A replacement for former cabinet minister Pansy Wong will be announced today but the Prime Minister is not ruling out a future ministerial job for her.Mr Key wouldn't hint at who might get the job but Hekia Parata, who did well in the Mana by-election, an
A replacement for former cabinet minister Pansy Wong will be announced today but the Prime Minister is not ruling out a future ministerial job for her.
Mr Key wouldn't hint at who might get the job but Hekia Parata, who did well in the Mana by-election, and Amy Adams, a strong performer in select committees, are likely contenders.
An independent investigation of travel claims by Mrs Wong and her husband Sammy was ordered by Speaker Lockwood Smith after it was revealed that on a trip to China in 2008 Mr Wong was involved in a business deal.
That trip was made with a 90 percent taxpayer-funded rebate on their airfares, and it is against the rules to use the allowance for private business.
The report covered claims for the last 10 years and found no evidence the rebate had been misused on other occasions.
Mrs Wong has apologised and paid back the $474 rebate for the China trip. She earlier resigned as minister -- she held several roles including women's affairs -- when the allegations came to light.
Mr Key said this morning that he would announce Mrs Wong's replacement in Cabinet this afternoon.
She would not be reappointed to Cabinet in the next 12 months.
"But I am not ruling out bringing her back after the election. It will be subject to working hard and proving that she would be a good minister," he told NewstalkZB.
Labour has called for the Auditor-General to look into the Wongs' travel saying the report was a whitewash.
Mr Key said he accepted the findings.
"People always make those claims -- that reports are whitewashes -- that what oppositions do. Look if they don't like it and they've got more information any one is free to send information to the Auditor General."
