11 Mar 2019

Jones has vested interest in PGF-funded centre - National

From Morning Report, 7:39 am on 11 March 2019

The National Party is questioning Shane Jones' role in a decision to grant a group $4.6 million from the provincial growth fund - calling it a conflict of interest. Before he returned to Parliament as a New Zealand First list MP in 2017, Mr Jones was involved in plans to build Manea Footprints of Kupe, a culture, heritage and education centre in Northland. He declared a conflict of interest in the project when he became a Minister in November 2017 - but in February 2018 he attended a meeting of Ministers where he spoke about the project, providing reassurances about its management. It was then given $4.6m funding. Simon Bridges is the leader of the National Party and speaks to Susie Ferguson.