Emergency Sunday board meeting called following RNZ CFO’s unexpected resignation

RNZ board chair Brent Impey says he can't say why the public broadcaster's chief financial officer resigned on Friday night, but stresses there's "definitely not" any suggestion of criminality.The unexpected departure of Hilary Parker - who joined RNZ in 2024 - triggered an emergency board meeting on Sunday, after which the Broadcasting Minister Paul Goldsmith and Treasury were notified.CEO Paul Thompson himself only learnt of the resignation on Saturday afternoon after returning from an overseas trip. Acting CEO Mark Stevens had notified Impey late Friday night.Contacted by RNZ's Checkpoint, Impey said Parker had left of her own accord and received the usual financial settlement staff receive when they resign.Impey declined to answer further questions about the reasons behind Parker's departure on the grounds that it was an employment matter.He said the Board met on Sunday because of the urgency to get company accounts completed by the end of October."We had an emergency Board meeting on Sunday, and I advised the Minister and Treasury on Sunday night."Asked whether any other agencies had been notified, such as the police or Serious Fraud Office, Impey said: "No, there's nothing in that realm whatsoever."Board member Richard Dellabarca, a chartered accountant, was appointed interim Chief Financial Officer and tasked with completing the accounts.Impey said that move was not unusual in an emergency situation. He said Dellabarca was qualified to carry out the work and he was confident the accounts would be accurate.Dellabarca was appointed to the RNZ Board in May and began just over three months ago, on July 1.In an earlier statement, an RNZ spokesperson said Dellabarca's appointment would ensure financial leadership during the annual reporting period.RNZ said it expected to meet the timeframe for reporting its accounts: "As is standard, the accounts are subject to audit before they are finalised."The change in CFO comes six months after the government spelled out financial expectations for the organisation.Goldsmith highlighted the public broadcaster's financial performance as the top item in his Letter of Expectation to the Board in March. Improving audience reach and growing trust levels were the other main items.The letter noted: "It is a vital, ongoing expectation that RNZ delivers improved performance and represents a value-for-money investment for the Crown as owner. This includes right-sizing operations and increasing efficiency to mitigate reliance on cash reserves and the sale of land to fund operations."