NZ First chief exits over ‘moral’ stand

NZ First party president Lester Gray has quit the party, citing his refusal to sign off financial reports for ‘‘moral’’ reasons.

A resignation letter reveals Gray took his stand against signing the party’s 2019 reports with a claim he had been kept in the dark over expenditure and donations, leaving him unable to put his name to them with confidence.

The shock departure raises concerns about the internal financial arrangements of one of the Government’s crucial coalition partners as election season looms in 2020.

Gray’s resignation comes two weeks before the NZ First annual conference in Christchurch and nominations for the president and board have been announced.

NZ First leader Winston Peters, who is travelling overseas in his role as foreign minister, declined to comment on the resignation as it was a ‘‘party matter’’.

Other members of the party could not be reached for comment.

Gray announced his resignation from the presidency, a position he took up 11 months ago, on Monday. The announcement came the day he returned to active duty after taking two weeks off on medical leave due to stress.

In Gray’s resignation letter, obtained by Stuff, he raises issues around communication with senior party officials and uncertainty over financial dealings.

‘‘I refuse to sign off the 2019 financial reports with the information I have been provided,’’ he wrote. ‘‘As president, the limited exposure I have had to party donations and expenditure leaves me in a vulnerable position.

‘‘This type of operation does not align with my moral and business practice values, and I am therefore not able to support the party any longer.’’

Gray also stated there was ‘‘insufficient communication and support from senior members of the party for me to effectively function as the president’’.

A separate letter was sent to NZ First board members celebrating the achievements of the board in the past 11 months, including growing the party from 15 to 43 electorates, starting a review of the banking structure and looking ahead to 2020.

Gray was contacted for comment on the resignation letters.

He responded by saying he had just returned from two weeks of medical leave and was not able to make any additional comment.

‘‘I want to get it out that I am fine and I just needed to get out [of the party],’’ he said.

Gray made a public announcement of his resignation from NZ First on his Facebook page, where it received attention from former NZ First candidate Helen Petersen.

‘‘Welcome to the population of people who have worked bloody hard for a party that treats its members like imbeciles and exploits the dedicated,’’ she wrote.