Sir Ngatata Love has told the High Court in Wellington his relationship with a woman described as his partner was platonic and they did not have access to each other's bank accounts.
Sir Ngatata Love has been accused by the Crown of selling his influence. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
The prominent Māori leader, who is the former chairman of iwi organisation Wellington Tenths Trust, is before the court facing alternative charges of fraud and corruption relating to a property development in the capital.
The Crown has accused Sir Ngatata of selling his influence in his capacity as chairman and trustee of the iwi organisation to a group working on the Pipitea Street development.
It said the developers paid $1.5 million into a company run by his partner, Lorraine Skiffington, and most of the money was used to pay down a mortgage on the couple's home.
The defendant told the court there was no asset-sharing between himself and Ms Skiffington and she did not have access to his bank accounts, nor he to hers.
He was shown a loan analysis put together by a personal banker from Westpac stating Sir Ngatata had property worth $8m and no debt.
However, Sir Ngatata said that was incorrect and he did not know how the bank obtained that information.
He denied providing it to the bank himself.
Ms Skiffington was also initially charged with fraud relating to her involvement in the property negotiations but she was seriously ill and the charges against her were stayed in August last year.
Relationship 'platonic' with a 'spiritual connection'
Sir Ngatata told the court he met Ms Skiffington about 2000, when she was working in the office of then-Minister of Treaty Settlements Margaret Wilson.
He had been dealing with treaty personnel for some decades by then and said he realised within a short period of time she was quite different, as she had an academic background rather than being from the public service.
Sir Ngatata said it was refreshing to deal with someone who could see the wider interests, rather than the usual process, "which was always about what we can't have and why".
"Her approach was different and [she] wanted to look at the facts and that was a refreshing approach. [We] had common interests, coming from academic backgrounds and philosophy."
Sir Ngatata said that by 2006 the pair were in a platonic relationship with a spiritual connection.
"We were interested in similar things. She taught me a lot about Shakespeare and I enjoyed the company, [but] it was never a sexual relationship. I was a 70-year-old man and well past any interest I had in that side of life."
He said he remembered going to visit a property with Ms Skiffington in Plimmerton when she was selling her home in Khandallah and, once it was purchased, he and his daughter shared the house with her.
The arrangement worked well for him as his former wife was living in their Waikanae home and he found living up there a hassle, he said.
Sir Ngatata said he often had meetings at 7am and it was an ordeal getting to and from Wellington to meet those commitments, but that became easier when he moved to Plimmerton.
"It was easier to get to the city. There was a good train service, quick, not crowded, and it was very sensible as far as I was concerned."
Sir Ngatata said he had told Ms Skiffington he did not mind his name being used when she was seeking a loan to buy a house, but he did not want to be saddled with a mortgage as it was her property.
He said he had no discussions with Ms Skiffington about the terms of the services agreement signed by the developers and her company.
In earlier evidence witnesses said she had told them things like "Ngatata would expect bank cheques on Thursday", but Sir Ngatata said those discussions had not taken place with him.