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Disgraced Labour MPs Shane Jones is staying on as an MP following his leader Phil Goff's decision to demote him and strip him of portfolios after he misused taxpayer-funded credit cards while a minister.
Jones will lose his environment and economic development portfolios following a release of documents last Thursday showing misspending.
The MP fronted up to the media today, saying he has admitted he did wrong, has breached the rules and has now got to do the figurative time.
Jones says he accepts and understands his leader's decision.
"Phil is the Tumuaki, and I have great respect for him. I have made his job more difficult, and it's now up to me to earn back his trust, and to take personal responsibility for the standards I set myself for the rest of my political career," he says.
"I bitterly regret letting myself down, my colleagues down, and my family and friends down."
"The best thing I can do now is to work to rehabilitate myself in all their eyes, to strive to make a worthwhile political contribution in the years ahead, and to make a difference in the lives of Kiwis. That is something I am determined to do," he says.
Jones' spending included pay-per-view pornographic movies while staying in hotels, a charter plane, wine, magazines, CDs and books when he was building and construction minister in the previous government.
He has paid back more than $5000 and says he's done the crime and he'll do the time.
But Jones isn't saying whether he will be sticking around after this term, saying he's not prepared to sit around and do nothing.
Two other MPs, Chris Carter and Mita Ririnui, have also been demoted.
Jones "repeatedly misused" card
Goff said Shane Jones repeatedly misused his ministerial credit card and this requires a clear sanction. He has lost his front-bench position and the two major portfolio responsibilities he holds.
"It is a mitigating factor that he had already paid the money back and that he has accepted total responsibility for his actions.
"The penalty imposed on him is severe but I want to send a strong message about the high standards I will demand of those who serve in the next Labour government.
"I believe Shane has a lot of potential to offer Labour and New Zealand in the future. I believe he will learn from this experience.
"But he will now have to prove that he is worthy of future consideration and the onus will be on him to earn his way back into a future Labour ministry."
Carter wrongly used card over six years
Chris Carter goes from the front bench and has been stripped of his foreign affairs job, a job he has hankered for throughout his political career.
Goff says Carter also wrongly used his card on several occasions over six years as a Minister on things outside the rules for Ministerial expenditure. He has now repaid the money.
"These items by themselves would not warrant removal from the Foreign Affairs portfolio. However there has been public controversy around the frequency and cost of Chris' travel as a Minister accompanied by his partner which damages his ability to continue in this portfolio.
"Chris has lost the portfolio and his front-bench seat and will sit on the second bench. Given the importance he attached to his portfolio this will be a severe sanction for him.
"I want to acknowledge that he is an exceptionally hard working Member of Parliament, well regarded for what he has done in areas like conservation and ethnic affairs."
In a statement, Carter says he fully accepts the decision of his leader. He says it's time for him to draw the line and rededicate himself to being the MP for Te Atatu.
Carter says he will work hard to ensure his party can have confidence in him.
Ririnui's golf clubs and bike
Mita Ririnui, who is lowly ranked anyway, has been rebuked, losing his forestry responsibility.
He says he is promising to get on with his political jobs, accepts his leader's decision and now he intends putting his head down, his backside up and getting on with his job as an MP.
He also welcomes Goff's promise that the door is open for him to re-earn his trust and get portfolio responsibilities in the future.
Goff says he wrongly used his government credit card to purchase golf clubs and a bike.
"These are clearly personal items, involving significant expenditure and occurred on two occasions. He did not do so with any dishonest intent and reimbursed Ministerial Services for that expenditure at the time.
"However it was clearly outside the rules and he should have been aware of that and showed poor judgement. As a result he will lose his shadow portfolio responsibilities for forestry."
Goff said the release of credit card details of past and present Ministers will help entrench high standards and he welcomes this.
But he questioned whether it is necessary for Ministers to have credit cards, which has got a number of Ministers into trouble when they have been used for private expenditure, albeit later repaid.
Do you think Phil Goff's sanctions against the Labour MPs are fair? Have your say on our messageboard below.
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Add a Comment:
Post new commentaiir said on 2010-06-28 @ 10:10 NZDT: Report abusive post
Im glad to hear support of shane jones getting kicked out. How dare he think he can talk about the best for kiwis,...and mull it over whilst watching porn.. hideous men in politics...what happened to true integrity....
gmc01nz said on 2010-06-14 @ 16:07 NZDT: Report abusive post
Had they had been working for a private company, they would have had a serious misconduct alegation thrown at them and booted out of the company. Same should happen in this case! Instead they will just be 'demoted' until the dust settles and then will be reinstated into similar or more senior positions. Just a big game to the so called 'leaders' of our country!
mouthguard said on 2010-06-14 @ 15:02 NZDT: Report abusive post
Aquarius: "wrong, dishonest and fraudulent" yet we still pay them to represent us? Yeah, thanks Phil Goff.
wonderswhy1 said on 2010-06-14 @ 13:13 NZDT: Report abusive post
Shame shame shame on you all for thinking that money that Belongs to all New Zealanders is your for tha taking to spend on whatever you feel like ... this spending tax money is unacceptable.....none of you are worthy of our trust....
mouthguard said on 2010-06-14 @ 12:30 NZDT: Report abusive post
Taking away 'pretend' portfolios is a joke. These people have effectively stolen tax payers money, and when caught, have just been made to pay it back. Do these lawmakers make the same concessions with burglars, or shop-lifters? All three are guilty of corrupt practice, that stem from a lack of integrity. Instead of being held to a higher standard they are given a quick telling off. Goff is just taking up where Helen left off. Hang your heads in shame.