The MP for Taranaki-King Country, Barbara Kuriger.
The MP for Taranaki-King Country, Barbara Kuriger.
The MP for Taranaki-King Country has resigned from her portfolios due to a "personal dispute" her family is in with the Ministry for Primary Industries.
Barbara Kuriger accepted there was a conflict of interest and resigned from the portfolio, National leader Christopher Luxon said in a statement today.
"I discussed this with Ms Kuriger and she accepts that this is a significant conflict of interest and the failure to recognise it and to take steps to manage this conflict has been a serious lapse of judgment," Luxon said.
"On this basis, Ms Kuriger felt it appropriate to resign from her portfolios."
Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller becomes National's acting agriculture, biosecurity and food safety spokesman.
Kuriger's son Tony was in 2020 convicted of animal cruelty offences, relating to charges from 2016 and 2017 when he was a sharemilker on a farm in Hukanui, north of Eketahuna.
The Herald has been unable to reach Kuriger to confirm the exact events being referred to.
Speaking to media from Rolleston, Luxon said his office was alerted to the matter by a third party. He later met with Kuriger last night when it was decided she would resign from her portfolios.
The issue was discussed at a meeting of the party's caucus this morning, during which Kuriger spoke.
National leader Christopher Luxon. Photo / Mark Mitchell
While Luxon had known of the conviction, he said it was Kuriger's "ongoing involvement" in the matter which had created the conflict that she hadn't addressed.
"She should have managed this conflict, she sees that herself."
He wouldn't go into the specifics of the matter, leaving that to Kuriger, but said it was not possible for her to hold the agricultural portfolio while the dispute with MPI was ongoing.
Luxon said Kuriger's resignation was a good signal to the rest of the party to disclose such matters.
"If I had known earlier that would have been a different story."
Asked whether Kuriger should still be an MP, Luxon said she still had a lot to contribute to the party and the door would be left open for her.
He confirmed it was "highly unlikely" she would be appointed to the agricultural portfolio again.
Luxon said he was planning a wider reshuffle of portfolios "in the coming months".
Kuriger said in a statement that her family had been in a dispute with the Ministry for Primary Industries "over events that occurred in 2017".
"This has created a blurred line with my portfolio responsibilities and in order to continue to support my family, I am stepping aside," she said.
"Although the dispute is, for me, a personal matter which I have endeavoured at all times to keep separate from my professional role, I accept there has been a conflict of interest which I should have recognised sooner, and managed.
"While the dispute is ongoing, I will not be commenting further on this matter."
The Herald has been unable to reach Kuriger to confirm the exact 2017 events she is referring to.
As a result of an investigation involving the Ministry for Primary Industries into Kuriger's son, more than 20 cows were euthanised while others had amputations as a result of lameness.
Tony Kuriger was convicted for not removing bandages from cows, some of which led to maggot infestations, the court heard.
