In March this year, Maria Pera was appointed to the newly formed board of Great South, which replaced Venture Southland. Pera, also a SDHB board member at that time, resigned from the health board as a result of a mediated settlement. In May this year, Southland District Mayor Gary Tong announced an independent review would be launched regarding Pera's place on the Great South board. The report was put before the shareholders of Great South and Tong said they unanimously agreed to keep Pera on the board. Great South chairman Ian Collier said the shareholders made the decisions on board appointments and he had no issue with Pera being on the board.

Source: Stuff November 15, 2019 01:52 UTC