$30,000 paid to lobby group3 min read

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The Onehunga Business Association (OBA) has paid the $30,000 grant to the East West Link Developmental Society (EWLDS),  amid concerns from several members about how the money will be used.

The payment was made to the lobby group opposing the multi-billion dollar East West Link project at the end of August, following a decision by the majority of the OBA executive committee.

Local businessman, Jitu Patel, attended the OBA executive committee meeting on Monday, 24th August, where OBA chair and EWLDS officer, Mark Jorey, instructed manager, Victoria Puxty to make the payment.

Jitu says Victoria strongly opposed the payment and has repeatedly challenged the decision since it was first raised in June.

“She was not happy during the meeting when she was instructed to pay the money to the society,” he says. “She was reluctant to make the payment, but had no choice.”

Mark acknowledges that Victoria had concerns about the $30,000 grant, but says the executive committee was satisfied those concerns had been addressed.

Jitu questions whether the grant represents the best use of OBA funds, especially with the uncertainty over the future of the East West Link project. He says the money could instead have been used to support businesses within the BID area.

Mark says there are plans to invest accumulated surplus funds into the town centre, including enhanced security measures.

Jitu says the $30,000 could have remained in a separate OBA account until there was greater certainty about the project. “Who knows if they might spend the money on their own operational methods?” he says.

Mark says there are clear conditions around the use of the grant. “The funds will be used solely for East West Link communications, information distribution and related advocacy activities,” he says.

Several OBA members had requested a Special General Meeting (SGM) to appoint a new executive committee, arguing that the town centre needs “a fully functioning committee that can make decisions in the best interests of local businesses.”

The first SGM request was rejected by some members of the executive committee, who said the petition signatures were not from full OBA members. Jitu subsequently started a second petition, and says the second request was also rejected during the 24th August meeting because there were not enough valid signatures.

“Mark said that some people had signed the petition incorrectly and that it could not be accepted,” says Jitu.

However, Mark says the SGM request remains on hold while the OBA members’ registry is updated and two resolutions are amended to bring them into line with the OBA constitution.

“A decision will be made next month,” he says.

Jitu says the handling of the $30,000 grant and the SGM request raises serious questions about the OBA’s governance. He describes the actions of some executive committee members as unethical and immoral.

“If they did this for the best interest of the OBA, it would be different,” he says. “The members are not benefitting at all.”

Asked whether the OBA needs a new executive committee, Mark says the current committee has faced difficult decisions following the budget cut and boundary reduction.

“However, the OBA also needed a reset, which has now been achieved.”