Chief nurse 'used public cash to charter yacht'

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Former chief nurse Mark Jones will be asked to pay back $1250 after he chartered a yacht with Health Ministry money without approval.

Mr Jones resigned suddenly before Christmas after an investigation into his personal expenses.

The ministry will now investigate all expenditure against his budget after The Dominion Post revealed yesterday that spending may have included chartering a yacht during a meeting with Australian nurse executives in the Bay of Islands in December 2008.

Ministry deputy director-general Margie Apa confirmed those spending details yesterday.

"The ministry was concerned to learn ... that a yacht may have been chartered using Health Ministry funds. Upon further investigation, it appears a yacht was chartered by former chief nurse Dr Mark Jones and paid for by the ministry.

"No prior approval was sought, or given by me or any other authorised person for this expenditure."

The ministry would seek reimbursement of the $1250 charter fee, she said.

She would not comment on Mr Jones' resignation, saying the details were subject to a confidentiality agreement.

The Dominion Post has not been able to reach Mr Jones for comment, but he told nursing magazine Kai Tiaki this month that he left the ministry on good terms and speculation about why he left was "untrue".

- © Fairfax NZ News