PM should have stood Minister down if a conflict of interest was known

The Prime Minister should have acted immediately to stand down a Cabinet Minister whose brother is facing indecency charges if it was apparent there was a conflict of interest, Opposition Leader Andrew Little says.

“The Prime Minister said he knew about the charges ‘three or four weeks ago’. It was not enough to know – he must uphold the highest standards of Government by immediately standing down any minister who has a potential conflict of interest.

“Holding a Cabinet Minister’s warrant comes with the highest levels of responsibility and accountability. If a family member is embroiled in an issue which may be seen by the public as a conflict of interest, then the Prime Minister must take every action required as soon as possible.

“This is a judgment issue that goes to the heart of John Key’s leadership. We now have the Office of the Ombudsman investigating what the Prime Minister knew about the Mike Sabin affair and information that may have been withheld from the public at the time.

“If there is any chance of a conflict of interest in the portfolio of this Cabinet Minister and the charges a family member is reportedly facing, then they should be stood down as soon as the information is known,” Andrew Little says.

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