Finlayson case leads to review of interest rules

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Members of Parliament will review the rules for disclosing their financial interests after Attorney-General Chris Finlayson was caught out again not declaring directorships of two family trustee companies because he had no financial interest in them.

Leader of the House Gerry Brownlee said the rules were confusing and asked the Speaker to review them after Labour's Trevor Mallard accused Mr Finlayson of a further "false declaration" by not disclosing that he was director of a trust holding company – Diana Bremner Trust Nominees Ltd – in 2006.

Mr Finlayson did not include it in his listing for the register on which all MPs must disclose interests.

It followed revelations by Mr Mallard last week that Mr Finlayson had not declared his directorship of the Te Puhi Trustee company – also a trust holding company for a friend of Mr Finlayson's.

Although Mr Finlayson presented legal advice saying he had not needed to because he had no financial interest in the company, the pecuniary register's registrar Dame Margaret Bazley ruled all company directorships should be listed regardless of financial interest.

Yesterday, Mr Brownlee said further clarity was needed on the difference between pecuniary interests and those which held no financial benefits to an MP. "It would seem that the registrar has failed members in this regard because there is no ruling."

Dr Smith said there were "grounds for uncertainty" and he would refer it to the standing orders committee to consider.

Mr Finlayson sent an amendment to his listing to the registrar yesterday morning to include backdated references to the trusts.

Though MPs are expected to provide lists of all interests by January 31 each year, amendments can be made later. This month, Labour MP Chris Carter added a trip he took in January to observe elections in St Kitts and Nevis that was funded by the Commonwealth, and Speaker Lockwood Smith added gifts of a kilt from Alex Fergusson, his counterpart in Scotland's Parliament, and a crystal vase from Japan's Speaker.