In defence of Michael Wood & Julie Fairey while comparing David Seymour and John Key’s conflicts of interest
I support Michael Wood and his wife Julie Fairey.
I have had the pleasure of talking to Michael many times over the decades and I went to University with his wife.
They are both the most scrupulously ethical people in the world and the insinuation that either are corrupt because of conflicts of interest generated after Michael bought airport shares when he was a child are absurd and an unfair smear on his character.
Michael is a deeply honest man with a solid moral core, his political life has been in the service of the public and he has consistently championed for the most vulnerable in society.
Claims he made a self interested ruling on Dairy Flat Airport while having shares in Auckland are equally absurd.
Chippy has done the sensible thing by standing him down until these bloody shares are sold.
Mistakes happen, here’s David Seymour making a mistake about his interests…
Act leader David Seymour has made a virtue of owning no property, but is now correcting the record to show he is a beneficiary of trusts that own three properties.
Seymour is embarrassed about what he calls an “honest mistake”, and says he has legal advice saying he doesn’t really own any of those properties: his grandparents’ beach house in Northland, a neighbouring section of land, and his father’s house in Whangārei.
But he accepts he could end up owning some of them – or a share in some of them – as a beneficiary of the trusts, so these will be included as his “real properties” in the upcoming 2021 register of MPs’ pecuniary and other specified interests.
The register will also show that Seymour has a KiwiSaver account that he says dropped off his radar until the start of this year.
…David, like Michael and Julie, made a mistake and for those attempting to claim malice and corruption in Michael’s mistake, let’s remind ourselves what an actual conflict of interest looks like.
Remember John Key?
Key caught out over rail shares
Labour has accused National leader John Key of lying over his ownership of Tranz Rail shares after revealing he failed to completely disclose his interests.
Labour research has found that Mr Key owned 100,000 Tranz Rail shares rather than the 30,000 owned by a family trust he previously admitted to.
He bought 50,000 of the shares in his own name while he was an MP and on the transport and industrial relations select committee.
The shareholding was first raised by Prime Minister Helen Clark in July, when she accused Mr Key of having a conflict of interest for having the 30,000 shares in 2003 while criticising the Government’s bid to buy the rail operator back.
Mr Key admitted to the 30,000 shares and said he sold them when he wanted to speak out about the Government’s plans. But Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen last night released share register information showing the 100,000 shares and said Mr Key “failed to correct reports” his shareholding was limited to the 30,000 shares.
“John Key lied because he had something to hide,” Dr Cullen said.
Dr Cullen said the new information showed Mr Key “was commenting publicly on Tranz Rail, meeting with bidders for the track, and pursuing the release of relevant information while an undisclosed shareholder”.
Dr Cullen said the 50,000 shares Mr Key purchased should have been disclosed in line with Parliament’s standing orders.
Labour will now use the non-disclosure as a major platform of attack against Mr Key.
“Mr Key has spent a lot of time over the last few weeks attacking the character and credibility of others,” Dr Cullen said. “He said people should not have to wait for direct questions to provide relevant information to the public.”
In an interview with One News last night, Mr Key faltered when asked about the shares, initially saying his family owned 25,000-50,000 shares, then shifting to “sometimes 50,000, sometimes 100,000” then finally “yeah, sorry, it was 100,000 in total”.
Asked why he had only ever admitted to the 30,000 shares owned by the family trust, Mr Key said: “No one’s ever asked me the number I owned.”
Labour’s research shows Mr Key’s trust bought 30,000 shares in 2002 before he was an MP. The trust bought another 20,000 shortly afterwards.
Mr Key then entered Parliament and asked parliamentary questions about Tranz Rail, not disclosing his shareholding.
In May 2003, Mr Key bought the 50,000 shares in his own name.
He sold the shares in June 2003 in two 50,000 lots.
…So Key was commenting publicly on Tranz Rail, meeting with bidders for the track, and pursuing the release of relevant information while an undisclosed shareholder!
THAT’S WHAT A FUCKING CONFLICT OF INTEREST LOOKS LIKE!
Attempting to twist Michael’s mistake into corruption is ugly politics, especially when you consider a 7 property owning Chris Luxon who is getting massive donations from Real Estate Pimps, who will give Landlords the right to evict and who is charging the taxpayer a cool $45,000 a year to rent an office for himself, from himself!is the very walking example of a conflict of interest!
Pretending Wood is the symbol of conflicts of interest when the fucking National Party are drawing hundreds of thousands in donations from the billionaire and Real Estate Pimp class is the usual bullshit game of distraction.
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There is no real attempt at graft here because the number of shares he has are chicken feed. But what this affair does point to is his general incompetence in keeping his affairs in order and his subsequently lying by saying he didn’t know he had them. I own various shares and the companies I invest in send me annual reports, notices of meetings and dividends ever year, so I don’t really know how he could be unaware of them.
50,000 shares is NOT chicken feed. He’s a capitalist parasite. Labour and the Greens, they just lack disapline.
