$100,000 meeting a junket - critic

BY TOM HUNT

A taxpayer-funded training organisation based in Christchurch has shelled out more than $100,000 for a day-and-a-half conference at an Auckland waterfront hotel.

In November, the same body – the Careerforce industry training organisation (ITO) – spent $150,000 on a conference in Christchurch featuring guest speakers, gift baskets, a themed dinner, and accommodation.

The conferences, for bosses of the industries that Careerforce provides training guidance to, have been called a waste of taxpayer money.

The organisation, which offers training to health and aged-care organisations, received most of its $9.8 million operating revenue from taxpayers last year, Tertiary Education Commission figures show.

However, Careerforce has defended the spending, saying it is obliged to hold the events.

New Zealand Aged Care Association chief executive Martin Taylor said Careerforce, which arranges training for his industry, commissioned an independent review of its governance after pressure from industry and the Tertiary Education Commission.

The review, released this year, said there was a breakdown in confidence in the running of Careerforce, and suggested its board "goes out of existence" at its next annual general meeting, next month.

Taylor said the organisation's board was "dysfunctional" and was throwing "junkets".

A programme and invitation for the Auckland conference this week at the four-star Copthorne Harbour City Hotel featured a "themed networking dinner", drinks, and food for 75 delegates.

Careerforce paid travel and accommodation costs for the day-and-a-half conference, which had just over eight hours of workshops and talks, ending in Auckland yesterday.

Taylor, who backed the call for the board's resignation, boycotted the Auckland conference, but attended the Christchurch conference at the Copthorne Hotel, Durham St, at his own expense.

All costs for other guests were covered by Careerforce, with about 65 attending.

"This is not the best use of taxpayer funds given to them [Careerforce] to promote training."

Careerforce chief executive George Nimmo said conferences were an important part of the organisation's role – to engage with the sectors it arranged training for – and "is no junket".

Gathering people together was the most cost-effective way to get the feedback it needed, Nimmo said.

He said the Auckland conference had a $105,000 budget and the Christchurch one cost about $150,000.

The Copthorne was "not a luxurious hotel" and costs were saved by hosting in Auckland, where many participants lived.

Regular room rates are about $120, including breakfast.

Nimmo said a new board would be in place by July, but board member John Ryall – from the Service and Food Workers Union – said it was impossible under the organisation's constitution for the whole board to resign.

Taylor said this claim was "ridiculous".

Graeme Titcombe, the chief executive of Access, a home healthcare and support organisation, supported calls for the board's resignation.

"There is no doubt the industry has had really major concerns about the performance of the ITO."

The conference was a "pointless exercise", he said.

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce was in Australia and unavailable to comment on the Careerforce conferences.

WHAT CAREERFORCES DOES

Careerforce, based at 354 Armagh St, is the industry training organisation (ITO) for a range of health and care services, including aged care, addiction, disability, and mental health services.

The country's 39 ITOs arrange workplace and academic training for about 190,000 trainees in about 35,000 workplaces nationwide.

It sets the standards for training in institutions such as schools and polytechnics and advises and consults with government and industry on future skill needs.

- © Fairfax NZ News