of document release

Team New Zealand has issued a “public condemnation” from the government department that it is providing it with tens of millions of dollars of taxpayer funds, accusing it of inappropriate behavior and calling for another review.

The union today released a series of documents including letters to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, as well as Auckland Mayor Phil Goff and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

America’s Cup Event, a company managed within the Team New Zealand base that shares Grant Dalton as its CEO, has received up to $ 40 million in taxpayer funding to host the 36th edition of the world’s oldest international sporting competition. .

Earlier this year, MBIE launched an investigation into ACE’s handling of the money, in part as a result of allegations made by whistleblowers, former contractors Mayo & Calder.

“In the face of more defamatory and baseless allegations again being directed at ETNZ / ACE and its directors, we feel we must now set the record straight after having tried to respect due process in this saga throughout the year,” said Team New Zealand it’s a statement. unsigned statement.

“We have wanted to avoid such public condemnation of MBIE, but given its measures to conceal its totally inappropriate behavior through this lengthy contractual process, we now feel compelled to publish a series of letters addressed to MBIE and ministers calling on MBIE to account. of their behavior. “

According to Team New Zealand “these cards paint a quite different story than the one currently presented.”

The Herald reported today that the Serious Fraud Office appeared to be seeking taxpayer funding for the America’s Cup.

MBIE previously confirmed that its CEO, Carolyn Tremain, has had “discussions” with SFO director Julie Read. The OFS confirmed the discussions. Neither side elaborated on who initiated the discussions.

Team New Zealand’s statement echoed comments made to the Herald that it “would welcome the intervention of the Ombudsman or the Public Utilities Commission to analyze MBIE’s actions through this lengthy process.”

MBIE has not yet responded to the statement, but has defended its handling of both taxpayer funding and its ACE research.

In August, an audit report by forensic accountant Beattie Varley, which was commissioned by MBIE, harshly criticized governance at ACE and Team New Zealand, but concluded that investigators had seen no evidence that taxpayer event funding was would have applied incorrectly.

In July, Team New Zealand and ACE went to Auckland High Court to prevent the Herald from publishing details of an earlier report by Beattie Varley.

New Zealand team president Sir Stephen Tindall described Beattie Varley’s final report as a “total vindication”. You have refused to answer questions or be interviewed. ACE President Tina Symmans also declined all requests for interviews.

No one from the government has been willing to comment on the recent report, and an Ardern spokeswoman said it was being handled by MBIE.