University of Waikato vice-chancellor Neil Quigley denies any conflict of interest exists in balancing his role as Reserve Bank chairman and his university receiving $82 million from the Government for a new medical school.
Labour says the possibility of a quid pro quo drew the Reserve Bank’s independence into question, while a former Reserve Bank manager says he isn’t sure a direct conflict exists, but the situation raised questions about why Quigley is still on the board.
It comes as Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he is “comfortable” with the dynamic but adds there are “good conflict management [plans] in place and I expect them to be upheld in this case as well”.
Luxon yesterday announced the Government would contribute $82.85m to the $230m construction of a new medical school at the University of Waikato.
The remaining funding would be provided by the university and through donations. Construction was set to begin this year and would add 120 medical training places annually from 2028.
National had campaigned in 2023 on a new medical school at the university but the promise was diluted through coalition negotiations with Act, which demanded a thorough cost/benefit analysis before committing funding.
Established medical schools claimed funding more placements would be more cost-effective.
Quigley had been heavily involved in the policy development and once described the school as being a “present” to a National-led Government in a possible second term.
Labour’s health spokeswoman Dr Ayesha Verrall said questions should be asked if the deal was a “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” arrangement between Quigley and the Government, given Quigley’s role with the Reserve Bank.
“That does draw the independence of the Reserve Bank decisions into question,” Verrall said.
“Releasing the costings for the medical school and how it stacks up against alternative options is important.”
Former Reserve Bank manager Michael Reddell said he wasn’t certain a direct conflict existed but questioned whether it explained Quigley’s presence on the board.
“It’s just a loose connection that no one understands why he’s still in the role, why he was reappointed last year.”
Luxon, in his post-Cabinet press conference, said he expected any conflicts to be well-managed and felt “comfortable” with the arrangement.
Quigley’s role as chairman was separate to the Monetary Policy Committee, which sets the Official Cash Rate.
Speaking to the Herald, Quigley dismissed the suggestion there was a conflict of interest.
“It’s been news to me that people imagined there was a conflict between my role at the Reserve Bank and the university.”
He described the bank as an “evidence-based institution” and noted he was “only one of nine members of the board”.
Philanthropic donations had been central to the Government agreeing to co-fund the new medical school, Health Minister Simeon Brown saying donations and university funds would cover the remaining $150m.
The donations had been pledged amid the Government’s deliberations with some donors putting pen to paper to commit their contributions.
Quigley wouldn’t name any donors, citing privacy, but acknowledged some contributions were worth tens of millions of dollars.
“At the moment, they’ve done it on a private basis just to support me and we’ve given the Government an indication of who those people are and what sorts of commitments they’ve made.”
He said he wasn’t aware of any links donors had with the National Party, saying many sought to help address the country’s shortage of medical professionals.
“There’s a lot of philanthropically-minded people out there and some of them have just come to me and said, ‘We want to support this project’, it’s not as if I’ve had to go find them.”
Quigley suspected half of the $150m would be satisfied through donations, with the rest to be covered by the university.
“At the moment, we’re well on the way to the 50% of donations just with a relatively small number of large trusts and very wealthy individuals so we don’t see that as particularly challenging.”
Acknowledging comments from Finance Minister Nicola Willis that any extra costs wouldn’t be covered by the Government, Quigley said the university was able to borrow any additional funds required.
Early cost estimates for the new school had been much more expensive at about $380m.
Quigley, who described that estimate as “entirely hypothetical”, said costs had been saved through plans to utilise existing health infrastructure such as medical centres and GP clinics which weren’t at capacity.
Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.