Bridges on attack over canned expenses inquiry

AUCKLAND: National Party leader Simon Bridges has lashed out at Parliament Speaker Trevor Mallard for cancelling an inquiry into the travelexpenses leak 24 hours after confirming it was going ahead, and suggested he had been influenced by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

He said if Mr Mallard or Ms Ardern had any new information, they had a duty to share it with National.

If the issue remained unre solved, National blamed Mr Mallard, Mr Bridges said.

On Thursday last week, Mr Mallard named Michael Heron QC to conduct the inquiry into the leak.

On Friday afternoon, Mr Mallard cancelled the inquiry, more than a week after the alleged leaker sent a text pleading not to hold it.

‘‘Nothing had changed fundamentally on the Friday other than that the Prime Minister said it was an internal matter for the National Party,’’ Mr Bridges said.

‘‘Surprise, surprise, Trevor Mallard then changed his position.

‘‘I know of nothing that gives any good reason for his change unless the Prime Minister or he knows something we don’t and if they do, they should be sharing it with the National Party,’’ he said.

‘‘I believe he is obliged as Parliament’s Speaker, not a partisan one, to tell us what he knows, unless there is an exceptional reason not to.’’

The criticism of Mr Mallard is a new twist in the saga that is likely to see Mr Bridges at the very least forced to apologise to Mr Mallard, if not referred to the privileges committee.

The saga began on August 13 when Newshub ran a story about Mr Bridges’ latest travel expenses, which were abnormally high because he had just completed 70 public meetings as the new Leader of the Opposition.

Mr Mallard agreed on August 15 to hold an inquiry but on August 16 Mr Mallard, Mr Bridges and Newshub received an anonymous text from someone claiming to be the leaker. The writer pleaded for the inquiry not to go ahead, on the basis of their mental health problems, saying they were a National MP and referring to some things that had happened in caucus.

Mr Bridges contacted the police on August 17 with concerns for the texter’s welfare. The police have identified the texter but will not tell Mr Bridges who it is.

Mr Mallard appointed Mr Heron to conduct the inquiry, despite having received the text the previous week.

The existence of that text was not revealed until last Friday and Mr Mallard issued a statement cancelling the inquiry later that day. It said: ‘‘The text is from someone who is clearly very disturbed and today’s publicity will almost certainly make that worse.’’

Mr Mallard said the person who sent the text was the leaker.

‘‘He or she has details of events that it is unlikely anyone outside the National Party would be privy to.’’

Mr Bridges said National was preparing its own investigation and would seek consent of MPs and staff to look at their computers. That had not yet happened.

‘‘National will have some form of investigation to do our best to get to the bottom of this and work out if it is a National MP or staffer.

‘‘The problem is, it may not be a Nat, and therefore we won’t get to the bottom of it, and National blames Trevor Mallard for that.’’ — NZME