50,000 shares at $8.80 is close to $400,000. No. He has, $13,000 @8.80 = 1400 odd shares. Chickenfeed.
Is he going to risk his career over 13k relative to his salary? No. That said how many times does he need to be told it not a good look? Did he not think it was ammunition? Bloody stupid
That said will Luxon sell his seven houses when he becomes PM and removes the bright line test and reinstates interest deductibility? Ok he should be able to keep where he lives clearly but how is the rest not a blatant conflict if applying the rules equally?
Of course he won’t sell and he will remove the brightside test because that’s what real corruption looks like and he learnt from his mentor, John Key.
Bloody hypocrites both National and Act and as for Luxon he should not be involved in any housing policy he has too much to gain.
Michael should sell his conflict shares and if he still can’t make ends meet then take shorter showers.
lol Ethan Woke
Ethan Woke “ Take shorter showers ?” No need for showers. Get Trevor to turn the hoses on him, just don’t create a river of filth. 2040 a few rivers will be safe enough to wade in knee high. Bath with a friend. Strip in the rain, and save the water. Go thru’ the car wash with the car windows open. Get baptised, regularly. Or join the Nats and become a dirty politician. Join the Greens and become a truly amazing piece of PC confectionery.
Mr Prissy wasn’t ethical enough even when told 6 times.
I’m far more interested in any ties he might have to consultants.
$55 million of other peoples money got given to consultants to not build his cycle bridge in Auckland.
But in Wellington his Lets get Wellington moving quango has blown $100 million to build one rainbow crossing with $65 million going to consultants. It’s beyond a joke and should be criminal.
That’s a lot of nurses or teachers or policemen. And it’s higher interest rates and inflation and food costs for everyone rise.
What’s his game with the consulting industry?
Who precisely is getting this money?
We need a Hager of the political right to look in to where taxpayer money is going and why.
Key quit 8 years ago so is history Michael Wood is a current minister in what was promoted as the most open government ever.
Labours ministers are failing the test of honesty and correct behavior.
What are you thoughts on Luxon’s housing portfolio? He’s campaigning on this issue and once elected? It reeks and it’s a shiite load more than 13k we are talking.
We all know about his housing portfolio. Wood was told 12 times to to get rid of the shares and now it seems his wife forgot to declare her shares while a Auckland city councillor
And? Clearly Woods portfolio was known about otherwise he would not be asked to sell them. I am not defending Wood.
You gave the perfect non answer on Luxon. So because we know Luxon has/will have a huge conflict it’s ok?
Luxon gave up a job paying $4 million a year .Do you think he did that so he could make a few extra dollars on his houses ?
As Luxon has no mortgages on any of his properties how could he benefit from the reintroduction of interest deductibility?
As a lot of people have commented on various forums, under Labour being a Landord is the only business where you can’t offset your costs against your income.
Key is donkey deep in the National party, only the very naive believe otherwise
Just as Paula Bennett is and her donor collection will only aid her property portfolio should National become government.
But I gather it’s different when the other side makes a mistake?
Just trying to get a gauge on the appropriate response to Woods mistake Trevor. How was Key held to account and will Woods be held to same? Do you have a right wing issue with that? If it’s trial by media or other, lawyers will always draw on other cases. Why do the righties always raise issues on Jacinda Ardern like sretard Bob given Jacindas gone now? Or are the right hypocrites?
Will be really interesting to see if Michael Wood retains the transport portfolio. It’s a difficult call for Hipkins especially in election year. I’m picking he will retain the current set-up with Wood on the sideline and take the heat out of things. If Labour are re-elected Wood will regain the transport portfolio. People will have bigger fish to fry by then and Wood will have sold his shares so it will seem far less of an issue than it would be in the lead up to the election.
Conflict of interest has the potential to be a major issue with politicians. We’ve seen this issue arise routinely via political donations. That’s also an area where transparency is well overdue.
It wasn’t so long ago that Michael Wood effectively chastised Aucklanders who opposed the cycle lane on the Harbour Bridge. I remember well people referring to his stance as arrogant. Tens of millions was spent on the project by a very keen cyclist himself who would rub shoulders with other cyclists more than many others. We also had our nurses for example being told there was no money in the kitty to improve their pay and conditions yet there was a truckload of cash for the cycle lane. Nek minute.
I also recall John Key saying there was no money in the kitty for very pressing and worthy causes……but there was a pile of money available for the costly flag referendum. I’ve heard numerous people refer to the flag referendum and Harbour Bridge cycle lane as “pet projects”.
The Public must be wondering about the credibility of recent Prime Ministers telling the public they retain full confidence in a Cabinet Minister and then….nek minute. Is full confidence in a Minister something to be proud of……or the kiss of death?
Phil Twyford was inept as Housing Minister but Ardern told the public she had full confidence in him. Nek minute a reset….and Twyford gone.
Ardern told the public she had full confidence in Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway. Nek minute
Ardern said she had full confidence in Meka Whaitiri . Nek minute.
