Cam Slater: Meng Foon Turns into Meng Fool

Well, well, well, the final straw was not Meng Foon’s dodgy donations to Kiri Allen and the Labour party, but his dodgy undeclared conflicts of interest that finally broke the camel’s back. Another Labour flunky goes down hard.

Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon has resigned from the role after it came to light he failed to declare a range of interests, the Government says.

That includes that a company he directed received more than $2 million for the provision of emergency housing accommodation.

He didn’t adequately declare this. […]

Newshub texted Foon asking if he had resigned.

He replied: “No I haven’t resigned.”

Newshub has sought clarification from him whether he therefore remains the Race Relations Commissioner.

In April, it emerged he had donated to political party candidates while holding the Race Relations Commissioner role.

The Human Rights Commission said at the time it took neutrality “extremely seriously” and would assess reports of Foon’s donations.

In the weeks since, Newshub has repeatedly asked the Human Rights Commission for an update on Foon’s role, but it has provided none. 

Newshub

And he lied about his resignation. The government issued a statement contradicting Foon the Fool:

Today Meng Foon tendered his resignation as the Race Relations Commissioner.

“On 12 May the Chief Human Rights Commissioner wrote to me to advise that Meng Foon had failed to declare a range of interests, as required under sections 62-65 of the Crown Entities Act,” Associate Minister of Justice Deborah Russell said.

“A company directed by Meng Foon received income from Government payments during his term which he had failed to adequately declare, including over $2 million for the provision of accommodation including emergency housing.

“The Human Rights Commission conducted an inquiry and produced a report on emergency housing which Meng Foon had been involved in deliberations for, while never adequately declaring his interest.

“Off the back of that and a report from the Human Rights Commission Board into his failure to adequately declare these interests which found that he breached his duties under the Act, I sought advice from the Ministry of Justice.

“On 30 May I wrote to Meng Foon inviting him to respond to the Board’s report and set out that my deliberations could result in him being removed from office.

“I held a subsequent meeting with Meng Foon where he explained his actions.

“I have been considering the matter and taking further advice. My preliminary view was his actions were serious enough to warrant removal.

“Had the process been completed it is probable I would have determined his actions represented a serious breach of the Crown Entities Act and I would have taken the next steps to recommend to the Governor-General to remove him from his office.

“It is critical that all people appointed to public roles comply with their statutory duties. Meng Foon had multiple opportunities to adequately declare these interests and did not do so.

“While he has now chosen to resign I think it’s important the public is aware of the circumstances in which he has made that decision,” Deborah Russell said.

Newshub

This also serves as a warning for Michael Wood, who was asked 12 times to remove his conflict of interest by selling his Auckland Airport shares. Wood even told the cabinet office several times that he had in fact sold them, when he hadn’t.

Michael Wood should be held to the same standards. Will Chris Hipkins now ask Michael Wood to resign? Somehow I doubt it.

Meng Foon has been sacrificed to save Michael Wood.

Cam Slater is a New Zealand-based blogger, best known for his role in Dirty Politics and publishing the Whale Oil Beef Hooked blog, which operated from 2005 until it closed in 2019. This article was first published HERE