Sammy was doing 'favours for friends': Wong

MP Pansy Wong. File photo / Wairarapa Times-Age

Embattled Botany MP Pansy Wong says her husband Sammy was merely doing "favours for friends" during trips to China which Labour says should be investigated for a second time for potential breaches of rules around the use of taxpayer funded travel perks.

Labour MP Pete Hodgson's quest for an Auditor-General's inquiry into the matter continued yesterday as he produced further information about Mr Wong's alleged business interests in China.

Mr Hodgson questioned Prime Minister John Key in the House over material showing Mr Wong's self funded trip to China last year included visits to one or more schools in Wuxi city as Auckland school McLeans College's "sole agent".

In light of that, Mr Hodgson asked why an independent inquiry last week by former public servant Hugh McPhail, which cleared the Wongs of any serious misuse of the perk, concluded that Mr Wong's Chinese business interests were limited to a hovercraft company.

Rules around the perk which pays up to 90 per cent of MPs' and their spouses international travel, prohibit any private business activities during trips funded by it.

Mrs Wong repaid the $474 Mr McPhail found had been erroneously claimed during a 2008 trip, she apologised and resigned from her ministerial portfolios.

The fresh material came on top of Mr Hodgson's allegations claims this week that Mr Wong's attendance at a foundation stone laying ceremony for a new biotechnology campus development in Fujian in June 2005 during a taxpayer funded trip, was also a private business activity which was a breach of rules around the perk.

However Mrs Wong yesterday rejected the suggestion Mr Wong's school visits last year were a business activity.

Her husband was in Wuxi to advance McLean College's sister school relationships with schools in the city, a role for which he received no payment and which he performed as a favour to McLean College.

Furthermore, she said Mr Wong attended the 2005 stone laying ceremony after accepting an invitation from an old friend who was involved in the project.

Mrs Wong also confirmed that her husband had - as reported yesterday - helped Chinese New Zealand company Pacific Power Developments (PPD) set up meetings between Chinese train manufacturer CNR and New Zealand companies in 2005.

That work was done in New Zealand, was also done as a favour for friends and Mr Wong received no payment for it, she said.

CNR's overseas trading arm, CNR Loric later won a contract to supply 20 locomotives to KiwiRail in an agreement signed in June last year.

Meanwhile, a 3News poll last night suggested much of the public has not accepted the McPhail report. Voters were asked whether Mrs Wong should resign from Parliament and 55 per cent said yes, 40 per cent said no and 5 per cent didn't know.

Mr Key yesterday told 3News he believed Mrs Wong had made "an innocent mistake ".

"That is the findings of the independent report and on that basis I think she's certainly fit to remain as a Member of Parliament but whether she's returned to Parliament is a matter for the electorate."

Mrs Wong told the Herald it was up to Auditor General Lyn Provost whether she investigated the matter, but said: "It's already been found by an independent inquiry that we've committed a breach, I have apologised, I have paid and I have resigned from my ministerial portfolio."

Mr Hodgson said apparent errors in the McPhail report were mounting up and it was time for the Auditor-General, "who has the forensic and interrogation skills to come to a reasoned and informed judgement" to investigate.

Ms Provost's office has confirmed she is considering the latest information but is yet to decide whether to investigate.