Ardern told the public she had full confidence in David Clark as the Minister of Health. Nek minute
Ardern told NZ she had full confidence in the inept Poto Williams as Police Minister despite the crime wave hitting NZ and Williams proving she was totally unfit for the role. Nek minute Williams is gone. Ardern told the public Williams had lost her focus. Two questions arose from that. How does a Police Minister lose focus during a crime wave impacting on Kiwi’s and did she ever have any focus?
Hipkins told NZ he had full confidence in Stuart Nash. Nek minute.
Hipkins told NZ he had full confidence in Michael Wood. Nek minute.
When you get 50 % in a MMP election you can try different people to see how they go in management then replace them if they fall over. Better than the other governments that have relied on support parties and leave us stuck with incompetent ministers for 3 years.
Imagine the infrastructure built if only Key had spent the flag referendum money on it. We most certainly would-be in the crap we are today. And imagine if he’d capped immigration to a sustainable level instead of rampant levels our infrastructure could never sustain.
And idiots believe Key was a good man?
He has a credible defence. He has no idea what he is doing with money.
The bike bridge -10’s of millions wasted.
Light rail project – I shudder to think the money spent so far, but this single line white elephant will cost us billions.
Some vague open ended top up of 60 plus million dollars to private bus companies to top up wages of drivers but no coherent plan to overcome the funding problem beyond that. He had no respect for our money or his by the looks.
Still, failure to declare for years, then failure to comply with 6 reminders in 3 years. The only explanation is he is too thick be in the job and should resign so he can’t harm us anymore. If that’s possible!
I find your comments about Julies’ ethics and morality interesting. I had the pleasure to share a bus route to university with Julie Fairley. I go to hear her talking about how unfair it was that she and her friends got into trouble for vandalising the election signs of Grant Gillions’ opponents.
Hmm, it is about relative wealth. 100,000 TranzRail shares is about as relevant to John Key as 1,500 airport shares is to Michael Wood.
In both cases it is irrelevant as to decision making. Though Michael Woods is a Cabinet Minister. John Key was an Opposition MP. That is quite a difference.
The process does matter. Being reminded six times by the Cabinet Office to sell the shares and failing to do so is, at the best, somewhat sloppy.
Would the last Minister to leave this rat infested government please turn the lights out.
Let’s just have no expectations of anyone in Labour then, since we can point to members of another party doing bad stuff. Hell some people murder, and some torture and murder.
FFS, this is ridiculous.
I think it was an old email rather than a new computer. He thought he could just pass it off as a “trust”. Highlights the way some view trusts.
Thinking Man,
I don’t know what device you’re reading on but Can’tRememberNewComputer is my handle, not part of the comment. I use it because I couldn’t transfer data when my old computer crashed.
The handle just meant to say not new here, just can’t remember the name I was going by. It used to just come up automatically when I went to comment.
David Seymour forgot his trusts but it was an “honest mistake”
Bahahahahahahahaha!
It’s called setting a precedent Trevor.
Ok, now asked 12 times but refused to do so. That is the story!
And now McNulty adds this with the DIA, Local Govt, Racing (which he has an investment in), Rural Communities, Dept Leader of the house, Emergency Management & most likely Woods Immigration, Workplace Relations and Safety, Minister of Auckland and Associate Minister of Finance.
So with all this Woods keeps Associate Finance when he can’t sort his own shite out and Min of Auckland who has the Auckland Airport decision looming.
Chris Hipkins – what the fk are you doing?
12 TIMES A LOSER
John Key
Thinking about this at least Stuart Nash had conviction for NZ – Wood just has contempt for NZ. I’d rather Nash was back than Wood stay.
Agree
Very good point about a potential leadership change post election day.
Prime Mister Hipkins really does need an H2 to instill some discipline, doesn’t he?
Airport shares means he is a capitalist. Should be kicked out of Labour party and join ACT or …
Christopher Luxon owns 7 properties and is charging the taxpayer $45,000.00 a year to rent one back from himself to use as an office, and National and Act are worried about 1400 shares in Auckland airport that Micheal Woods owned. Scrutiny should be applied to Luxon, and Seymour before dumping on Micheal Woods, but National and Act have the “Nothing to see here” attitude.
What I have noticed about Luxon and Seymour is, and I will quote a biblical text here, that they both have massive logs of hypocrisy in their eyes. They try to give us the impression that they are perfection on the planet and that they have never ever done anything wrong even whilst a politician.
I do now tend to wonder as to what ‘hidden shares’ do the various National and ACT MPs have? For example does Judith Collins have shares in Oravida? Will the media ask her or will she claim “I don’t know”? Somehow I doubt the NZ media would think of this as they are eager bedfellows of National.
Meanwhile does Luxon, who owns 7 properties and probably gets money from some of them in the way of rent, claim on the NZ Taxpayers for accommodation costs??!!! Why doesn’t the media do an ‘investigation” on that???!!!! Again the media wouldn’t search into that as I stated earlier they are eager bedfellows of National.