Peter Brown. Photo / Getty Images
Angry MPs have taken offence at a claim that their favour was effectively "bought" by Air New Zealand when the company hosted a function at Parliament which included free alcohol.
The allegation comes as the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union seeks a select committee inquiry into Air New
Zealand's behaviour during recent disputes.
The acrimonious relationship between the union and the airline was on full display yesterday when an EPMU member claimed in an affidavit that a function hosted by Air New Zealand had raised some interesting concerns.
Strachan Crang, national aviation industry organiser for the EPMU, said he had been told by an Air New Zealand solicitor that MPs had given the company assurances that the union's call for an inquiry would go nowhere.
Mr Crang linked the assurances to a function that the airline had hosted, which was attended by many MPs.
The claim clearly offended several of the MPs sitting on the select committee. National MP Maurice Williamson labelled it as effectively alleging that "politicians are in someone's pocket because of alcohol".
Labour MP Shane Jones said it was "very damaging" to have such a thing floating around whether it was right or wrong, and asked Air New Zealand chief executive Rob Fyfe to take it up with the solicitor named in the affidavit, Philip Doak.
Mr Jones characterised the claim as "an allegation that's been made about politicians being easily persuaded by drinking free booze with Air New Zealand managers".
New Zealand First MP Peter Brown sought to assure the EPMU national secretary Andrew Little and the union members he had with him that he had given no such assurance to the airline.
"When I read this document, boy did I see red," Mr Brown said.
"To be inferred that over a few drinks there was a group of MPs that could be bought is really upsetting," he said.
"We're not of that kind."
Mr Little responded by saying that he accepted that, and the EPMU regarded all MPs as people of integrity and incorruptible.
Mr Fyfe said he intended to take up the claim with the Air New Zealand staffer named in the affidavit and said he suspected that something had been taken out of context.
