A former president of the National Party says Labour's Shane Jones isn't likely to have been the only MP or minister who has watched porn movies.Michelle Boag said today she didn't think Mr Jones' inappropriate spending was as bad as some others who had m
A former president of the National Party says Labour's Shane Jones isn't likely to have been the only MP or minister who has watched porn movies.
Michelle Boag said today she didn't think Mr Jones' inappropriate spending was as bad as some others who had made big personal purchases on the ministerial credit cards and then paid the money back.
"In my view what Shane Jones has done is nowhere near as bad as what Mita Ririnui has done," she said on TV One's Q&A programme.
"So he (Jones) watched a few porn moves. Well so what -- I'll bet he's not the only MP or minister who's done that."
Mr Ririnui bought a bike and a set of golf clubs on his ministerial card, and has said he didn't have his personal card with him at the time.
"I do not believe that," Ms Boag said.
Former Labour Party president Mike Williams said people were right to be angry with politicians.
"It's not a good look for either party and they're all doing it," he said.
"It seems to be widely accepted that you could spend and then pay it back."
Mr Williams said the ministerial spending exposure could make it difficult to get people to go into Parliament.
"I feel a sense of responsibility," he said.
"I was one of the people who talked Shane into running for Parliament ... neither he nor his wife were at all keen on the idea and I bet they're throwing daggers at me right now."
Mr Williams said the situation was becoming ridiculous.
"We've got an article in the Herald on Sunday today that outs Mayor John Banks for lying about his height ... they are living in fishbowls. How on earth are young going to get good quality people into Parliament when they go into an outfit which actually doesn't pay that well."
The next move in the spending saga will come on Tuesday, when Labour's caucus meets and party leader Phil Goff is expected to demote Mr Jones and another big-spending former minister, Chris Carter.
