This week we saw a National-led government lose its second minister.It is always difficult when a minister resigns their portfolio.
I entered Parliament in 1999 with a class of new MPs. One of them always carried the ball up feasibly for his side, but after doing what he had to do for his party, he was a pleasing, affable chap to have a beer with.
I observed him working diligently in his constituency and it was also wonderful to have the presence of his wife and young children running around the Parliamentary precinct.
At no time do I believe Mr Heatley acted with fraudulent intent.
A busy minister delegates and signs off a lot of material.
His resignation I suspect is more a sign of his standards and I believe he did the honorable thing.
There is room for him to be recalled to Cabinet. There are significant precedents for this.
Mr Heatley has set a high benchmark now for all Cabinet ministers in regards to their conduct and behaviour and what must now trigger a possible resignation requirement from his colleagues who have erred.
The accommodation fiasco surrounding Deputy Prime Minister Bill English and Phil Heatley's disclosure around the use of credit cards with other ministers will mean that in the coming week major pressure will apply to others. In the event the Auditor-General clears Mr Heatley there will be a possible re-entry into Cabinet.
On the other hand there seems to be a sense of entitlement on the part of the previous National Party senior members.
If you look at the finance companies debacle, you will find names like Sir Douglas Graham, a director of failed Lombard Finance. You will find Sir William Birch with Viking Finance. More recently you will find Don Brash and John Banks with Huljich Wealth Management Kiwi Saver funds.
It is alleged that Huljich broke all the rules by sending out multi-marketing teams to sell financial products door to door in vulnerable south, east and west Auckland. If this is true, it is a breach of the Securities laws. Further, Huljich topped up its funds by injecting money – which made it appear it was a higher-performing fund manager. [ED: Huljich said the top-up was to help out investors].
Don Brash chaired this company and owned shares in it. John Banks was an executive director, remains a director and is a shareholder in this company. They are both seasoned long-term businessmen. One was a Reserve Bank Governor for 17 years and Leader of the National Party and Opposition. One is a former senior National Party Cabinet minister, a wealthy businessman and in his second term as the Auckland Mayor.
How come they can stand on pedestals in this country, talk about lack of productivity, a lack of standards and how we must all work harder?
In my view, there are questions here around ethics, integrity, accountability and transparency. Banks particularly has problems in merely endeavouring to side-step this issue, as he has ambitions to lead our supercity of 1.4 million people and billions of dollars of possible business administered by that city.
Brash and Banks should do the honourable thing and resign from Huljich.
Sunday News, February 28, 2010