Former Cabinet minister Pansy Wong has met with the chairman of a Parliamentary Services inquiry into her alleged misuse of MPs travel perk, Prime Minister John Key says.
Mrs Wong resigned from her Cabinet roles after admitting her husband, Sammy, had conducted private business while on a taxpayer-funded trip to
China.
Mrs Wong was entitled to a travel subsidy as an MP but there are rules against conducting personal business on such trips.
She has been on leave from Parliament while an inquiry into her use of the travel allowance is conducted.
Mr Key said today she had met with the person leading that inquiry, and its findings were likely to be released soon.
Mr Key has repeatedly said Mrs Wong should not have to return to work or front the media until she has all the facts from the report.
"At that point I would expect her to front up and be able to answer all the questions but you've got to have the facts to be able to do that," he told Newstalk ZB this morning.
Mrs Wong had been an MP for 14 years and had access the travel allowance for 11, Mr Key said.
Last week it was revealed Mr Key approved 11 overseas trips for Mrs Wong in the two years she was a minister.
The last of those, a trip to India scheduled for last week, was not undertaken.
Of the 10 trips she went on, five were to China, three to Australia, one each to the United States and Japan.
Labour leader Phil Goff has said it was an outrage Mrs Wong was not having to front up.
"She is aware of when she broke the rules and how often she broke the rules. It doesn't need a speaker's inquiry to confirm that."
Mr Key should make her front up or fire her from National's caucus, Mr Goff said.
- NZPA
