National has written to the Public Service Commissioner requesting an investigation into the way that potential conflicts of interest have been managed in relation to contracts awarded to family members of Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta, National’s Public Service spokesperson Simeon Brown says.

“Nanaia Mahuta’s husband’s firm has been the recipient of several Government contracts appearing to present a number of conflicts of interest and perceived conflicts of interest.

“Two of these contracts were awarded to Ms Mahuta’s husband’s firm when she was an Associate Minister for the department awarding the contract.

“This week the New Zealand Herald revealed Ms Mahuta was listed as one of the paid panellists working on a contract awarded to her husband’s firm for work on a suicide prevention programme. This presents even more questions which need answering.

“Two of the contracts which have been awarded are now the subject of internal investigations by the departments which awarded them.

“New Zealanders have high expectations over how conflicts of interest are managed.

“Any perceived conflicts of interest need to be handled appropriately. The fact that two of these contracts are under internal investigation and the Minister herself was involved in one of them raises serious questions.

“National is calling for the Public Service Commission to investigate how these contracts were awarded and the processes that were put in place.

“Taxpayers need to have confidence in the Government’s procurement approach and that conflicts are being appropriately managed.”

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