Prime Minister John Key says Cabinet Minister Pansy Wong did not do anything wrong in identifying herself as a minister when she witnessed a business deal involving her husband.The agreement between Lianyungang Supreme Hovercraft Ltd and Pacific Hovercraf
Prime Minister John Key says Cabinet Minister Pansy Wong did not do anything wrong in identifying herself as a minister when she witnessed a business deal involving her husband.
The agreement between Lianyungang Supreme Hovercraft Ltd and Pacific Hovercraft New Zealand Ltd was signed in China in September last year.
Mrs Wong's husband, Sammy Wong, is listed as a director of the Chinese company and they were together on a private trip when the deal was signed.
Mrs Wong signed as a witness and put her occupation as "Minister of the NZ Government".
Labour MP Pete Hodgson raised the issue in Parliament yesterday but his questions were ruled out of order for procedural reasons and Mrs Wong didn't have to answer.
Mr Hodgson later said Mrs Wong had clearly breached cabinet rules which said ministers shouldn't even give the perception of conflict of interest.
"She's certainly breached that in the sense that she's there as a cabinet minister, that's where the conflict arises," he said.
A spokeswoman for Mrs Wong told NZPA the minister had sought cabinet advice and hadn't done anything wrong.
Mr Key agreed.
"There's nothing against the rules for a minister to witness a document and in terms of putting her profession... as Minister of the Crown, that's her legal responsibility. She's followed the law perfectly correctly and done nothing wrong," Mr Key told Radio New Zealand.
Mr Hodgson had been "playing in the sewer" and mud-raking with his allegations, Mr Key said.
Mr Key said he did not know about the incident until it was raised in Parliament yesterday.
