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National Party MP Melissa Lee - Source: ONE News -
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National's Mount Albert candidate Melissa Lee has been accused of using public money and her former TV role to promote political interests.
Before she became an MP Melissa Lee's career was producing and presenting television, today came accusations those two careers are in conflict.
"She (Lee) appears to have public money to promote political interests," says Labour leader Phil Goff.
There are allegations the National MP's media company received over a million dollars in New Zealand On Air funding before the last election, of which some was used for an election special and to pay for National Party campaign ads.
At the centre of the issue is a National Party promotional video
made by Lee's production company.
"$1.2 million of taxpayer money went to the company. The employee
said staff money and staff equipment paid for out of New Zealand On
Air funds were used to produce that video," says Goff.
Goff says it raises serious questions about her ethical behaviour.
Lee denies any of the funding was used to promote National.
"Categorically no taxpayer money was spent to promote the National party," Lee says.
She says former company colleagues who say otherwise have an axe to grind.
"The former staff member is actually a disgruntled former staff and we had an employment issue which is not resolved and she no longer works for the company," she says.
The National Party maintains there has been no wrongdoing by Lee.
Prime Minister John Key discussed the issue with Melissa Lee on Wednesday morning.
National says Lee has offered her assurances no taxpayer funds were used to produce the National Party material and potential conflicts of interest were managed properly.
The Broadcasting Minister Jonathon Coleman also backs her up.
"I understand that any work that people would have done would be on their own time," he says.
But Labour is also questioning her influence on the Asia Down Under programme while she was a National candidate in last year's election campaign.
In particular the Asia Downunder election programme featuring National MP Pansy Wong.
"I had no editorial oversight. I did not have any control whatsoever," Lee argues.
However Goff is not convinced.
"Clearly she didn't stand aside, she looked over the shoulder of
the editor while the editor was working on the programme," says
Goff.
This all comes as Melissa Lee is in the middle of a by-election
contest for the Mt Albert seat - a campaign already put on the back
foot by the controversial Waterview roading project
Now Lee will have to defend not only the roading project but her actions in her former career as well.
