Brethren claim rot: Bay MP

LAWRENCE GULLERY
Napier MP Chris Tremain has denied claims in the book Hollow Men that the Exclusive Brethren played a part in his election campaign in 2005.
The claims were highlighted by Napier's Labour list MP Russell Fairbrother, who said pages 24 to 28 of the Nicky Hagar book claimed that for at least five months from May 25, 2005, until September 17, 2005 election day, the Exclusive Brethren members were involved in Mr Tremain's election campaign.
Mr Tremain said the claim was "rubbish" and Mr Fairbrother had resorted to "personality politics".
"First of all, I've got nothing to hide. I have already said the Exclusive Brethren helped me distribute pamphlets ... but in terms of their involvement that they had funded (his campaign) or were involved with push polling, that's rubbish," Mr Tremain said.
The pamphlets earned a reprimand from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer because they were in breach of the Electoral Act.
Mr Fairbrother said Mr Tremain's campaign manager, Simon Lusk, had tried to influence the contents of the pamphlets so they were co-ordinated with Mr Tremain's election strategy for Napier.
Mr Tremain said he did meet members of the Exclusive Brethren in August 2005, but that was to discuss defence and social policies, not his election campaign.
"I am number 51 on the party list, I am just a new boy to the whole game and I don't have much influence (on policy)," he said.
Mr Tremain said he still works with Mr Lusk. "He was my campaign manager and he still does a lot of work for me, I talk to him quite often for advice.
"I spoke to him this morning to cast his eye over something I was presenting to a radio station.
"Simon did co-ordinate my volunteers at the election and he may be my co-ordinate at the next election," Mr Tremain said.
Mr Fairbrother said Mr Tremain's campaign manager was not on the Napier roll and had boasted of having his business interests located in the Cayman Islands, an international tax haven.
He said Mr Tremain's mandatory electoral return as filed reveal his campaign was fully funded by big-business interests and he was using his public profile to advance his business interests.
Mr Tremain was a director of Tremain Holdings, Tremain Real Estate, Tremain Development, Jennian Homes Hawke's Bay, Waipataki Developments and Milestone Homes Hawke's Bay.
Mr Fairbrother said a Napier telephone directory cover advertising Mr Tremain's business interests made it clear Mr Tremain was cashing in on his profile as an MP. "This is double dipping," he said.
"While drawing his taxpayer funded Parliamentary salary he appears also to be advancing for personal gain his business interests," Mr Fairbrother said.
"Honest MPs must be scrupulous to avoid conflicts of interest and to avoid using their public profile to advance the personal pecuniary interests," he said.
Mr Tremain said Labour's hold over the Napier electorate, under former MP Geoff Braybrooke, had slipped substantially during the two elections before 2005.
"There has been a swing of 15,400 votes in Napier (to the National Party) and that was before the Exclusive Brethren had anything to with politics.
"I've tried to avoid getting into personality politics but right through last year it's a game that Mr Fairbrother plays very well.
"I have two words for him - sore loser," Mr Tremain said.