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Transparency more important than ever

Editor Tracy Watkins tracy.watkins@stuff.co.nz

Mahuta has long been a favourite target of the uglier elements of social media.

Where there’s smoke there’s fire; it used to be one of those sayings that had some currency before social media made it increasingly difficult to distinguish truth from fiction.

It was a nudge and a wink thing. It meant that whatever people were saying about a particular person, there was probably a good reason for it.

These days we can no longer trust that what we’re reading or seeing is actual smoke, let alone fire. It’s a world where fake news flourishes on platforms like Facebook and Twitter, and where any lie can easily be presented as fact.

But that’s why governments, and those in power, need to be even more mindful of the need for transparency. And that’s also why managing perceptions around issues like the current controversy surrounding Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta is even more critical.

Mahuta has been under fire over contracts and grants awarded to her husband,

Gannin Ormsby, and other family members.

They were awarded on a ‘‘sole source’’ basis, without competitive bids.

The agencies included Ka¯ inga Ora, the Ministry for the Environment, the Department of Conservation and Te Puni Ko¯ kiri.

The internet has been swirling with claims about the circumstances behind the contracts and Mahuta’s involvement, despite the Government being at pains to point out that no ministers were involved in procurement decisions.

Mahuta has long been a favourite target of the uglier elements of social media. Much of that is outright racism.

But that shouldn’t detract from legitimate questions about how her family came to be awarded the contracts.

There has long been a perception problem around ministers and conflicts of interest when it comes to family members being awarded lucrative or plum jobs.

Even when ministers declare a conflict of interest, which the Government says Mahuta did where required, it is hard to dispel perceptions of nepotism or jobs for the boys.

That’s not surprising, given that trust in politicians has never been particularly high.

In a small country like New Zealand it is also not surprising that such conflicts might occur.

Opposition MPs have been upping the pressure over Mahuta – which is what a good Opposition does.

Labour was just as vigorous in pursuing the former National Government over potential conflicts; in 2010 it chased former prime minister John Key over his shares in various businesses, including a vineyard and dairy farm, claiming a conflict. It also pursued former minister Judith Collins over questions of a conflict of interest with her husband’s business dealings.

After Public Service Commissioner Peter Hughes last week announced he would investigate, Mahuta said she had asked for the inquiry herself to set the record straight.

In reality, the questions swirling around the contracts were such that the Government had no choice but to seek a full and thorough investigation.

Because they will know there’s another saying that hasn’t lost any currency in this day and age – sunlight is still the best disinfectant.

OPINION

en-nz

2022-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/288398472597264

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