ACT goes to Speaker on Jones funding role
ACT leader David Seymour has written to Speaker Trevor Mallard alleging Regional Development Minister Shane Jones repeatedly misled Parliament over his involvement in a project receiving taxpayer funding.
On Sunday, Stuff revealed that Jones had remained in a meeting where funding was determined for Manea, Footprints Of Kupe, a proposed cultural centre in Opononi.
Seymour has made an allegation of contempt, arguing Jones ‘‘deliberately attempted to mislead the House in answers to written parliamentary questions’’.
The MP for Epsom said Jones was trying to conceal a conflict of interest related to the project.
In an answer to parliamentary questions in 2018, Jones said: ‘‘I have had no formal meetings regarding the Manea, Footprints Of Kupe, project since receiving my ministerial warrants.’’
An email from an official at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment revealed that Jones had sat in on a meeting of ministerial colleagues to determine funding.
The email says Jones provided ‘‘reassurance’’ in response to concerns raised by Finance Minister Grant Robertson about the governance of the project.
Jones has said that because he declared the conflict of interest, he had discharged his responsibilities.
He has acknowledged documents showing he was proposed to be chairman of an entity, which would facilitate the project, but said he was never appointed to any entity, and the letters were simply ‘‘wishful thinking’’.
In answers to other questions, Jones said he had ‘‘indicated that I would not be involved in any decision to grant funding to the project’’.
Seymour said after reading the MBIE email ‘‘no reasonable observer would come to the conclusion that Hon Jones ‘was not part of the decision-making process’ and was not involved in the decision to grant the project funding’’.
The letter alleges that the intervention ‘‘was crucial in persuading Hon Robertson to approve the application’’.
If Mallard determines that the matters involve a question of privilege, he could refer the matter to the powerful Privileges Committee, which has the power to punish Jones for contempt.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has doubled down on her defence of Jones.
‘‘Minister Jones knew about this project – he knew about it from the time before he came back into Parliament. He knew someone involved and had been an advocate for it.
‘‘So when it came up for the PGF, he called the Cabinet office and said ‘look, I know about this project’ – he declared that.’’
Cabinet gave him guidance on how to manage it and he followed that guidance, she said.
However, National’s economic development spokesman, Paul Goldsmith, said Jones was not providing clear answers.
‘‘We need to know the person who is in charge of $3 billion worth of funding understands what conflict of interests are.’’
‘‘We need to know the person who is in charge of $3 billion worth of funding understands what conflict of interests are.’’ National’s economic development spokesman, Paul Goldsmith