Sammy Wong being investigated
UPDATED: Prime Minister John Key today confirmed Sammy Wong, the husband of former National MP Pansy Wong, is being investigated by the Auditor-General.
UPDATED :Labour says the Prime Minister should tell KiwiRail to defer any decisions on who will win the bid to build electric trains for Auckland until the investigation into Sammy Wong is complete.
Labour MP Trevor Mallard said the Prime Minister’s admission that he was aware the Auditor General’s Office had begun an inquiry including into a possible link between Sammy Wong, China North Rail and KiwiRail meant that any decisions on this matter should be deferred until the inquiry was complete.
Mr Mallard said KiwiRail is poised to make a decision shortly on who will win the tender for the Auckland trains. China North Rail is believed to be one of the shortlisted bidders.
“John Key cannot claim that the Auckland EMU decision is an operational matter for KiwiRail, when the Office of the Auditor General is already investigating links between a tenderer and Sammy Wong,” he said.
Prime Minister John Key today confirmed Sammy Wong, the husband of former National MP Pansy Wong, is being investigated by the Auditor-General.
Mrs Wong announced her resignation from Parliament in December after admitting her husband was involved in a business deal on a taxpayer-subsidised trip they made to China in 2008, which is against parliamentary rules.
No other evidence of misuse was found but questions continued to be raised and Mrs Wong said National did not need the distraction.
Answering questions from Labour MP Trevor Mallard in Parliament today, Mr Key confirmed the Auditor-General was looking into Mr Wong.
"I was informally advised that the Audit Office was going to have a look at Sammy Wong some time ago," he said.
Mr Mallard then tabled a letter from fellow Labour MP Pete Hodgson to Auditor-General Lyn Provost requesting an investigation into Mr Wong, along with a response from the office saying it would proceed with an investigation.
NZPA and NBR staff
Wed, 13 Apr 2011
Wed, 13 Apr 2011
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Sammy Wong being investigated
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