30 October 2019

The Transport Minister and Prime Minister have some explaining to do after Phil Twyford was caught misleading Parliament, National’s Transport spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

"Phil Twyford is on record in Parliament as saying no one from the previous NZ Transport Agency Board asked to stay on before they were axed in September.

“But after media reported ‘sources’ confirming a different version of events, the Minister has changed his story and admitted at least one board member did ask to stay on.

"The Transport Minister’s selective memory is not good enough. He has repeatedly stood by his claim that all five NZTA board members walked willingly out the door. It wasn’t until media backed him into a corner that he admitted some were shown the exit.

“Misleading Parliament is yet another nail in the very badly damaged coffin that has Phil Twyford's name on it.

"He has already broken one of Labour's major election promises by making a complete hash of KiwiBuild. Now his fingerprints are all over the Auckland light rail fiasco that has quickly become KiwiBuild 2.0.

“Twyford says he will correct his statement when Parliament next sits. This isn’t the first time he’s had to correct the record – he corrected his ministerial diary in June after he failed to disclose a meeting with Auckland Mayor Phil Goff and was caught out.

"The Prime Minister now needs to say whether she has confidence in her Minister’s actions or whether he will face repercussions.

“Her Government claimed to be the most open and transparent ever but this couldn't be further from the truth, as evidenced by Clare Curran's secret meetings, Julie Anne Genter's secret letter, and now Phil Twyford's secret sackings.”

ends

© Scoop Media