John Key sets new lows in standards

Prime Minister John Key and his Government are setting new lows in standards of probity and assurance, says Labour Leader David Cunliffe.

“He gave his Justice Minister Judith Collins a final warning for being economical with the truth over her conflicts of interests with Oravida during a tax-payer funded trip to China.

“Yesterday it emerged she had failed to brief the Prime Minister on aspects of the conflicts that were known to her in advance of her visit.

“Mr Key has failed to hold his Education Minister Hekia Parata to account for providing a false assurance on the use of public money  in the Te Pataka Ohanga scandal, which has belatedly been referred to the Serious Fraud Office.

‘“Now we learn through television reports that when Mr Key himself described a golf game he had with Oravida CEO Stone Shi as ‘a charity event’, it was, according to those reports, in return for a $56,000 National Party donation.

“The Prime Minister is setting new lows in standards of probity and assurance that will erode public confidence in him and his Government.

“For John Key’s National Party, charity clearly begins at home,’’ says David Cunliffe.

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