Minister accused of sneaking clause into bill

Associate Local Government Minister John Carter. File photo / Richard Robinson

Associate Local Government Minister John Carter is being attacked by the Green Party over accusations he changed a Government bill to help out a constituent.

The party has laid a formal complaint with the Speaker of the House Lockwood Smith.

Green Party co-leader Russell Norman said Mr Carter has inserted clauses into a Reserves Bill that would allow Opua boatbuilder Doug Schmuck to use a public reserve as a slipway for his business.

However, Mr Carter said he was not present at the Select Committee hearing when the decision was made and there will be changes made to the clause so it benefits everyone, not just Mr Schmuck.

Mr Carter said the argument about Mr Schmuck using the public reserve as a slipway has cost ratepayers and taxpayers approximately $600,000 and the boat yard has been there since the Nineteenth Century.

But Dr Norman said the clauses in question were introduced in secret at select committee and not made known to the public, despite the fact some people had long opposed the Mr Schmuck's plans.

"Nobody ever told because it wasn't in the original bill, it got snuck into the bill in select committee.

"That's totally unacceptable process in Parliament - to sneak clauses into public bills in secret that benefit one individual at the expense of the community."

Dr Norman says it is not the way a Government Minister, or any MP, should make law.

Mr Carter said representatives from Labour, the Greens and National were all on the Select Committee when the decision to include the clause was made.

He said the committee received some advice that "wasn't quite right" and it is being changed.

Mr Carter said he was trying to help a constituent.
"If people have a problem, they have a right to come to Parliament," Mr Carter said.

- with NZPA