An Ombudsman’s interim decision released about the existence or otherwise of legal advice on the multimillion dollar Saudi sheep deal shows MFAT has failed to back up the Prime Minister’s claims on the matter, says Labour MP David Parker.

“The Prime Minister and Murray McCully have both repeatedly claimed that there was a legal risk to New Zealand taxpayers that justified the payment of $4m to a Saudi businessman.”

The Government has now spent more than a year resisting disclosure of official information regarding whether there was legal advice supporting Murray McCully’s statement that the $4 million cash pay-out to a Saudi businessman was to settle “a legal claim”, Labour MP David Parker says.

“The media and the Labour Party have been seeking clarification through the Ombudsman under the Official Information Act of the existence, or otherwise, of documents to show whether this was true or just an excuse.

Todd McClay has some serious explaining to do following a move by China to put the squeeze on imports of New Zealand kiwifruit, Labour’s Trade spokesperson David Clark says.

"Unfortunately, we don't know whether Mr McClay has even asked Chinese authorities whether tighter controls imposed on kiwifruit into China are in any way related to a recent threat to impose tighter controls on kiwifruit into China. Does the Minister think the controls are just a highly unlikely co-incidence?

The Prime Minister must sack Todd McClay for failing to do his job as Trade Minister and be on top of a significant potential threat to some of our biggest exporters, Opposition Leader Andrew Little says.

“Todd McClay is clearly out of his depth. The lapse is so serious he cannot credibly continue to be Minister of Trade.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully needs to come clean on why a New Zealand aid-funded vessel intended to service the Tokelau Islands is delayed, over budget and failed its sea trials, Labour’s Foreign Affairs spokesperson David Shearer says.

“The new ship Mataliki which just arrived in Apia, Samoa has been described as a ‘fiasco’ by shipping insiders.

The Government wants to trim the process for hearing TPP submissions to get the controversial legislation off the agenda for election year in a shocking case of political expediency, Labour’s Trade and Export Growth spokesperson David Clark says.

“The Government had decided to cut back the national interests assessment process by three weeks.

National MPs have blocked Labour’s attempt to get NZTE to come back to the Commerce Committee to correct their answers on suspension of funding for the Saudi agri-hub, says Labour MP David Parker.

“NZTE and Steven Joyce have dodged, ducked and dived questions on the Saudi agri-hub and National MPs have helped that along today.

Labour will call for a one month extension of the deadline for submissions on the Trans-Pacific Partnership at tomorrow’s select committee, says Labour’s Trade and Export Growth spokesperson David Clark.

“The TPP is a 6000-page document. It is absolutely vital that those who are reviewing the text have the time to make a meaningful submission.

The Government did not fight as hard as other countries to strengthen the right to restrict and ban foreign buyers from purchasing their farms and homes, says Labour’s Trade and Export Growth spokesperson David Clark.

“The Government claims no other country bolstered their ability to restrict ownership from foreign buyers, they simply preserved their current laws. That’s completely wrong.

Labour members of the Commerce Select Committee have put a motion on the agenda to request NZTE officials re-appear before the committee to answer more questions on suspension of funding for the Saudi agri-hub.

When asked directly if funding for the ‘Al-Khalaf agr-hub’ was suspended, NZTE chief executive Peter Chrisp told the Commerce Committee last Thursday, ‘no, there’s absolutely no reason to’.