There was some publicity recently about Jonathan Young’s carelessness in relation to his declaration of pecuniary interest.
This week it is all about the hapless Chris Finlayson who is already in serious trouble for the way he kept on changing his description of his relationship with a Supreme Court judge in whose favour he intervened. And especially because he did not inform either the Prime Minister or Cabinet either before he intervened or when he ran into problems.
Now it has emerged that Finlayson helped set up a company in 2006, after he became an MP, and became a director then and has failed to declare it on any return since that date.
Standing Orders page 128 are very clear.
4 Contents of return relating to member’s position as at effective date of return
(1) Every return of pecuniary interests must contain the following information as at the effective date of the return:
(a) the name of each company of which the member is a director ………..
An Office of the Clerk of the House spokeswoman said the rules were clear. “Members are required to declare the name of each company of which the MP is a director or controls more than 5 per cent of the voting rights. At the very worst, it could be contempt of the house if an MP has knowingly provided false information to the House.”
For most members people don’t get too upset if a genuine error is made once. But the Attorney-General is special. There is a clear precedent. Dr Don Brash (Leader of the Opposition), 21 March 2006 :
Lawyers are the professionals we depend on in our society to ensure the accuracy of the documents that they sign. They should not sign documents knowing them to be false under any circumstances. For the most senior law official in the land, the Attorney-General, to have done so not once but on several occasions, is a serious matter. Mr Parker was right to tender his resignation. I commend him for that.
Rodney Hide (Leader—ACT), 21 March 2006 :
I say to Helen Clark that her Government now lacks integrity and honesty. I think that filing a false statement, a statutory document, when one is the Attorney-General and a Minister of the Crown is unacceptable. I think this issue does need a full investigation. I say to the House that it is an important job to hold Ministers to account. That is what Parliament does—that is our Westminster parliamentary democracy.
David Parker stood down because there was doubt as to whether he signed a false statement. As it turned out he hadn’t and was reinstated.
Finlayson appears to have signed a false statement every year since March 2006.
He needs to go to the sin bin and not be allowed out until he can prove that each of his declarations have been factual. Given the other problems he has it might be an easy way out for Key.
Company Number 1779853
Company TE PUHI TRUSTEE (2) LIMITED
Incorporated 09-MAR-2006
Current Status REGISTERED
Entity Type Company
Constitution Filed No
Annual Return Filing Month March
Previous Names
No Previous Names on record
Address Details
Registered Office
32 The Terrace
Wellington
Address for Service
32 The Terrace
Wellington
Address for Share Register
32 The Terrace
Wellington
Address for Records – All records
32 The Terrace
Wellington
Directors
FINLAYSON, Christopher Francis 09-MAR-2006
Flat 6E Kate Sherppard Apartments, 42 Molesworth Street, Thorndon, Wellington 6011
PERRY, Stuart Alexander Mccrae 09-MAR-2006
Highbury, Wellington 6012
WOOLES, Patricia Anne 09-MAR-2006
Berhampore, Wellington 6023
Share Parcels
Total Number of shares 1
Number of Shares 1
Shareholder(s)
FINLAYSON, Christopher Francis 42 Molesworth Street, Wellington
PERRY, Stuart Alexander Mccrae Highbury, Wellington
WOOLES, Patricia Anne Berhampore, Wellington
Documents Registered
09-MAR-2010 10:26:36 Online Particulars of Directors
09-MAR-2010 09:58:56 Online Annual Return
27-APR-2009 13:03:48 Online Annual Return
17-APR-2008 15:00:39 Online Annual Return
20-FEB-2007 10:45:46 Online Annual Return
09-MAR-2006 13:11:33 Application To Incorporate A Company
09-MAR-2006 13:11:33 Consent Of Shareholder
09-MAR-2006 13:11:33 Consent Of Shareholder
09-MAR-2006 13:11:33 Consent Of Director
09-MAR-2006 13:11:33 Consent Of Director
09-MAR-2006 13:11:33 Consent Of Director
09-MAR-2006 13:11:33 Consent Of Shareholder
It’s a myth that anyone has job security for more than 3 years Loota. MPs have 3 years guaranteed income, I dont know of anyone in my life with that kind of security. The risk inherent is built into the salary and expenses. I’m intrigued to hear more about this “permanent contract” you speak of?
This thread is about someone who helped set up a company and became a director AFTER being elected, not before.
GOOOOAAAALLLL! Great goal scored by Trevor.
Dame Margare Bazley has ruled that Attorney-General makes pecuniary interest breach.
MSM starting to quote Red Alert…I saw NZH quote waterboy on the World Cup Holidays Act too…which means that a lot of eyeballs are going to be coming on Red Alert now!
T.M. and other MP’s posting on Red Alert: its crucial that your posts have perfectly quotable quotes, maybe even whole para’s, that the MSM can cut/paste and run with without any further edits whatsoever.
(No pressure!)
Does everyone know that John Key worked for (not sure if your facts are correct milkweed – though the name is correct from another job…….)
Thereafter in the local media he was always referred to as “the smiling assassin”.