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The Labour Opposition is 'out to get' Attorney General Chris Finlayson, according to NBR columnist John Bowie in his 'Briefcase' column today.See: ScreamingLawyer

Mr Finlayson has made a second amendment to his own pecuniary interest declarations, and drawn media attention to the slips of others over the last five years.

This follows revelations by Mr Mallard last week that Mr Finlayson had not declared his directorship of the Te Puhi Trustee company – also a trust holding company for a friend of Mr Finlayson's. Although Mr Finlayson presented legal advice saying he had not needed to because he had no financial interest in the company, the pecuniary register's registrar Dame Margaret Bazley ruled all company directorships should be listed regardless of financial interest.

Yesterday, Mr Brownlee said further clarity was needed on the difference between pecuniary interests and those which held no financial benefits to an MP. "It would seem that the registrar has failed members in this regard because there is no ruling."

However, according to the Briefcase column, Labour have a concerted campaign to impugn the Attorney General's integrity by making this and other matters public, specifically his lateness in standing aside from handling the Justice Wilson affair.

The real issue here is that the opposition are out to get the attorney general in the same way that they’ve got Pete Hodgson stationed on Key duty. They’re trying to paint him black, which is odd because its Chris Finlayson’s preferred colour anyway. Attempts to dent his integrity, which are based upon his arguably tardy recusal from involvement in the Justice Wilson affair, will doubtless go nowhere, but little issues like the pecuniary interests register are designed to “build a case”.

ENDS

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