Richard Worth denies accusations by Pete Hodgson

10. Hon PETE HODGSON (Labour—Dunedin North) to the Minister of Internal Affairs: Can he confirm that as Minister of Internal Affairs he has met all the requirements of a Minister of the Crown as set out under Conduct, public duty, and personal interests in Part 2 of the Cabinet Manual?

Hon Dr RICHARD WORTH (Minister of Internal Affairs) : Yes.

Hon Pete Hodgson: Why, when I asked him last Thursday whether he was aware of issues surrounding WSBC—a company described by the director of the New Zealand Serious Fraud Office as an associated entity—did he advise the House: I know nothing of these matters., when, in fact, the publication TGIF Edition had questioned him on those same matters and published the Ministers remarks, in quotes, on 13 February—7 weeks ago?

Hon Dr RICHARD WORTH: The member is misquoting what I said. The question to me was: Is the Minister aware that WSBC, a company that the director of the New Zealand Serious Fraud Office described as an associated entity, was thrown out of the Cook Islands last week, and that last Friday the Minister of Finance for the Cook Islands issued a press statement praising the role of the Pacific anti money-laundering programme; and how does that reflect on his judgment?. I answered: I do not know of those matters. That is a different company. The company I was involved with was WSD Global—I then said Risks but meant Markets—Ltd,—which is a New Zealand company. There are a number of factual errors in what the member said, and, in fact, I challenge him to repeat those comments outside the House, as he has been invited to do by the media. [Interruption]

Mr SPEAKER: I ask members to show some courtesy to the Hon Pete Hodgson asking his question.

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