Vela fisheries story – the facts
3 November 2008

UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne says today’s Dominion Post story linking him to Vela Fisheries is nothing more than a massive beat-up designed to embarrass him just before the election.

“The facts of the matter are these:

• On 12 August 1999 I met Mr Meurant to discuss the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 3) then before Parliament. He made me aware of Vela’s opposition to some specific provisions of the Bill.

• On 16 August 1999 I issued a press release supporting some of the Seafood Industry Council’s concerns about the Bill.

• On or about 22 August 1999 Mr Meurant apparently wrote a memo to the Velas recommending they make a donation of $5,000 to the United Party. The first time I became aware of this memo was when I was contacted by the Dominion Post over the weekend.

• During the week of 2 September 1999 Parliament debated the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 3) under urgency. I did not even speak in the debate, nor did I move any amendments to the legislation, and I voted with Government to pass it through its remaining stages.

• Mr Meurant apparently advised me in mid October 1999 that a donation was being made to my party.

“There is nothing more to this issue than that – I have never discussed policy with any lobbyist on a ‘cash for votes’ basis, nor will I.

‘I have never met the Vela brothers, nor have my party or I ever received any donation from them, other than this one.

“Mr Meurant’s papers are reports to his masters, and as such will obviously have gilded the lily to show what a good lobbyist he was. They should be read with a large grain of salt.

“The question that has to be asked is what, given the fact that these events are 9 years old, is the motivation of the Dominion Post in raising them now, just six days before the election,” Mr Dunne says.

Ends