Former Labour Minister Shane Jones does not recall if he used his ministerial credit card to pay for porn movies. [And does he not know that most internet porn is free? Serious waste of taxpayer funds - Editor.]Far North list MP Mr Jones revealed he had p
Former Labour Minister Shane Jones does not recall if he used his ministerial credit card to pay for porn movies. [And does he not know that most internet porn is free? Serious waste of taxpayer funds - Editor.]
Far North list MP Mr Jones revealed he had paid back about $5000 that he wrongly spent on his credit card.
Mr Jones was minister for building and construction during 2007-08 in the previous government and admits to wrongly using his card to charter a plane and buy wine, magazines and books. He also wrongly used the card to buy movies when he stayed at hotels.
Asked if the movies were adult or not, Mr Jones said he could not remember.
"I can't recall exactly they were; drugs sex or rock and roll. I am a movie buff," he told Radio New Zealand.
"I don't recall. I watch a lot of movies... I don't know. I won't rule it out but I don't remember."
Other expenses he refunding included CDs, books and magazines he bought on the road -- "I hasten to add not Playboys or Penthouse."
On one occasion he chartered a flight. His scheduled flight was cancelled so drove to Auckland from Kaitaia, but needed to get to a meeting in Tauranga where he was to speak.
The flight was around $1200, he said.
"It is on the card."
Wine costs included an event at which he hosted a group of architects and about $300 of wine was drunk. He paid that back but said he did think it was a work expense.
Mr Jones said he paid the money back after the election.
"I knew one day there was going to be a reckoning with disclosures over credit cards."
He said he realised he'd pushed the margins.
"I was too loose for my own good in terms of putting things on the card... Fair cop, I put things on the card that ought not to have been there. I've got to accept responsibility."
Mr Jones earlier this year admitted to media wrong spending on the card to media at the time of the Phil Heatley saga but not the extent. National's Mr Heatley stood down from his housing and fisheries portfolios in February because of wrongful use of his ministerial credit card, but was reinstated in late March by Prime Minister John Key as Minister of Housing in February after an Audit Office report said his spending was not deliberate.
