26 February 2026
James
[FYI request #33236 email]
Tēnā koe James
Official Information Act request
Thank you for your emails of 11 and 14 December 2025 to the Minister for Social
Development and Employment and to the Ministry of Social Development (the
Ministry) requesting information on contracts with Manakau Urban Māori Authority
(MUMA) for 2024, 2025 and ongoing.
I have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Please find my decision on each part of your request set out separately below. This
response addresses all your questions.
1. Please list the contracts if any, MSD had with the Manakau Urban Māori
Authority in 2024 and the value of the contracts.
2. Please list the contracts if any, MSD currently with the Manakau Urban Māori
Authority in 2025 and the value of the contracts.
3. Please list the contracts if any, MSD have with the Manakau Urban Māori
Authority in 2026 and beyond and the value of the contracts.
A list of the Ministry’s contracts with the Manakau Urban Māori Authority (MUMA
Whānau Services Limited) from 2024 through to 2026 is attached as
Appendix 1 List of contracts between the Ministry and MUMA.
Please note that because the Ministry operates on a financial rather than
calendar year basis and because MUMA holds some multi-year contracts, we
have provided this information in Appendix 1 as one combined table listing all
contracts active within the 2024, 2025 and 2026 financial years. Also included
are contract start and end dates, contract duration and value.
4. Is MSD currently aware of multiple allegations of bullying and mistreatment
of staff by the current CEO?
5. Is MSD aware of the allegations put to the CEO by STUFF journalist, Tova
O’Brien?
6. If MSD is aware of the allegations, when and how and by who were you first
notified?
7. Is MSD aware union representatives have trespassed from MUMA?
The Aurora Centre, 56 The Terrace, PO Box 1556, Wellington
– Telephone 04-916 3300 – Facsimile 04-918 0099
The Ministry is aware of the allegations in the public domain that you refer to
regarding MUMA and its Chief Executive at a high level. The Ministry was first
notified of the allegations by MUMA’s Chief Executive verbally and in writing on
12 December 2025.
8. Do contracts between MSD and MUMA have a behaviour and conduct clause
in them regarding the treatment of staff, anti bullying etc?
The Ministry’s contracts (Outcome Agreements) with MUMA and associated
accreditation standards require MUMA to follow good employment practice that is
compliant with relevant legislation.
The Ministry’s Outcome Agreements incorporate the Framework Terms and
Conditions which can be accessed here:
www.procurement.govt.nz/assets/procurement-
property/documents/templates/framework-terms-conditions.pdf. To hold an Outcome Agreement with the Ministry, providers are also contractually
required to achieve and maintain Social Sector Accreditation (SSA) through Te
Kāhui Kāhu. MUMA Whānau Services Limited are required to hold Level 2
accreditation. Providers must meet the standards relevant to their level of
accreditation. These include having and following policies, procedures and
practices that comply with the standards. An example of this is a complaints policy.
The standards for approval for Level 2 accreditation can be accessed here:
www.tekāhuikāhu.govt.nz/assets/accreditation-approval/social-sector-
accreditation-standards/level-2-social-sector-accreditation-standards.pdf.
9. What actions/investigations has MSD undertaken if any, to make sure its
contractor (MUMA) is not mistreating staff and blocking union
representatives from talking to staff via a trespass notice.
The Ministry has not received any complaints regarding the treatment of MUMA
staff or union representatives and therefore has not undertaken any investigation
in relation to these allegations. In any case, the Employment Relations Authority
would be the appropriate agency to carry out any such process. The Ministry has
received assurances from MUMA that the services it provides are not affected by
the allegations.
10. Does MSD currently have any contracts with providers where unions have
been trespassed and there are live bullying allegations against the CEO? If
yes, please provide the number of contracts and the service providers.
The Ministry is not aware of any similar allegations made about its other contracted
service providers, and we do not capture this type of information as part of our
regular reporting. I am refusing this request under section 18(g) of the Act as the
information you had requested is not held by the Ministry and I have no grounds
to believe that the information is either held by or closely connected to the
functions of another department, Minister of the Crown or organisation.
11. What contracts if any, were award to the Manukau Urban Māori Authority
under the Whakawatea te ara scheme between September 20222 and April
1st, 2023?
12. Please specify the dollar amount of the contracts and contract length
13. What contracts if any, were awarded to the Manukau Urban Māori Authority
under the same scheme after the 2nd of April 2023 until 12th December
2025
14. Please specify the dollar amount of the contracts and contract length.
The Ministry has not awarded any contracts to the Manukau Urban Māori
Authority under the Whakawatea te Ara Poutama scheme.
15. Please provide MSD's guidelines for managing conflicts of interest.
Contract and Accreditation requirements around the management of conflicts of
interest for providers are set out in the documents referenced in the response at
Question 8.
The Ministry’s internal guidelines for how our staff must manage conflicts of
interest are attached as
Appendix 2 Ministry of Social Development conflict of
interest guidance and
Appendix 3 Managing conflicts of interest flow chart.
16. Has MSD provided MUMA with Pak n'Save vouchers for distribution in the
last 4 years? If so, please provide the number of vouchers for each year,
the dollar value and the expiry date for batch.
17. Please provide the expectation and terms of distribution for these vouchers
that MUMA adhere to.
The Ministry has not provided MUMA with supermarket vouchers for distribution.
The Ministry does provide grant funding to MUMA Whānau Services Limited to
maintain a community food hub to collect, process and distribute supplies of
essential food items to support people who experience food insecurity. These
grant funding agreements are included in Appendix 1.
I will be publishing this decision letter, with your personal details deleted, on the
Ministry’s website in due course.
If you wish to discuss this response with us, please feel free to contact
[MSD request email]. If you are not satisfied with my decision on your request, you have the right to
seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman. Information about how to
make a complaint is available a
t www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi nui
pp.
Anna Graham
General Manager
Ministerial and Executive Services
