New Act MP Hilary Calvert says having a finance company based at one of her properties is potentially just as unpopular as having a brothel at one.Ms Calvert, who is set to replace David Garrett as an Act MP, was questioned at her first press conference t
New Act MP Hilary Calvert says having a finance company based at one of her properties is potentially just as unpopular as having a brothel at one.
Ms Calvert, who is set to replace David Garrett as an Act MP, was questioned at her first press conference today about a brothel run from a property she has a share in, which she told some media about a few days ago.
She said she was not involved in the brothel, but did not want to comment about her views on prostitution.
"I would be troubled if they were doing anything in my property that was illegal," she told a media conference in Auckland today.
"There's also some real estate I'm involved with, we also have a finance company as a tenant, and there are some people recently who think about the same of finance companies as I think some other people think of massage parlours."
Ms Calvert replaces Mr Garrett after he quit Parliament following a furore over revelations he created a fake passport using the identity of a dead child 26 years ago.
When asked today if there were any other skeletons in her closet, Ms Calvert said she had no criminal convictions.
"I was going to get a check done of the Wanganui (police) computer to check that that is the answer, but I'm fully confident you won't be finding anything in my past.
"I think I've got a good A minus on that score."
Revelations about Mr Garrett's past came a few weeks after Heather Roy lost the deputy leadership of ACT to John Boscawen. Mr Garrett was a supporter along with leader Rodney Hide of Mr Boscawen as deputy leader.
Act's five-person caucus has been seen as divided, with Ms Roy supported by Sir Roger Douglas, but Ms Calvert said Mr Hide was the best person to be leading the party.
"The work he's done on behalf of Act is huge. I've got infinite respect for him. He has particularly been useful doing the local government things he's been doing of recent times," she told a media conference in Auckland today.
"But the person who is the leader of Act is the face of Act and that's something that Rodney has done hugely well."
Ms Calvert she had been with Act for more than 10 years, and that it was some of the party's founding principles that persuaded her to join.
"What got me involved and passionate about Act is its principles of personal choice, responsibility, less government and better use of taxpayers' funds and that's what I'm passionate about bringing to this role," she said.
Mr Hide said becoming an MP was a big change for Ms Calvert, who was minding her own business and was now getting called to Parliament.
He denied the caucus was divided, and Ms Calvert said she didn't need any clarification about the caucus' unity.
"I don't expect any divisions in the caucus. I think we need to be getting on with the work that needs to be done," she said.
"I've had nothing but support from the people that I'm hoping to be in caucus with and I don't have any anticipation of difficulties and for the caucus to be having any difficulties."
Mr Hide said he was also pleased the party would now have more than one female MP.
"It'll be good because it's a bit male right now," he said.
"I know Hilary well and she's very feisty so she'll keep John Boscawen and Roger and me on our toes, no doubt about that."
Mr Hide said he hadn't allocated any party roles to Ms Calvert yet.
He said Mr Boscawen would take Mr Garrett's position as party whip.
The Chief Electoral Office tonight announced that Ms Calvert had been elected to Parliament, the essential legal confirmation that she is an MP.
She will be sworn in when Parliament returns from its two-week recess on October 12.
