New allegations delay QC's report on Field

Taito Phillip Field

Taito Phillip Field finally met the Queen's Counsel investigating claims against him yesterday as it became clear the report to Prime Minister Helen Clark will not be ready by next Tuesday's deadline.

It will be "virtually impossible" for Noel Ingram to complete his inquiry by then, given new allegations this week, Mai Chen, Mr Field's lawyer, said yesterday.

Claims against the Mangere MP, a minister outside the Cabinet, have piled up since the original claim before the election that he intervened to help a Thai overstayer tiling his house in Samoa to get a work permit in New Zealand.

Helen Clark's spokesman acknowledged on Wednesday that Dr Ingram could ask for more time when he reports back next week.

Ms Chen said she had advised Mr Field to stop commenting publicly now the inquiry into the claims was under way.

She told TVOne's Close Up show last night that Mr Field met Dr Ingram for a 3 1/2-hour "preliminary" meeting in Auckland, and the QC made it clear he would need to talk to the politician again.

Ms Chen said Mr Field would defend himself against the allegations, some of which were "very serious".

She discussed with Dr Ingram the standard against which Mr Field's conduct was being measured.

"He made it clear that he was still considering that matter."

Ms Chen said it was important to point out that the probe was an inquiry, not a court of law.

Earlier, she told the Herald that she and Mr Field had been told witnesses in Samoa would be interviewed, which would obviously take time.

"There's a balance to be struck here; that's the balance between making sure that we get this cloud hanging over Mr Field resolved as soon as possible on the one hand, but on the other hand we are not going to make it go away if the inquiry is not full."

Dr Ingram's office said yesterday that he was not available to comment and the media would have to wait until his report was released.

The original claim against Mr Field was that he asked the Associate Minister of Immigration, Damien O'Connor, to review the work permit of Thai overstayer Sunan Siriwan who, while awaiting the decision, tiled the floors of a house Mr Field and his wife, Maxine, were having built in Samoa.

There are also questions over whether Mrs Field improperly accepted money for work in her husband's electorate office in breach of parliamentary rules barring MPs' partners from being employed in their offices.

This week, two more claims emerged. On Tuesday, a South Auckland family said that last year Mr Field bought their home - which they risked losing in a mortgagee sale - but failed to let them stay there before selling it 16 months later for a $136,000 profit.

On Wednesday, it was claimed he had a second Thai overstayer paint four houses in exchange for immigration help.