Grant Robertson
Labour MP

11 March 2014

John Key misleads over Collins Cabinet Office advice

The Prime Minister has misled the public over advice he received on Judith Collins’ visit to the Shanghai office of her husband's company, Oravida, Labour MP Grant Robertson says.

“John Key has been covering up for Judith Collins for the past week.

“He told New Zealanders the Cabinet Office had looked at a translation of the Chinese company’s webpage detailing her visit.

“That is simply not true. John Key has been caught out.

“The Cabinet Office did not look at the most important piece of evidence to ascertain whether Judith Collins had a conflict of interest – the Chinese translation which says Judith Collins was ‘full of praise’ for Oravida’s products.

“This is why Labour last week asked to see what the Cabinet Office told the Prime Minister, because its advice depends on what questions it was asked and what evidence it was given.

“John Key is now dancing on the head of a pin as to whether Judith Collins’ comments were an endorsement or a promotion.

“It is clear to most New Zealanders that Judith Collins endorsed her husband’s company while on a taxpayer-funded trip. This is a conflict of interest.

“The Prime Minister has repeatedly said he has high standards of his ministers. He now needs to prove that to the New Zealand public,” Grant Robertson says.

ENDS

© Scoop Media